diff --git a/gateway/pairing.py b/gateway/pairing.py
index 989153b351..bac6f74e78 100644
--- a/gateway/pairing.py
+++ b/gateway/pairing.py
@@ -464,7 +464,9 @@ class PairingStore:
         """
         with self._lock:
             self._cleanup_expired(platform)
-            code = code.upper().strip()
+            # Chat UIs insert visual spacing between code characters; strip all
+            # whitespace, then match exactly (surrounding words still fail). #89937
+            code = "".join(str(code or "").upper().split())
             # Before the lookup, or an already-issued valid code would bypass lockout.
             if self._is_locked_out(platform):
                 return None
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_pairing.py b/tests/gateway/test_pairing.py
index a8ef808b5d..f97bfcb3cf 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_pairing.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_pairing.py
@@ -275,6 +275,25 @@ class TestApprovalFlow:
         assert result["user_id"] == "user1"
         assert result["user_name"] == "Alice"
 
+    def test_approve_code_with_internal_spacing(self, tmp_path):
+        with patch("gateway.pairing.PAIRING_DIR", tmp_path):
+            store = PairingStore()
+            code = store.generate_code("telegram", "user1", "Alice")
+            spaced_code = "   ".join(code)
+            result = store.approve_code("telegram", f"  {spaced_code}  ")
+
+        assert isinstance(result, dict)
+        assert result["user_id"] == "user1"
+        assert result["user_name"] == "Alice"
+
+    def test_approve_code_with_words_still_fails(self, tmp_path):
+        with patch("gateway.pairing.PAIRING_DIR", tmp_path):
+            store = PairingStore()
+            code = store.generate_code("telegram", "user1", "Alice")
+            result = store.approve_code("telegram", f"code {code}")
+
+        assert result is None
+
     def test_approved_user_is_approved(self, tmp_path):
         with patch("gateway.pairing.PAIRING_DIR", tmp_path):
             store = PairingStore()