diff --git a/shell/ash.c b/shell/ash.c
index 2c1779f32..b47f0e881 100644
--- a/shell/ash.c
+++ b/shell/ash.c
@@ -12615,7 +12615,7 @@ readcmd(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv UNUSED_PARAM)
 #endif
 
 	status = 0;
-	startword = 2;
+	startword = 1;
 	backslash = 0;
 #if ENABLE_ASH_READ_TIMEOUT
 	if (timeout) /* NB: ensuring end_ms is nonzero */
diff --git a/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.right b/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.right
index 027ecd18f..b52334456 100644
--- a/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.right
+++ b/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.right
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-.a. .b. .c.
-.a. .b. .c.
-.a. .. .b,c.
-.a. .. .b,c.
-.a. .. .c.
-.a. .. .c. .d.
-.a. .. .b,c,d  ,  ,.
+test 1: .a. .b. .c.
+test 2: .a. .b. .c.
+test 3: .a. .. .b,c.
+test 4: .a. .. .b,c.
+test 5: .a. .. .c.
+test 6: .a. .. .c. .d.
+test 7: .a. .. .b,c,d  ,  ,.
+test 8: .. .a. .b. .c.
+test 9: .a. .b. .c. ..
+test A: .. .a. .. .b. .c.
diff --git a/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.tests b/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.tests
index cf7cd934c..6e8311247 100755
--- a/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.tests
+++ b/shell/ash_test/ash-read/read_ifs.tests
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-printf 'a\t\tb\tc\n' | ( IFS=$(printf "\t") read a b c; echo ".$a. .$b. .$c." )
-printf 'a\t\tb\tc\n' | ( IFS=$(printf " \t") read a b c; echo ".$a. .$b. .$c." )
-printf 'a,,b,c\n'    | ( IFS="," read a b c; echo ".$a. .$b. .$c." )
-printf 'a,,b,c\n'    | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo ".$a. .$b. .$c." )
-printf 'a ,, c\n'    | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo ".$a. .$b. .$c." )
-printf 'a ,, c d\n'  | ( IFS=" ," read a b c d; echo ".$a. .$b. .$c. .$d." )
-printf ' a,,b,c,d  ,  ,\n' | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo ".$a. .$b. .$c." )
+printf 'a\t\tb\tc\n' | ( IFS=$(printf "\t") read a b c;  echo "test 1: .$a. .$b. .$c." )
+printf 'a\t\tb\tc\n' | ( IFS=$(printf " \t") read a b c; echo "test 2: .$a. .$b. .$c." )
+printf 'a,,b,c\n'    | ( IFS="," read a b c;  echo "test 3: .$a. .$b. .$c." )
+printf 'a,,b,c\n'    | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo "test 4: .$a. .$b. .$c." )
+printf 'a ,, c\n'    | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo "test 5: .$a. .$b. .$c." )
+printf 'a ,, c d\n'  | ( IFS=" ," read a b c d;     echo "test 6: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d." )
+printf ' a,,b,c,d  ,  ,\n' | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo "test 7: .$a. .$b. .$c." )
+printf '\t,\ta\t,\tb\tc'   | ( IFS=$(printf " \t,") read a b c d;   echo "test 8: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d." )
+printf '\t\ta\t,\tb\tc'    | ( IFS=$(printf " \t,") read a b c d;   echo "test 9: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d." )
+printf '\t,\ta\t,,\tb\tc'  | ( IFS=$(printf " \t,") read a b c d e; echo "test A: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d. .$e." )