diff --git a/sdk/lib/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/resource.rb b/sdk/lib/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/resource.rb
index e05acf19a..c157b9049 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] = 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 50e6c18ef..57e350eb7 100644
--- a/sdk/test/opentelemetry/sdk/configurator_test.rb
+++ b/sdk/test/opentelemetry/sdk/configurator_test.rb
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@
           _(configurator_resource_attributes).must_equal(expected_resource_attributes)
         end
       end
+
+      it 'cleans up whitespace in user provided resources' 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
+      end
     end
   end