diff --git a/awx/main/utils/filters.py b/awx/main/utils/filters.py
index 5442a329a1..2310361f88 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/filters.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/filters.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import re
-import sys
 from pyparsing import (
     infixNotation,
     opAssoc,
@@ -15,9 +14,6 @@ from awx.main.utils.common import get_search_fields
 
 __all__ = ['SmartFilter']
 
-unicode_spaces = [unichr(c) for c in xrange(sys.maxunicode) if unichr(c).isspace()]
-unicode_spaces_other = unicode_spaces + [u'(', u')', u'=', u'"']
-
 
 def string_to_type(t):
     if t == u'true':
@@ -213,6 +209,8 @@ class SmartFilter(object):
         filter_string_raw = filter_string
         filter_string = unicode(filter_string)
 
+        unicode_spaces = list(set(unicode(c) for c in filter_string if c.isspace()))
+        unicode_spaces_other = unicode_spaces + [u'(', u')', u'=', u'"']
         atom = CharsNotIn(unicode_spaces_other)
         atom_inside_quotes = CharsNotIn(u'"')
         atom_quoted = Literal('"') + Optional(atom_inside_quotes) + Literal('"')