diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/collate b/confluent_client/bin/collate
index 07095901..2a086303 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/collate
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/collate
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 import optparse
 import os
+import re
 import select
 import sys
 
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ fullline = sys.stdin.readline()
 printpending = True
 clearpending = False
 holdoff = 0
+padded = None
 while fullline:
     for line in fullline.split('\n'):
         if not line:
@@ -92,13 +94,18 @@ while fullline:
             line = 'UNKNOWN: ' + line
         if options.log:
             node, output = line.split(':', 1)
-            output = output.lstrip()
+            if padded is None:
+                if output.startswith(' '):
+                    padded = True
+                else:
+                    padded = False
+            if padded:
+                output = re.sub(r'^ ', '', output)
             currlog = options.log.format(node=node, nodename=node)
             with open(currlog, mode='a')  as log:
                 log.write(output + '\n')
             continue
         node, output = line.split(':', 1)
-        output = output.lstrip()
         grouped.add_line(node, output)
         if options.watch:
             if not holdoff:
diff --git a/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py b/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py
index cd35b6fa..e2f0dc7f 100644
--- a/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py
+++ b/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py
@@ -98,17 +98,24 @@ class GroupedData(object):
         self.byoutput = {}
         self.header = {}
         self.client = confluentconnection
+        self.detectedpad = None
 
     def generate_byoutput(self):
         self.byoutput = {}
+        thepad = self.detectedpad if self.detectedpad else ''
         for n in self.bynode:
-            output = '\n'.join(self.bynode[n])
+            output = ''
+            for ln in self.bynode[n]:
+                output += ln.replace(thepad, '', 1) + '\n'
             if output not in self.byoutput:
                 self.byoutput[output] = set([n])
             else:
                 self.byoutput[output].add(n)
 
     def add_line(self, node, line):
+        wspc = re.search(r'^\s*', line).group()
+        if self.detectedpad is None or len(wspc) < len(self.detectedpad):
+            self.detectedpad = wspc
         if node not in self.bynode:
             self.bynode[node] = [line]
         else:
@@ -219,4 +226,4 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         if not line:
             continue
         groupoutput.add_line(*line.split(': ', 1))
-    groupoutput.print_deviants()
\ No newline at end of file
+    groupoutput.print_deviants()