diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/render3/view/i18n/meta.ts b/packages/compiler/src/render3/view/i18n/meta.ts
index 98e2ac1329..6269e69e27 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/render3/view/i18n/meta.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/render3/view/i18n/meta.ts
@@ -201,11 +201,12 @@ const I18N_ID_SEPARATOR = '@@';
  * @param meta String that represents i18n meta
  * @returns Object with id, meaning and description fields
  */
-export function parseI18nMeta(meta?: string): I18nMeta {
+export function parseI18nMeta(meta: string = ''): I18nMeta {
   let customId: string|undefined;
   let meaning: string|undefined;
   let description: string|undefined;
 
+  meta = meta.trim();
   if (meta) {
     const idIndex = meta.indexOf(I18N_ID_SEPARATOR);
     const descIndex = meta.indexOf(I18N_MEANING_SEPARATOR);
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/render3/view/i18n_spec.ts b/packages/compiler/test/render3/view/i18n_spec.ts
index a4660926ce..afa3778075 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/render3/view/i18n_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/render3/view/i18n_spec.ts
@@ -207,6 +207,13 @@ describe('Utils', () => {
       expect(parseI18nMeta('meaning|desc')).toEqual(meta('', 'meaning', 'desc'));
       expect(parseI18nMeta('meaning|desc@@id')).toEqual(meta('id', 'meaning', 'desc'));
       expect(parseI18nMeta('@@id')).toEqual(meta('id', '', ''));
+
+      expect(parseI18nMeta('\n   ')).toEqual(meta());
+      expect(parseI18nMeta('\n   desc\n   ')).toEqual(meta('', '', 'desc'));
+      expect(parseI18nMeta('\n   desc@@id\n   ')).toEqual(meta('id', '', 'desc'));
+      expect(parseI18nMeta('\n   meaning|desc\n   ')).toEqual(meta('', 'meaning', 'desc'));
+      expect(parseI18nMeta('\n   meaning|desc@@id\n   ')).toEqual(meta('id', 'meaning', 'desc'));
+      expect(parseI18nMeta('\n   @@id\n   ')).toEqual(meta('id', '', ''));
     });
 
     it('serializeI18nHead()', () => {