diff --git a/java/hop/SexpReader.java b/java/hop/SexpReader.java
index 6f73a64..0177fe7 100644
--- a/java/hop/SexpReader.java
+++ b/java/hop/SexpReader.java
@@ -81,31 +81,37 @@ public class SexpReader {
     }
 
     public Object _read(int c) throws IOException {
-        switch (c) {
-            case -1:
-                return null;
-            case '(':
-                return _readList();
-            case ')':
-                throw new SexpSyntaxError("Unexpected close-paren");
-            case '[':
-                byte[] hint = readSimpleString();
-                switch (_input.read()) {
-                    case -1:
-                        throw new SexpSyntaxError("End-of-stream between display hint and body");
-                    case ']':
-                        break;
-                    default:
-                        throw new SexpSyntaxError("Unexpected character after display hint");
-                }
-                byte[] body = readSimpleString();
-                return new SexpDisplayHint(hint, body);
-            default:
-                if (Character.isDigit(c)) {
-                    return new SexpBytes(_readSimpleString(c - '0'));
-                } else {
-                    throw new SexpSyntaxError("Unexpected character");
-                }
+        while (true) {
+            switch (c) {
+                case -1:
+                    return null;
+                case '(':
+                    return _readList();
+                case ')':
+                    throw new SexpSyntaxError("Unexpected close-paren");
+                case '[':
+                    byte[] hint = readSimpleString();
+                    switch (_input.read()) {
+                        case -1:
+                            throw new SexpSyntaxError("End-of-stream between display hint and body");
+                        case ']':
+                            break;
+                        default:
+                            throw new SexpSyntaxError("Unexpected character after display hint");
+                    }
+                    byte[] body = readSimpleString();
+                    return new SexpDisplayHint(hint, body);
+                default:
+                    if (Character.isDigit(c)) {
+                        return new SexpBytes(_readSimpleString(c - '0'));
+                    } else if (Character.isWhitespace(c)) {
+                        // Skip harmless (?) whitespace
+                        c = _input.read();
+                        continue;
+                    } else {
+                        throw new SexpSyntaxError("Unexpected character: " + c);
+                    }
+            }
         }
     }