diff --git a/netbox/utilities/forms/forms.py b/netbox/utilities/forms/forms.py
index 3b4b56229..9884ffac5 100644
--- a/netbox/utilities/forms/forms.py
+++ b/netbox/utilities/forms/forms.py
@@ -226,10 +226,6 @@ class ImportForm(BootstrapMixin, forms.Form):
         reader = csv.reader(stream)
         headers, records = parse_csv(reader)
 
-        # Strip whitespace from headers
-        headers = {k.strip(): v for k, v in headers.items()}
-        records = [{k.strip(): v for k, v in record.items()} for record in records]
-
         # Set CSV headers for reference by the model form
         self._csv_headers = headers
 
diff --git a/netbox/utilities/forms/utils.py b/netbox/utilities/forms/utils.py
index 1a2f62b2e..8675f295f 100644
--- a/netbox/utilities/forms/utils.py
+++ b/netbox/utilities/forms/utils.py
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ def parse_csv(reader):
     # `site.slug` header, to indicate the related site is being referenced by its slug.
 
     for header in next(reader):
+        header = header.strip()
         if '.' in header:
             field, to_field = header.split('.', 1)
             headers[field] = to_field