diff --git a/Batteries/Tactic/OpenPrivate.lean b/Batteries/Tactic/OpenPrivate.lean
index 7ade0b94d9..a7e126133f 100644
--- a/Batteries/Tactic/OpenPrivate.lean
+++ b/Batteries/Tactic/OpenPrivate.lean
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ name component.
 It is also possible to specify the module instead with
 `open private a b c from Other.Module`.
 -/
-syntax (name := openPrivate) "open private" (ppSpace ident)*
+syntax (name := openPrivate) "open" ppSpace "private" (ppSpace ident)*
   (" in" (ppSpace ident)*)? (" from" (ppSpace ident)*)? : command
 
 /-- Elaborator for `open private`. -/
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ It will also open the newly created alias definition under the provided short na
 It is also possible to specify the module instead with
 `export private a b c from Other.Module`.
 -/
-syntax (name := exportPrivate) "export private" (ppSpace ident)*
+syntax (name := exportPrivate) "export" ppSpace "private" (ppSpace ident)*
   (" in" (ppSpace ident)*)? (" from" (ppSpace ident)*)? : command
 
 /-- Elaborator for `export private`. -/
diff --git a/BatteriesTest/OpenPrivateDefs.lean b/BatteriesTest/OpenPrivateDefs.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5d1a483e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/BatteriesTest/OpenPrivateDefs.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+/-!
+This file contains a private declaration. It's tested in `openPrivate.lean`.
+-/
+private def secretNumber : Nat := 2
diff --git a/BatteriesTest/openPrivate.lean b/BatteriesTest/openPrivate.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36f042c634
--- /dev/null
+++ b/BatteriesTest/openPrivate.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+
+import Batteries.Tactic.OpenPrivate
+
+import BatteriesTest.OpenPrivateDefs
+
+
+
+/-- error: unknown identifier 'secretNumber' -/
+#guard_msgs in
+#eval secretNumber
+
+
+-- It works with one space between the tokens
+/-- info: 2 -/
+#guard_msgs in
+open private secretNumber from BatteriesTest.OpenPrivateDefs in
+#eval secretNumber
+
+
+-- It also works with other kinds of whitespace between the tokens
+
+/-- info: 2 -/
+#guard_msgs in
+open      private secretNumber from BatteriesTest.OpenPrivateDefs in
+#eval secretNumber
+
+
+/-- info: 2 -/
+#guard_msgs in
+open
+  private secretNumber from BatteriesTest.OpenPrivateDefs in
+#eval secretNumber
+
+/-- info: 2 -/
+#guard_msgs in
+open /- Being sneaky! -/ private secretNumber from BatteriesTest.OpenPrivateDefs in
+#eval secretNumber