--- src/xdisp.c.~1.908.~	2004-09-16 02:12:32.000000000 +0700
+++ src/xdisp.c	2004-09-17 09:17:14.626506584 +0700
@@ -15335,23 +15335,34 @@
 	    Lisp_Object oprops, aelt;
 	    oprops = Ftext_properties_at (make_number (0), elt);
 
+	    /* If the first character doesn't have any properties, try
+	       the last character instead, since user code might not
+	       propertize a leading space character. */
+	       
+	    if (NILP (oprops))
+	      {
+		int length;
+
+		length = XFASTINT (Flength (elt));
+		if (length > 0)
+		  oprops = Ftext_properties_at (make_number (length - 1), elt);
+	      }
+	      
+
 	    if (NILP (Fequal (props, oprops)) || risky)
 	      {
 		/* If the starting string has properties,
-		   merge the specified ones onto the existing ones.  */
+		   merge the specified ones onto the existing ones.
+		   Give priority to the existing one. */
 		if (! NILP (oprops) && !risky)
 		  {
-		    Lisp_Object tem;
-
-		    oprops = Fcopy_sequence (oprops);
-		    tem = props;
-		    while (CONSP (tem))
+		    props = Fcopy_sequence (props);
+		    while (CONSP (oprops))
 		      {
-			oprops = Fplist_put (oprops, XCAR (tem),
-					     XCAR (XCDR (tem)));
-			tem = XCDR (XCDR (tem));
+			props = Fplist_put (props, XCAR (oprops),
+					    XCAR (XCDR (oprops)));
+			oprops = XCDR (XCDR (oprops));
 		      }
-		    props = oprops;
 		  }
 
 		aelt = Fassoc (elt, mode_line_proptrans_alist);