- text_ = make_item ("LyricText", event_->self_scm ());
- text_->set_property ("text", event_->get_property ("text"));
+ SCM text = event_->get_property ("text");
+
+ if (ly_is_equal (text, scm_from_locale_string (" ")))
+ {
+ if (last_text_)
+ last_text_->set_property ("self-alignment-X", scm_from_int (LEFT));
+ }
+ else
+ {
+ text_ = make_item ("LyricText", event_->self_scm ());
+ }