diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go
index 9653906277..8befc6b944 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go
@@ -88,11 +88,22 @@ loop: // break out of for/select infinite` loop
 				}
 
 				for _, line := range output[1:] {
-					process := strings.Split(line, "\t")
-					for i := range process {
-						process[i] = strings.TrimSpace(process[i])
+					process := strings.FieldsFunc(line, func(r rune) bool {
+						return r == ' ' || r == '\t'
+					})
+					if len(process) > len(body.Titles) {
+						// Docker assumes the last entry is *always* command
+						// Which can include spaces.
+						// All other descriptors are assumed to NOT include extra spaces.
+						// So combine any extras.
+						cmd := strings.Join(process[len(body.Titles)-1:], " ")
+						var finalProc []string
+						finalProc = append(finalProc, process[:len(body.Titles)-1]...)
+						finalProc = append(finalProc, cmd)
+						body.Processes = append(body.Processes, finalProc)
+					} else {
+						body.Processes = append(body.Processes, process)
 					}
-					body.Processes = append(body.Processes, process)
 				}
 
 				if err := encoder.Encode(body); err != nil {
diff --git a/test/apiv2/20-containers.at b/test/apiv2/20-containers.at
index 7aca66797f..011c8f289b 100644
--- a/test/apiv2/20-containers.at
+++ b/test/apiv2/20-containers.at
@@ -144,6 +144,14 @@ if root; then
     podman rm -f $CTRNAME
 fi
 
+# Verify that compat top endpoint combines multi-entry COMMAND lines
+CTRNAME=testtopproc
+podman run --name $CTRNAME -d $IMAGE sleep 25
+t GET containers/$CTRNAME/top?stream=false 200 \
+  .Processes.[0].[6]="00:00:00" \
+  .Processes.[0].[7]="sleep 25"
+podman rm -f -t0 $CTRNAME
+
 CTRNAME=test123
 podman run --name $CTRNAME -d $IMAGE top
 t GET libpod/containers/$CTRNAME/top?ps_args=--invalid 500 \