diff --git a/net/src/main/java/org/xbib/net/URL.java b/net/src/main/java/org/xbib/net/URL.java
index 869aed8..ea635eb 100755
--- a/net/src/main/java/org/xbib/net/URL.java
+++ b/net/src/main/java/org/xbib/net/URL.java
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ public class URL implements Comparable<URL> {
         return sb.length() == 0 ? null : sb.toString();
     }
 
-    private void appendQuery(StringBuilder sb, boolean withEncoding, boolean withQuestionMark) {
+    private void appendQuery(StringBuilder sb, boolean encoded, boolean withQuestionMark) {
         // a given query has priority
         if (!isNullOrEmpty(builder.query)) {
             if (withQuestionMark) {
@@ -627,10 +627,10 @@ public class URL implements Comparable<URL> {
             while (it.hasNext()) {
                 Pair<String, Object> queryParam = it.next();
                 try {
-                    String k = withEncoding ? queryParamEncoder.encode(queryParam.getKey()) : queryParam.getKey();
+                    String k = encoded ? queryParamEncoder.encode(queryParam.getKey()) : queryParam.getKey();
                     sb.append(k);
                     if (queryParam.getValue() != null) {
-                        Object v = withEncoding && queryParam.getValue() instanceof CharSequence ?
+                        Object v = encoded && queryParam.getValue() instanceof CharSequence ?
                                 queryParamEncoder.encode((CharSequence) queryParam.getValue()) : queryParam.getValue();
                         sb.append(EQUAL_CHAR).append(v);
                     }
diff --git a/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/PercentEncoderTest.java b/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/PercentEncoderTest.java
index c36dde9..d221f39 100644
--- a/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/PercentEncoderTest.java
+++ b/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/PercentEncoderTest.java
@@ -74,4 +74,10 @@ class PercentEncoderTest {
     void testUrlEncodedUtf16SurrogatePair() throws Exception {
         assertEquals("clef%D8%34%DD%1E", alnum16.encode("clef\ud834\udd1e"));
     }
+
+    @Test
+    void testQueryParameterEncoding() throws Exception {
+        PercentEncoder queryParamEncoder = PercentEncoders.getQueryParamEncoder(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+        assertEquals("%20a%20%3D%20b%20", queryParamEncoder.encode(" a = b "));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLBuilderTest.java b/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLBuilderTest.java
index 34611eb..62c67d7 100644
--- a/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLBuilderTest.java
+++ b/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLBuilderTest.java
@@ -74,6 +74,21 @@ class URLBuilderTest {
                 .toUrlString(), "http://foo.com?foo=bar");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testQueryParamEncodedWithSpaces() {
+        assertUrl(URL.http()
+                .resolveFromHost("foo.com")
+                .queryParam(" foo ", " bar ")
+                .build()
+                .toExternalForm(), "http://foo.com?%20foo%20=%20bar%20");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testFromUrlQueryParamEncodedWithSpaces() {
+        assertUrl(URL.from("http://foo.com? foo = bar ")
+                .toExternalForm(), "http://foo.com?%20foo%20=%20bar%20");
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testQueryParamsDuplicated() {
         assertUrl(URL.http().resolveFromHost("foo.com")
diff --git a/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLParserTest.java b/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLParserTest.java
index 826857d..2c872c1 100644
--- a/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLParserTest.java
+++ b/net/src/test/java/org/xbib/net/URLParserTest.java
@@ -411,6 +411,20 @@ class URLParserTest {
         assertEquals("foo=bar&=#baz&foo=bar?/2", url.getDecodedQuery());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testQuerySpaces() throws Exception {
+        URL url = URL.parser().parse("http://foo.com? foo = bar ");
+        assertEquals(" foo = bar ", url.getQuery());
+        assertEquals(" foo = bar ", url.getDecodedQuery());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testQuerySpacesPercentEncoded() throws Exception {
+        URL url = URL.parser().parse("http://foo.com?%20foo%20=%20bar%20");
+        assertEquals("%20foo%20=%20bar%20", url.getQuery());
+        assertEquals(" foo = bar ", url.getDecodedQuery());
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testAnotherPlus() throws Exception {
         URL url = URL.parser().parse("http://foo.com/has+plus;plusMtx=pl+us?plusQp=pl%2Bus#plus+frag");