diff --git a/sdk/lib/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/resource.rb b/sdk/lib/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/resource.rb
index c6a77ba66..45497bbac 100644
--- a/sdk/lib/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/resource.rb
+++ b/sdk/lib/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/resource.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+require 'uri'
+
 module OpenTelemetry
   module SDK
     module Resources
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ def telemetry_sdk
 
             resource_pairs.split(',').each do |pair|
               key, value = pair.split('=')
-              resource_attributes[key.strip] = value
+              resource_attributes[key.strip] = URI.decode_www_form_component(value).strip
             end
 
             resource_attributes.delete_if { |_key, value| value.nil? || value.empty? }
diff --git a/sdk/test/opentelemetry/sdk/configurator_test.rb b/sdk/test/opentelemetry/sdk/configurator_test.rb
index 3a8462785..d57b35ae4 100644
--- a/sdk/test/opentelemetry/sdk/configurator_test.rb
+++ b/sdk/test/opentelemetry/sdk/configurator_test.rb
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
       end
 
       it 'cleans up whitespace in user provided resources' do
-        OpenTelemetry::TestHelpers.with_env('OTEL_RESOURCE_ATTRIBUTES' => 'important_foo=x, important_bar=y') do
+        OpenTelemetry::TestHelpers.with_env('OTEL_RESOURCE_ATTRIBUTES' => ' important_foo=x, important_bar=y ') do
           configurator.resource = OpenTelemetry::SDK::Resources::Resource.create()
           _(configurator_resource_attributes).must_equal(default_resource_attributes.merge('important_foo' => 'x', 'important_bar' => 'y'))
         end