diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Query.php b/lib/Doctrine/Query.php
index f2123a4f5..570e255a0 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Query.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Query.php
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?php
-/* 
+/*
  *  $Id$
  *
  * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
@@ -601,7 +601,12 @@ class Doctrine_Query extends Doctrine_Hydrate implements Countable {
      * @return array
      */
     public static function sqlExplode($str,$d = " ",$e1 = '(',$e2 = ')') {
-        $str = explode("$d",$str);
+        if(is_array($d)) {
+            $str = preg_split('/('.implode('|', $d).')/', $str);
+            $d = stripslashes($d[0]);
+        } else
+            $str = explode("$d",$str);
+
         $i = 0;
         $term = array();
         foreach($str as $key => $val) {
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Query/Where.php b/lib/Doctrine/Query/Where.php
index 8a92d1ea8..f03f71a6a 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Query/Where.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Query/Where.php
@@ -12,17 +12,20 @@ class Doctrine_Query_Where extends Doctrine_Query_Condition {
     public function load($where) {
 
         $e = Doctrine_Query::sqlExplode($where);
+        
+        if(count($e) < 3) {
+            $e = Doctrine_Query::sqlExplode($where, array('=', '<', '>', '!='));
+        }
         $r = array_shift($e);
+
         $a = explode(".",$r);
 
         if(count($a) > 1) {
             $field     = array_pop($a);
             $count     = count($e);
-            $slice     = array_slice($e, 0, ($count - 1));
-            $operator  = implode(' ', $slice);
-
             $slice     = array_slice($e, -1, 1);
             $value     = implode('', $slice);
+            $operator  = trim(substr($where, strlen($r), -strlen($value)));
 
             $reference = implode(".",$a);
             $count     = count($a);
@@ -99,7 +102,8 @@ class Doctrine_Query_Where extends Doctrine_Query_Condition {
                         $where      = $this->query->getTableAlias($reference).'.'.$field.' '.$operator.' '.$value;
                 }
             }
-        } 
+        }
+
         return $where;
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/QueryWhereTestCase.php b/tests/QueryWhereTestCase.php
index 7d0eb7890..7ea1c5a00 100644
--- a/tests/QueryWhereTestCase.php
+++ b/tests/QueryWhereTestCase.php
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class Doctrine_Query_Where_TestCase extends Doctrine_UnitTestCase {
         $this->tables = array('entity');
         parent::prepareTables();
     }
-    public function testQueryWithDirectParameterSetting() {
+    public function testDirectParameterSetting() {
         $this->connection->clear();
 
         $user = new User();
@@ -13,28 +13,68 @@ class Doctrine_Query_Where_TestCase extends Doctrine_UnitTestCase {
         $user->save();
 
         $q = new Doctrine_Query();
-        
+
         $q->from('User(id)')->addWhere('User.id = ?',1);
 
         $users = $q->execute();
-        
+
         $this->assertEqual($users->count(), 1);
         $this->assertEqual($users[0]->name, 'someone');
     }
-    public function testQueryWithDirectMultipleParameterSetting() {
+    public function testDirectMultipleParameterSetting() {
         $user = new User();
-        $user->name = 'someone 2';
+        $user->name = 'someone.2';
         $user->save();
 
         $q = new Doctrine_Query();
-        
+
         $q->from('User(id)')->addWhere('User.id IN (?, ?)',array(1,2));
 
         $users = $q->execute();
-        
+
         $this->assertEqual($users->count(), 2);
         $this->assertEqual($users[0]->name, 'someone');
-        $this->assertEqual($users[1]->name, 'someone 2');
+        $this->assertEqual($users[1]->name, 'someone.2');
+    }
+    public function testOperatorWithNoTrailingSpaces() {
+        $q = new Doctrine_Query();
+        
+        $q->from('User(id)')->where("User.name='someone'");
+
+        $users = $q->execute();
+        $this->assertEqual($users->count(), 1);
+        
+        $this->assertEqual($q->getQuery(), "SELECT entity.id AS entity__id FROM entity WHERE entity.name = 'someone' AND (entity.type = 0)");
+    }
+    public function testOperatorWithNoTrailingSpaces2() {
+        $q = new Doctrine_Query();
+        
+        $q->from('User(id)')->where("User.name='foo.bar'");
+
+        $users = $q->execute();
+        $this->assertEqual($users->count(), 0);
+        
+        $this->assertEqual($q->getQuery(), "SELECT entity.id AS entity__id FROM entity WHERE entity.name = 'foo.bar' AND (entity.type = 0)");
+    }
+    public function testOperatorWithSingleTrailingSpace() {
+        $q = new Doctrine_Query();
+        
+        $q->from('User(id)')->where("User.name= 'foo.bar'");
+
+        $users = $q->execute();
+        $this->assertEqual($users->count(), 0);
+        
+        $this->assertEqual($q->getQuery(), "SELECT entity.id AS entity__id FROM entity WHERE entity.name = 'foo.bar' AND (entity.type = 0)");
+    }
+    public function testOperatorWithSingleTrailingSpace2() {
+        $q = new Doctrine_Query();
+        
+        $q->from('User(id)')->where("User.name ='foo.bar'");
+
+        $users = $q->execute();
+        $this->assertEqual($users->count(), 0);
+        
+        $this->assertEqual($q->getQuery(), "SELECT entity.id AS entity__id FROM entity WHERE entity.name = 'foo.bar' AND (entity.type = 0)");
     }
 }
 ?>