diff --git a/OpenKeychain/src/main/java/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/BackupCodeFragment.java b/OpenKeychain/src/main/java/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/BackupCodeFragment.java
index 2cacaea90..a9dfaa2c5 100644
--- a/OpenKeychain/src/main/java/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/BackupCodeFragment.java
+++ b/OpenKeychain/src/main/java/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/BackupCodeFragment.java
@@ -170,7 +170,11 @@ public class BackupCodeFragment extends CryptoOperationFragment<BackupKeyringPar
                 mTitleAnimator.setDisplayedChild(1, animate);
                 mStatusAnimator.setDisplayedChild(1, animate);
                 mCodeFieldsAnimator.setDisplayedChild(1, animate);
-                mCodeEditText.setText("    -    -    -    -    -    ");
+                // use non-breaking spaces to enlarge the empty EditText appropriately
+                String empty = "\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0" +
+                        "-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0" +
+                        "-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0";
+                mCodeEditText.setText(empty);
 
                 pushBackStackEntry();
 
@@ -349,7 +353,8 @@ public class BackupCodeFragment extends CryptoOperationFragment<BackupKeyringPar
             public void afterTextChanged(Editable s) {
                 boolean inInputState = mCurrentState == BackupCodeState.STATE_INPUT
                         || mCurrentState == BackupCodeState.STATE_INPUT_ERROR;
-                boolean partIsComplete = (backupCode.getText().toString().indexOf(' ') == -1);
+                boolean partIsComplete = (backupCode.getText().toString().indexOf(' ') == -1)
+                        && (backupCode.getText().toString().indexOf('\u00a0') == -1);
                 if (!inInputState || !partIsComplete) {
                     return;
                 }
diff --git a/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/backup_code_fragment.xml b/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/backup_code_fragment.xml
index 619a1b3b1..330f18d1c 100644
--- a/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/backup_code_fragment.xml
+++ b/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/backup_code_fragment.xml
@@ -84,9 +84,11 @@
             android:textSize="18dp"
             android:textStyle="bold"
             android:typeface="monospace"
+            app:deleteChar="\u00a0"
             app:mask="****-****-****-****-****-****"
             app:maskIconColor="@color/colorPrimary"
             app:notMaskedSymbol="*"
+            app:replacementChar="\u00a0"
             tools:ignore="SpUsage" />
 
     </org.sufficientlysecure.keychain.ui.widget.ToolableViewAnimator>
diff --git a/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/passphrase_dialog_backup_code.xml b/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/passphrase_dialog_backup_code.xml
index a55033380..b17c9dba7 100644
--- a/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/passphrase_dialog_backup_code.xml
+++ b/OpenKeychain/src/main/res/layout/passphrase_dialog_backup_code.xml
@@ -38,9 +38,11 @@
                 android:textSize="18dp"
                 android:textStyle="bold"
                 android:typeface="monospace"
+                app:deleteChar="\u00a0"
                 app:mask="****-****-****-****-****-****"
                 app:maskIconColor="@color/colorPrimary"
                 app:notMaskedSymbol="*"
+                app:replacementChar="\u00a0"
                 tools:ignore="SpUsage" />
 
         </LinearLayout>