diff --git a/api/src/main/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompaction.java b/api/src/main/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompaction.java
index 570324b74..a0300af28 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompaction.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompaction.java
@@ -31,8 +31,12 @@
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.format.TextDecoration;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 
 final class ComponentCompaction {
+  @VisibleForTesting
+  static final boolean SIMPLIFY_STYLE_FOR_BLANK_COMPONENTS = false;
+
   private ComponentCompaction() {
   }
 
@@ -182,6 +186,12 @@ private static boolean isBlank(final Component component) {
   * @return a new, simplified style
   */
   private static @NotNull Style simplifyStyleForBlank(final @NotNull Style style, final @Nullable Style parentStyle) {
+    if (!SIMPLIFY_STYLE_FOR_BLANK_COMPONENTS) {
+      // todo: can this be fixed a better way?
+      // https://github.com/KyoriPowered/adventure/issues/849
+      return style;
+    }
+
     final Style.Builder builder = style.toBuilder();
 
     // TextColor doesn't affect spaces, unless there is other decoration present
diff --git a/api/src/test/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompactingTest.java b/api/src/test/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompactingTest.java
index dd8cdd0f3..2cd8be6a4 100644
--- a/api/src/test/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompactingTest.java
+++ b/api/src/test/java/net/kyori/adventure/text/ComponentCompactingTest.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.DynamicTest;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.TestFactory;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.condition.DisabledIf;
 
 import static net.kyori.adventure.key.Key.key;
 import static net.kyori.adventure.text.Component.empty;
@@ -317,6 +318,11 @@ void testJoinTextWithChildren() {
     assertEquals(expectedCompact, notCompact.compact());
   }
 
+  private static boolean shouldSkipSimplifyingStyleForBlankComponents() {
+    return !ComponentCompaction.SIMPLIFY_STYLE_FOR_BLANK_COMPONENTS;
+  }
+
+  @DisabledIf(value = "shouldSkipSimplifyingStyleForBlankComponents", disabledReason = "https://github.com/KyoriPowered/adventure/issues/849") // todo: can this be fixed a better way?
   @Test
   void testBlankStyleRemoval() {
     final String blank = "   ";
@@ -327,6 +333,7 @@ void testBlankStyleRemoval() {
     assertEquals(expectedCompact, notCompact.compact());
   }
 
+  @DisabledIf(value = "shouldSkipSimplifyingStyleForBlankComponents", disabledReason = "https://github.com/KyoriPowered/adventure/issues/849") // todo: can this be fixed a better way?
   @Test
   void testBlankCompactionWithRemovableStyle() {
     final String blank = "   ";
@@ -339,6 +346,7 @@ void testBlankCompactionWithRemovableStyle() {
     assertEquals(expectedCompact, notCompact.compact());
   }
 
+  @DisabledIf(value = "shouldSkipSimplifyingStyleForBlankComponents", disabledReason = "https://github.com/KyoriPowered/adventure/issues/849") // todo: can this be fixed a better way?
   @Test
   void testBlankCompactionWithManyStyle() {
     final String blank = "   ";