diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1b741f3..abcc2c7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -281,7 +281,9 @@ or a device, such as `/dev/null`, is written to directly.
 
 Decrypts the file (or standard input) with the derived identity. Output goes to
 `-o`, which is treated as for `encrypt`, or standard output. If the identity is
-not one of the recipients, the tool says so and exits with status 1.
+not one of the recipients, the tool says so and exits with status 1. The text
+form needs no flag, and up to 1024 bytes of blank lines in front of it are
+skipped, as `age` skips them.
 
 ## Derived mnemonics: `keyfunc mnemonic`
 
diff --git a/internal/agekey/agekey.go b/internal/agekey/agekey.go
index f863d38..461b714 100644
--- a/internal/agekey/agekey.go
+++ b/internal/agekey/agekey.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package agekey
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -187,12 +188,18 @@ func (k *Key) Decrypt(dst io.Writer, src io.Reader) error {
 }
 
 // unarmored strips the text form when the input begins with the line
-// that starts one, and leaves binary input alone.
+// that starts one, and leaves binary input alone. Like age, it looks
+// past up to 1024 bytes of whitespace for that line, and the text form
+// reader skips blank lines in front of it.
 func unarmored(src io.Reader) io.Reader {
+	const maxWhitespace = 1024
+
 	buffered := bufio.NewReader(src)
 
-	start, err := buffered.Peek(len(armor.Header))
-	if err == nil && string(start) == armor.Header {
+	// A shorter input gives an error along with all of it, which is
+	// enough to look at.
+	start, _ := buffered.Peek(maxWhitespace + len(armor.Header))
+	if bytes.HasPrefix(bytes.TrimSpace(start), []byte(armor.Header)) {
 		return armor.NewReader(buffered)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/agekey/agekey_test.go b/internal/agekey/agekey_test.go
index 4702d54..06c62e8 100644
--- a/internal/agekey/agekey_test.go
+++ b/internal/agekey/agekey_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package agekey_test
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"io"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -99,6 +100,27 @@ func TestTheArmoredFormIsText(t *testing.T) {
 	))
 }
 
+func TestTheTextFormIsReadWithWhitespaceInFront(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	key := forIndex(t, 0)
+
+	var sealed bytes.Buffer
+
+	err := key.Encrypt(&sealed, strings.NewReader("hello"), nil, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// A blank line and a line of two spaces, as pasting can leave. age
+	// refuses spaces on the first line of the text form itself, and so
+	// does this.
+	pasted := io.MultiReader(strings.NewReader("\n  \n"), &sealed)
+
+	var opened bytes.Buffer
+
+	require.NoError(t, key.Decrypt(&opened, pasted))
+	require.Equal(t, "hello", opened.String())
+}
+
 func TestAFileForSomebodyElseIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()