diff --git a/OpenSim/Framework/Serialization/TarArchiveReader.cs b/OpenSim/Framework/Serialization/TarArchiveReader.cs
index da5703f3f9..1088870b0c 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Framework/Serialization/TarArchiveReader.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Framework/Serialization/TarArchiveReader.cs
@@ -63,7 +63,11 @@ namespace OpenSim.Framework.Serialization
         /// <summary>
         /// Used to trim off null chars
         /// </summary>
-        protected char[] m_nullCharArray = new char[] { '\0' };
+        protected static char[] m_nullCharArray = new char[] { '\0' };
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Used to trim off space chars
+        /// </summary>
+        protected static char[] m_spaceCharArray = new char[] { ' ' };
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Generate a tar reader which reads from the given stream.
@@ -195,7 +199,9 @@ namespace OpenSim.Framework.Serialization
         /// <returns></returns>
         public static int ConvertOctalBytesToDecimal(byte[] bytes, int startIndex, int count)
         {
-            string oString = m_asciiEncoding.GetString(bytes, startIndex, count);
+            // Trim leading white space: ancient tars do that instead
+            // of leading 0s :-( don't ask. really.
+            string oString = m_asciiEncoding.GetString(bytes, startIndex, count).TrimStart(m_spaceCharArray);
 
             int d = 0;