diff --git a/babi/theme.py b/babi/theme.py
index 1982428..ce112f0 100644
--- a/babi/theme.py
+++ b/babi/theme.py
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ class Theme(NamedTuple):
                 scopes = ['']
             elif isinstance(rule['scope'], str):
                 scopes = [
-                    # some themes have a buggy trailing comma
-                    s.strip() for s in rule['scope'].strip(',').split(',')
+                    s.strip()
+                    # some themes have a buggy trailing/leading comma
+                    for s in rule['scope'].strip().strip(',').split(',')
                 ]
             else:
                 scopes = rule['scope']
diff --git a/tests/theme_test.py b/tests/theme_test.py
index 4c7cae0..a4a1d8d 100644
--- a/tests/theme_test.py
+++ b/tests/theme_test.py
@@ -72,6 +72,18 @@ def test_theme_scope_split_by_commas():
     assert theme.select(('c',)).i is True
 
 
+def test_theme_scope_comma_at_beginning_and_end():
+    theme = Theme.from_dct({
+        'colors': {'foreground': '#cccccc', 'background': '#333333'},
+        'tokenColors': [
+            {'scope': '\n,a,b,\n', 'settings': {'fontStyle': 'italic'}},
+        ],
+    })
+    assert theme.select(('d',)).i is False
+    assert theme.select(('a',)).i is True
+    assert theme.select(('b',)).i is True
+
+
 def test_theme_scope_as_A_list():
     theme = Theme.from_dct({
         'colors': {'foreground': '#cccccc', 'background': '#333333'},