diff --git a/lib/hpath/filter.rb b/lib/hpath/filter.rb
index 6592b89..4803ef4 100644
--- a/lib/hpath/filter.rb
+++ b/lib/hpath/filter.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ def initialize(string = nil)
       [:and, []]
     else
       case string
+      when /!=/  then [:inequality, string.split("!=")]
       when /=/  then [:equality, string.split("=")]
       when /</  then [:less_than, string.split("<")]
       when />/  then [:greater_than, string.split(">")]
@@ -41,6 +42,13 @@ def applies?(object)
       elsif object.respond_to(key)
         object.send(key) == value
       end
+    elsif @type == :inequality
+      key, value = @operands
+      if object.is_a?(Hash)
+       object[key.to_s] != value.to_s 
+      elsif object.respond_to(key)
+        object.send(key) != value
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/hpath/parser/filter_expression_parser.rb b/lib/hpath/parser/filter_expression_parser.rb
index e75ddd3..c460221 100644
--- a/lib/hpath/parser/filter_expression_parser.rb
+++ b/lib/hpath/parser/filter_expression_parser.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def parse(string)
     current_filter = Hpath::Filter.new
     parent = {} # look up table    
     
-    string.gsub(/\s/, "").each_char do |char|
+    string.each_char do |char|
       unless special_character?(char)
         char_buffer << char
       else