diff --git a/docling/backend/opendocument_backend.py b/docling/backend/opendocument_backend.py
index 2762908dc0..ec4e03ca99 100644
--- a/docling/backend/opendocument_backend.py
+++ b/docling/backend/opendocument_backend.py
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ def _odf_text_runs(
         if text_recursive.startswith(text):
             text = text_recursive
         return [_OdfTextRun(text=text, formatting=formatting)]
+    if tag == "text:s":
+        text_recursive = getattr(element, "text_recursive", " ")
+        return [_OdfTextRun(text=text_recursive, formatting=formatting)]
     if tag == "text:tab":
         return [_OdfTextRun(text="\t", formatting=formatting)]
 
diff --git a/tests/test_backend_opendocument.py b/tests/test_backend_opendocument.py
index 0512dafee2..c6860956bc 100644
--- a/tests/test_backend_opendocument.py
+++ b/tests/test_backend_opendocument.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     List as OdfList,
     ListItem,
     Paragraph,
+    Spacer,
     Span,
     Style,
     Table,
@@ -436,6 +437,24 @@ def test_odt_text_document_text_formatting():
     assert "~~The Extremes of Good and Evil~~" in markdown
 
 
+def test_odt_text_after_space_in_span(tmp_path: Path):
+    path = tmp_path / "span_tail.odt"
+    doc = OdfDocument("text")
+    body = doc.body
+    body.clear()
+
+    space = Spacer()
+    space.tail = "connective prose here"
+    span = Span()
+    span.append(space)
+    body.append(Paragraph(span))
+    doc.save(str(path))
+
+    res = DocumentConverter(allowed_formats=[InputFormat.ODT]).convert(path)
+
+    assert res.document.export_to_markdown() == "connective prose here"
+
+
 def test_odt_text_document_script_formatting():
     path = Path("tests/data/odf/sources/text_document_01.odt")