diff --git a/layouts/partials/header.html b/layouts/partials/header.html
index 8faf1cef0f..52e0df0d31 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/header.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/header.html
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
         {{- $defaultDisableToc := .Site.Params.disableToc | default false }}
         {{- $currentDisableToc := .Params.disableToc | default $defaultDisableToc }}
         {{- $toc_content := partial "toc.html" . }}
-        {{- $hastoc := not (eq 0 (int (len ($toc_content | plainify)))) }}
+        {{- $hastoc := not (eq 0 (int (len (trim ($toc_content | plainify) "\n\t ")))) }}
         {{- $toc := and $hastoc (not $currentDisableToc) (eq $outputFormat "html") }}
           <div id="breadcrumbs">
             <span id="sidebar-toggle-span">