diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 4cb26e7..ef80475 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -416,13 +416,20 @@ static struct module *
 module_i3_from_config(const struct yml_node *node, const struct font *parent_font)
 {
     const struct yml_node *c = yml_get_value(node, "content");
+    const struct yml_node *spacing = yml_get_value(node, "spacing");
     const struct yml_node *left_spacing = yml_get_value(node, "left_spacing");
     const struct yml_node *right_spacing = yml_get_value(node, "right_spacing");
 
     assert(yml_is_dict(c));
+    assert(spacing == NULL || yml_is_scalar(spacing));
     assert(left_spacing == NULL || yml_is_scalar(left_spacing));
     assert(right_spacing == NULL || yml_is_scalar(right_spacing));
 
+    int left = spacing != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(spacing) :
+        left_spacing != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(left_spacing) : 0;
+    int right = spacing != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(spacing) :
+        right_spacing != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(right_spacing) : 0;
+
     struct i3_workspaces workspaces[yml_dict_length(c)];
 
     size_t idx = 0;
@@ -430,14 +437,12 @@ module_i3_from_config(const struct yml_node *node, const struct font *parent_fon
          it.key != NULL;
          yml_dict_next(&it), idx++)
     {
+        assert(yml_is_scalar(it.key));
         workspaces[idx].name = yml_value_as_string(it.key);
         workspaces[idx].content = particle_from_config(it.value, parent_font);
     }
 
-    return module_i3(
-        workspaces, yml_dict_length(c),
-        left_spacing != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(left_spacing) : 0,
-        right_spacing != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(right_spacing) : 0);
+    return module_i3(workspaces, yml_dict_length(c), left, right);
 }
 
 static struct module *