diff --git a/src/lib/libcmd/wclib.c b/src/lib/libcmd/wclib.c
index 0d52fda40707..61efd176b07b 100644
--- a/src/lib/libcmd/wclib.c
+++ b/src/lib/libcmd/wclib.c
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ int wc_count(Wc_t *wp, Sfio_t *fd, const char* file)
 		int		xspace;
 		int		wasspace = 1;
 		unsigned char*	start;
+		int		flagm = 0;
 
 		lastchar = 0;
 		start = (endbuff = side) + 1;
@@ -367,6 +368,7 @@ int wc_count(Wc_t *wp, Sfio_t *fd, const char* file)
 			if(mbc(lasttype))
 			{
 				c = lasttype;
+				flagm = 1;
 				goto mbyte;
 			}
 			if(!lasttype && spc(type[*cp]))
@@ -415,6 +417,14 @@ int wc_count(Wc_t *wp, Sfio_t *fd, const char* file)
 							skip = (c&7);
 							adjust += skip;
 							state = 0;
+							if(flagm==1)
+							{
+								flagm = 0;
+								oldc = *cp;
+								if(xspace && (iswspace(*cp)==1))
+									state = 8;
+								continue;
+							}
 							if(skip==2 && (cp[-1]&0xc)==0 && (state=(cp[-1]&0x3)))
 								oldc = *cp;
 							else if(xspace && cp[-1]==0xc2)