diff --git a/lookup.php b/lookup.php
index 4a80d1c..553e8b1 100644
--- a/lookup.php
+++ b/lookup.php
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ try {
     if (!empty($_GET["words"])) {
         // convert words to coordinates
         $words = urldecode($_GET["words"]);
+        $words = trim(strtolower($words));
+        $words = preg_replace('/\s+/', ' ', $words);
         $coords = FixPhrase::decode($words);
 
         $output = [