diff --git a/form/form.h b/form/form.h
index 09856dc..470b81e 100644
--- a/form/form.h
+++ b/form/form.h
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ typedef void (*Form_Hook)(FORM *);
 #define O_PASSOK		(0x0100U)
 #define O_STATIC		(0x0200U)
 #define O_DYNAMIC_JUSTIFY	(0x0400U)	/* ncurses extension	*/
+#define O_NO_LEFT_STRIP		(0x0800U)	/* ncurses extension	*/
 
 /* form options */
 #define O_NL_OVERLOAD		(0x0001U)
diff --git a/form/form.priv.h b/form/form.priv.h
index 4d1dfe7..b9bdea2 100644
--- a/form/form.priv.h
+++ b/form/form.priv.h
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ TypeArgument;
 
 #define ALL_FIELD_OPTS (Field_Options)( \
 			STD_FIELD_OPTS |\
-			O_DYNAMIC_JUSTIFY)
+			O_DYNAMIC_JUSTIFY |\
+			O_NO_LEFT_STRIP)
 
 #define C_BLANK ' '
 #define is_blank(c) ((c)==C_BLANK)
diff --git a/form/frm_driver.c b/form/frm_driver.c
index eebde42..c3a8285 100644
--- a/form/frm_driver.c
+++ b/form/frm_driver.c
@@ -979,7 +979,8 @@ Perform_Justification(FIELD *field, WINDOW *win)
   int len;
   int col = 0;
 
-  bp = Get_Start_Of_Data(field->buf, Buffer_Length(field));
+  bp = Field_Has_Option(field, O_NO_LEFT_STRIP)? field->buf:
+     Get_Start_Of_Data(field->buf, Buffer_Length(field));
   len = (int)(After_End_Of_Data(field->buf, Buffer_Length(field)) - bp);
 
   if (len > 0)
@@ -1023,7 +1024,8 @@ Undo_Justification(FIELD *field, WINDOW *win)
   FIELD_CELL *bp;
   int len;
 
-  bp = Get_Start_Of_Data(field->buf, Buffer_Length(field));
+  bp = Field_Has_Option(field, O_NO_LEFT_STRIP)? field->buf:
+     Get_Start_Of_Data(field->buf, Buffer_Length(field));
   len = (int)(After_End_Of_Data(field->buf, Buffer_Length(field)) - bp);
 
   if (len > 0)
diff --git a/man/form_field_opts.3x b/man/form_field_opts.3x
index ff27fe1..8e0f351 100644
--- a/man/form_field_opts.3x
+++ b/man/form_field_opts.3x
@@ -91,10 +91,13 @@ O_WRAP
 Words that do not fit on a line are wrapped to the next line.  Words are
 blank-separated.
 .PP
-One extension option is defined (extensions are off by default):
+Two extension options are defined (extensions are off by default):
 .TP 5
 O_DYNAMIC_JUSTIFY
 Permit dynamic fields to be justified, like static fields.
+.TP 5
+O_NO_LEFT_STRIP
+Preserve leading whitespace in the field buffer which are normally discarded.
 .SH RETURN VALUE
 Except for \fBfield_opts\fR, each routine returns one of the following:
 .TP 5