diff --git a/shared/naturalcrit/markdown.js b/shared/naturalcrit/markdown.js
index a8b877f4b..0b90c051c 100644
--- a/shared/naturalcrit/markdown.js
+++ b/shared/naturalcrit/markdown.js
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ mathParser.functions.signed = function (a) {
 	return `${a}`;
 };
 
+// Normalize variable names; trim edge spaces and shorten blocks of whitespace to 1 space
+const normalizeVarNames = (label)=>{
+	return label.trim().replace(/\s+/g, ' ');
+};
+
 //Processes the markdown within an HTML block if it's just a class-wrapper
 renderer.html = function (token) {
 	let html = token.text;
@@ -509,7 +514,7 @@ const replaceVar = function(input, hoist=false, allowUnresolved=false) {
 	const match = regex.exec(input);
 
 	const prefix = match[1];
-	const label  = match[2];
+	const label  = normalizeVarNames(match[2]); // Ensure the label name is normalized as it should be in the var stack.
 
 	//v=====--------------------< HANDLE MATH >-------------------=====v//
 	const mathRegex = /[a-z]+\(|[+\-*/^(),]/g;
@@ -664,8 +669,8 @@ function MarkedVariables() {
 							});
 					}
 					if(match[3]) { // Block Definition
-						const label   = match[4] ? match[4].trim().replace(/\s+/g, ' ')    : null; // Trim edge spaces and shorten blocks of whitespace to 1 space
-						const content = match[5] ? match[5].trim().replace(/[ \t]+/g, ' ') : null; // Trim edge spaces and shorten blocks of whitespace to 1 space
+						const label   = match[4] ? normalizeVarNames(match[4]) : null;
+						const content = match[5] ? match[5].trim().replace(/[ \t]+/g, ' ') : null; // Normalize text content (except newlines for block-level content)
 
 						varsQueue.push(
 							{ type    : 'varDefBlock',
@@ -674,7 +679,7 @@ function MarkedVariables() {
 							});
 					}
 					if(match[6]) { // Block Call
-						const label = match[7] ? match[7].trim().replace(/\s+/g, ' ') : null; // Trim edge spaces and shorten blocks of whitespace to 1 space
+						const label = match[7] ? normalizeVarNames(match[7]) : null;
 
 						varsQueue.push(
 							{ type    : 'varCallBlock',
@@ -683,7 +688,7 @@ function MarkedVariables() {
 							});
 					}
 					if(match[8]) { // Inline Definition
-						const label = match[10] ? match[10].trim().replace(/\s+/g, ' ') : null; // Trim edge spaces and shorten blocks of whitespace to 1 space
+						const label = match[10] ? normalizeVarNames(match[10]) : null;
 						let content = match[11] || null;
 
 						// In case of nested (), find the correct matching end )
@@ -715,7 +720,7 @@ function MarkedVariables() {
 							});
 					}
 					if(match[12]) { // Inline Call
-						const label = match[13] ? match[13].trim().replace(/\s+/g, ' ') : null; // Trim edge spaces and shorten blocks of whitespace to 1 space
+						const label = match[13] ? normalizeVarNames(match[13]) : null;
 
 						varsQueue.push(
 							{ type    : 'varCallInline',
diff --git a/tests/markdown/variables.test.js b/tests/markdown/variables.test.js
index 41259da7e..4c91d7d00 100644
--- a/tests/markdown/variables.test.js
+++ b/tests/markdown/variables.test.js
@@ -410,4 +410,29 @@ describe('Regression Tests', ()=>{
 		const rendered = Markdown.render(source).trimReturns();
 		expect(rendered).toBe('<table><thead><tr><th>title 1</th><th>title 2</th><th>title 3</th><th>title 4</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"bar\">foo</a></td><td>Ipsum</td><td>)</td><td>)</td></tr></tbody></table>');
 	});
+
+	it('Handle Extra spaces in image alt-text 1', function(){
+		const source='![ where is my image??](http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png)';
+		const rendered = Markdown.render(source).trimReturns();
+		expect(rendered).toBe('<p><img src=\"http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png\" alt=\"where is my image??\" style=\"--HB_src:url(http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png);\"></p>');
+	});
+
+	it('Handle Extra spaces in image alt-text 2', function(){
+		const source='![where  is my image??](http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png)';
+		const rendered = Markdown.render(source).trimReturns();
+		expect(rendered).toBe('<p><img src=\"http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png\" alt=\"where is my image??\" style=\"--HB_src:url(http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png);\"></p>');
+	});
+
+	it('Handle Extra spaces in image alt-text 3', function(){
+		const source='![where is my image?? ](http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png)';
+		const rendered = Markdown.render(source).trimReturns();
+		expect(rendered).toBe('<p><img src=\"http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png\" alt=\"where is my image??\" style=\"--HB_src:url(http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png);\"></p>');
+	});
+
+	it('Handle Extra spaces in image alt-text 4', function(){
+		const source='![where is my image??](http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png){height=20%,width=20%}';
+		const rendered = Markdown.render(source).trimReturns();
+		expect(rendered).toBe('<p><img style=\"--HB_src:url(http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png);\" src=\"http://i.imgur.com/hMna6G0.png\" alt=\"where is my image??\" height=\"20%\" width=\"20%\"></p>');
+	});
+
 });
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