diff --git a/system/database/DB_query_builder.php b/system/database/DB_query_builder.php
index 4c70ccc..486fda9 100644
--- a/system/database/DB_query_builder.php
+++ b/system/database/DB_query_builder.php
@@ -932,10 +932,9 @@
 		{
 			$prefix = (count($this->qb_having) === 0) ? '' : $type;
 
-			if ($escape === TRUE)
-			{
-				$k = $this->protect_identifiers($k);
-			}
+			$k = $this->_has_operator($k)
+				? $this->protect_identifiers(substr($k, 0, strpos(rtrim($k), ' ')), FALSE, $escape).strchr(rtrim($k), ' ')
+				: $this->protect_identifiers($k, FALSE, $escape);
 
 			if ( ! $this->_has_operator($k))
 			{