diff --git a/src/side-by-side-printer.js b/src/side-by-side-printer.js
index f11572c..91fb84b 100644
--- a/src/side-by-side-printer.js
+++ b/src/side-by-side-printer.js
@@ -236,9 +236,9 @@
       lineClass += ' d2h-code-side-emptyplaceholder';
       contentClass += ' d2h-code-side-emptyplaceholder';
       type += ' d2h-emptyplaceholder';
-    }
-
-    if (!prefix) {
+      prefix = ' ';
+      lineWithoutPrefix = ' ';
+    } else if (!prefix) {
       var lineWithPrefix = printerUtils.separatePrefix(isCombined, content);
       prefix = lineWithPrefix.prefix;
       lineWithoutPrefix = lineWithPrefix.line;
diff --git a/test/side-by-side-printer-tests.js b/test/side-by-side-printer-tests.js
index 3a1258b..ee10c39 100644
--- a/test/side-by-side-printer-tests.js
+++ b/test/side-by-side-printer-tests.js
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ describe('SideBySidePrinter', function() {
         '    </td>\n' +
         '    <td class="d2h-cntx d2h-emptyplaceholder">\n' +
         '        <div class="d2h-code-side-line d2h-code-side-emptyplaceholder d2h-cntx d2h-emptyplaceholder">\n' +
+        '            <span class="d2h-code-line-prefix">&nbsp;</span>\n' +
+        '            <span class="d2h-code-line-ctn">&nbsp;</span>\n' +
         '        </div>\n' +
         '    </td>\n' +
         '</tr>';