diff --git a/tools/patman/settings.py b/tools/patman/settings.py
index 94ea5b5a1b..ca4334426b 100644
--- a/tools/patman/settings.py
+++ b/tools/patman/settings.py
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ def _ReadAliasFile(fname):
                 line = line.strip()
                 if not line or line.startswith('#'):
                     continue
-                words = line.split(' ', 2)
+                words = line.split(None, 2)
                 if len(words) < 3 or words[0] != 'alias':
                     if not bad_line:
                         bad_line = "%s:%d:Invalid line '%s'" % (fname, linenum,