diff --git a/hgext/churn.py b/hgext/churn.py
--- a/hgext/churn.py
+++ b/hgext/churn.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def churn(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
     It is possible to map alternate email addresses to a main address
     by providing a file using the following format::
 
-      <alias email> <actual email>
+      <alias email> = <actual email>
 
     Such a file may be specified with the --aliases option, otherwise
     a .hgchurn file will be looked for in the working directory root.
@@ -129,9 +129,8 @@ def churn(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
         aliases = repo.wjoin('.hgchurn')
     if aliases:
         for l in open(aliases, "r"):
-            l = l.strip()
-            alias, actual = l.split()
-            amap[alias] = actual
+            alias, actual = l.split('=' in l and '=' or None, 1)
+            amap[alias.strip()] = actual.strip()
 
     rate = countrate(ui, repo, amap, *pats, **opts).items()
     if not rate:
diff --git a/tests/test-churn b/tests/test-churn
--- a/tests/test-churn
+++ b/tests/test-churn
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ hg --config extensions.color= churn --co
 echo % changeset number churn
 hg churn -c
 
+echo 'with space = no-space' >> ../aliases
+echo a >> a
+hg commit -m a -u 'with space' -d 15:00
+echo % churn with space in alias
+hg churn --aliases ../aliases -r tip
+
 cd ..
 
 # issue 833: ZeroDivisionError
diff --git a/tests/test-churn.out b/tests/test-churn.out
--- a/tests/test-churn.out
+++ b/tests/test-churn.out
@@ -40,5 +40,7 @@ user2           +2/-0 +++++++++++
 user1      4 ***************************************************************
 user3      3 ***********************************************
 user2      2 ********************************
+% churn with space in alias
+no-space      1 ************************************************************
 adding foo
 test      0