diff --git a/datasette/utils/__init__.py b/datasette/utils/__init__.py
index c339113c..bc3155a5 100644
--- a/datasette/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/datasette/utils/__init__.py
@@ -162,11 +162,11 @@ class InvalidSql(Exception):
 
 allowed_sql_res = [
     re.compile(r"^select\b"),
-    re.compile(r"^explain select\b"),
-    re.compile(r"^explain query plan select\b"),
+    re.compile(r"^explain\s+select\b"),
+    re.compile(r"^explain\s+query\s+plan\s+select\b"),
     re.compile(r"^with\b"),
-    re.compile(r"^explain with\b"),
-    re.compile(r"^explain query plan with\b"),
+    re.compile(r"^explain\s+with\b"),
+    re.compile(r"^explain\s+query\s+plan\s+with\b"),
 ]
 allowed_pragmas = (
     "database_list",
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index e1b61072..e7d67045 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -157,7 +157,9 @@ def test_validate_sql_select_bad(bad_sql):
         "select '# Hello there\n\n* This is a list\n* of items\n--\n[And a link](https://github.com/simonw/datasette-render-markdown).'\nas demo_markdown",
         "select 1 + 1",
         "explain select 1 + 1",
+        "explain\nselect 1 + 1",
         "explain query plan select 1 + 1",
+        "explain  query  plan\nselect 1 + 1",
         "SELECT\nblah FROM foo",
         "WITH RECURSIVE cnt(x) AS (SELECT 1 UNION ALL SELECT x+1 FROM cnt LIMIT 10) SELECT x FROM cnt;",
         "explain WITH RECURSIVE cnt(x) AS (SELECT 1 UNION ALL SELECT x+1 FROM cnt LIMIT 10) SELECT x FROM cnt;",