diff --git a/merge-request-check/approval_check.py b/merge-request-check/approval_check.py
index 5585038f94fc22e6c8543d9156a0435bb0225252..c04f238f634b0b32809eff21eecfd69e1e325e29 100644
--- a/merge-request-check/approval_check.py
+++ b/merge-request-check/approval_check.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ This is primarily intended to act as an approval step for outside developers
 using our hosting stack and CI/CD processes.
 '''
 
-if os.environ.get('CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE ') == 'merge_request_event':
+if os.environ.get('CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE') == 'merge_request_event':
     branch = os.environ.get('CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME')
 else:
     branch = os.environ.get('CI_COMMIT_BRANCH')