diff --git a/src/Sniffs/AbstractPatternSniff.php b/src/Sniffs/AbstractPatternSniff.php
index 30a3ce7355..8de71df29b 100644
--- a/src/Sniffs/AbstractPatternSniff.php
+++ b/src/Sniffs/AbstractPatternSniff.php
@@ -915,12 +915,12 @@ private function createTokenPattern($str)
 
         // Don't add a space after the closing php tag as it will add a new
         // whitespace token.
-        $tokenizer = new PHP('', null);
+        $tokenizer = new PHP('', null);
         StatusWriter::resume();
 
         // Remove the getTokens();
-        $tokens = array_slice($tokens, 1, (count($tokens) - 2));
+        $tokens = array_slice($tokens, 2, (count($tokens) - 3));
 
         $patterns = [];
         foreach ($tokens as $patternInfo) {
diff --git a/src/Standards/Generic/Sniffs/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementSniff.php b/src/Standards/Generic/Sniffs/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementSniff.php
index 6fbfdc0b2b..7b13a9cf58 100644
--- a/src/Standards/Generic/Sniffs/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementSniff.php
+++ b/src/Standards/Generic/Sniffs/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementSniff.php
@@ -113,19 +113,15 @@ private function processSemicolon(File $phpcsFile, $stackPtr)
         if ($fix === true) {
             $phpcsFile->fixer->beginChangeset();
 
-            if ($tokens[$prevNonEmpty]['code'] === T_OPEN_TAG
-                || $tokens[$prevNonEmpty]['code'] === T_OPEN_TAG_WITH_ECHO
-            ) {
-                // Check for superfluous whitespace after the semicolon which should be
-                // removed as the `fixer->replaceToken(($stackPtr + 1), $replacement);
-                }
+            // Make sure there always remains one space between the open tag and the next content.
+            $replacement = ' ';
+            if ($tokens[($stackPtr + 1)]['code'] === T_WHITESPACE) {
+                $replacement = '';
             }
 
-            for ($i = $stackPtr; $i > $prevNonEmpty; $i--) {
+            $phpcsFile->fixer->replaceToken($stackPtr, $replacement);
+
+            for ($i = ($stackPtr - 1); $i > $prevNonEmpty; $i--) {
                 if ($tokens[$i]['code'] !== T_SEMICOLON
                     && $tokens[$i]['code'] !== T_WHITESPACE
                 ) {
diff --git a/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc b/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc
index a9f895d71b..acf860a2ba 100644
--- a/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc
+++ b/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-
+
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc.fixed b/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc.fixed
index fd27d0a25c..434bd53a0c 100644
--- a/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc.fixed
+++ b/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc.fixed
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
-
-
+
+
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.php b/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.php
index 2d159cfadc..e68d8aa7b7 100644
--- a/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.php
+++ b/src/Standards/Generic/Tests/CodeAnalysis/EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.php
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ public function getWarningList($testFile='')
             ];
         case 'EmptyPHPStatementUnitTest.2.inc':
             return [
+                2  => 1,
                 3  => 1,
                 4  => 1,
                 13 => 1,
diff --git a/src/Standards/PSR12/Sniffs/Files/OpenTagSniff.php b/src/Standards/PSR12/Sniffs/Files/OpenTagSniff.php
index d0ac5d363d..f8863ffab2 100644
--- a/src/Standards/PSR12/Sniffs/Files/OpenTagSniff.php
+++ b/src/Standards/PSR12/Sniffs/Files/OpenTagSniff.php
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ public function process(File $phpcsFile, $stackPtr)
             return $phpcsFile->numTokens;
         }
 
-        $next = $phpcsFile->findNext(T_INLINE_HTML, 0);
-        if ($next !== false) {
+        $hasInlineHTML = $phpcsFile->findNext(T_INLINE_HTML, 0);
+        if ($hasInlineHTML !== false) {
             // This rule only applies to PHP-only files.
             return $phpcsFile->numTokens;
         }
@@ -65,7 +65,15 @@ public function process(File $phpcsFile, $stackPtr)
         $error = 'Opening PHP tag must be on a line by itself';
         $fix   = $phpcsFile->addFixableError($error, $stackPtr, 'NotAlone');
         if ($fix === true) {
+            $phpcsFile->fixer->beginChangeset();
+
+            // Remove whitespace between the open tag and the next non-empty token.
+            for ($i = ($stackPtr + 1); $i < $next; $i++) {
+                $phpcsFile->fixer->replaceToken($i, '');
+            }
+
             $phpcsFile->fixer->addNewline($stackPtr);
+            $phpcsFile->fixer->endChangeset();
         }
 
         return $phpcsFile->numTokens;
diff --git a/src/Standards/PSR12/Tests/Files/OpenTagUnitTest.2.inc.fixed b/src/Standards/PSR12/Tests/Files/OpenTagUnitTest.2.inc.fixed
index 04be0a80f3..9297140dbb 100644
--- a/src/Standards/PSR12/Tests/Files/OpenTagUnitTest.2.inc.fixed
+++ b/src/Standards/PSR12/Tests/Files/OpenTagUnitTest.2.inc.fixed
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-addFixableError($error, $stackPtr, 'SpacingAfterOpen', $data);
             if ($fix === true) {
-                if ($isLongOpenTag === true) {
-                    $phpcsFile->fixer->replaceToken(($stackPtr + 1), '');
-                } else if ($tokens[($stackPtr + 1)]['code'] === T_WHITESPACE) {
-                    // Short open tag with too much whitespace.
+                if ($tokens[($stackPtr + 1)]['code'] === T_WHITESPACE) {
+                    // Open tag with too much whitespace.
                     $phpcsFile->fixer->replaceToken(($stackPtr + 1), ' ');
                 } else {
-                    // Short open tag without whitespace.
+                    // Open tag without whitespace.
                     $phpcsFile->fixer->addContent($stackPtr, ' ');
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/Tokenizers/PHP.php b/src/Tokenizers/PHP.php
index 325b034567..54b819a5ce 100644
--- a/src/Tokenizers/PHP.php
+++ b/src/Tokenizers/PHP.php
@@ -823,6 +823,59 @@ protected function tokenize($string)
                 continue;
             }//end if
 
+            /*
+                Split whitespace off from long PHP open tag tokens and potentially join the whitespace
+                with a subsequent whitespace token.
+            */
+
+            if ($tokenIsArray === true
+                && $token[0] === T_OPEN_TAG
+                && stripos($token[1], ' T_OPEN_TAG,
+                    'type'    => 'T_OPEN_TAG',
+                    'content' => $openTagAndWhiteSpace[0],
+                ];
+                $newStackPtr++;
+
+                if (isset($openTagAndWhiteSpace[1]) === true) {
+                    // The original open tag token included whitespace.
+                    // Check whether a new whitespace token needs to be inserted or if the
+                    // whitespace needs to be joined with a pre-existing whitespace
+                    // token on the same line as the open tag.
+                    if (isset($tokens[($stackPtr + 1)]) === true
+                        && $openTagAndWhiteSpace[1] === ' '
+                        && is_array($tokens[($stackPtr + 1)]) === true
+                        && $tokens[($stackPtr + 1)][0] === T_WHITESPACE
+                    ) {
+                        // Adjusting the original token stack as the "new line may be split over two tokens"
+                        // check should still be run on this token.
+                        $tokens[($stackPtr + 1)][1] = $openTagAndWhiteSpace[1].$tokens[($stackPtr + 1)][1];
+
+                        if (PHP_CODESNIFFER_VERBOSITY > 1) {
+                            StatusWriter::write("* removed whitespace from T_OPEN_TAG token $stackPtr and merged it with the next token T_WHITESPACE", 2);
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        $finalTokens[$newStackPtr] = [
+                            'code'    => T_WHITESPACE,
+                            'type'    => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                            'content' => $openTagAndWhiteSpace[1],
+                        ];
+
+                        if (PHP_CODESNIFFER_VERBOSITY > 1) {
+                            StatusWriter::write("* T_OPEN_TAG token $stackPtr split into T_OPEN_TAG (without whitespace) and new T_WHITESPACE token", 2);
+                        }
+
+                        $newStackPtr++;
+                    }//end if
+                }//end if
+
+                continue;
+            }//end if
+
             /*
                 Parse doc blocks into something that can be easily iterated over.
             */
diff --git a/tests/Core/File/FindStartOfStatementTest.php b/tests/Core/File/FindStartOfStatementTest.php
index 41f2086b81..cde94f2ba2 100644
--- a/tests/Core/File/FindStartOfStatementTest.php
+++ b/tests/Core/File/FindStartOfStatementTest.php
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ public function testNestedMatch()
     public function testOpenTag()
     {
         $start  = $this->getTargetToken('/* testOpenTag */', T_OPEN_TAG);
-        $start += 2;
+        $start += 3;
         $found  = self::$phpcsFile->findStartOfStatement($start);
 
         $this->assertSame(($start - 1), $found);
diff --git a/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagEOF1Test.php b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagEOF1Test.php
index 414258e51a..f0c2c41c1e 100644
--- a/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagEOF1Test.php
+++ b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagEOF1Test.php
@@ -43,10 +43,18 @@ public function testLongOpenTagAtEndOfFile()
             $tokens[$stackPtr]['type'],
             'Token tokenized as '.$tokens[$stackPtr]['type'].', not T_OPEN_TAG (type)'
         );
-        $this->assertSame('assertSame('assertArrayHasKey(($stackPtr + 1), $tokens, 'Missing whitespace token after open tag');
+        $this->assertSame(
+            T_WHITESPACE,
+            $tokens[($stackPtr + 1)]['code'],
+            'Missing whitespace token after open tag (code)'
+        );
+        $this->assertSame(' ', $tokens[($stackPtr + 1)]['content'], 'Missing whitespace token after open tag (content)');
 
         // Now make sure that this is the very last token in the file and there are no tokens after it.
-        $this->assertArrayNotHasKey(($stackPtr + 1), $tokens);
+        $this->assertArrayNotHasKey(($stackPtr + 2), $tokens);
 
     }//end testLongOpenTagAtEndOfFile()
 
diff --git a/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagTest.inc b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagTest.inc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae464e7fec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagTest.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+    
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+=
+'with new line';
+?>
+
+
+= 
+'with one space and new line';
+?>
+
+
+=    
+'with trailing whitespace and new line';
+?>
+
+
+='single line, no space'; ?>
+
+
+= 'single line, one space'; ?>
+
+
+=      'single line, multiple spaces'; ?>
+
+
+
+
+
+echo 'with new line';
+?>
+
+
+ 
+echo 'with one space and new line';
+?>
+
+
+    
+echo 'with trailing whitespace and new line';
+?>
+
+
+
+
+
+ echo 'single line, one space'; ?>
+
+
+      echo 'single line, multiple spaces'; ?>
+
+
diff --git a/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagTest.php b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9a2c300912
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/PHP/PHPOpenTagTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,419 @@
+> $expectedTokens The tokenization expected.
+     *
+     * @dataProvider dataLongOpenTag
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testLongOpenTag($testMarker, array $expectedTokens)
+    {
+        $this->checkTokenSequence($testMarker, $expectedTokens);
+
+    }//end testLongOpenTag()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Data provider.
+     *
+     * @return array>>>
+     */
+    public static function dataLongOpenTag()
+    {
+        $tokenType    = 'T_OPEN_TAG';
+        $tokenContent = ' '/* testLongOpenTagWithDoubleNewLine */',
+            'expectedTokens' => [
+                [
+                    'type'       => $tokenType,
+                    'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                    'lineOffset' => 0,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                    'content'    => "\n",
+                    'lineOffset' => 0,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                    'content'    => "\n",
+                    'lineOffset' => 1,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_ECHO',
+                    'lineOffset' => 2,
+                ],
+            ],
+        ];
+        $data['open tag + triple new line'] = [
+            'testMarker'     => '/* testLongOpenTagWithTripleNewLine */',
+            'expectedTokens' => [
+                [
+                    'type'       => $tokenType,
+                    'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                    'lineOffset' => 0,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                    'content'    => "\n",
+                    'lineOffset' => 0,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                    'content'    => "\n",
+                    'lineOffset' => 1,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                    'content'    => "\n",
+                    'lineOffset' => 2,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_ECHO',
+                    'lineOffset' => 3,
+                ],
+            ],
+        ];
+        $data['open tag + new line + indent on next line'] = [
+            'testMarker'     => '/* testLongOpenTagWithNewLineAndIndentOnNextLine */',
+            'expectedTokens' => [
+                [
+                    'type'       => $tokenType,
+                    'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                    'lineOffset' => 0,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                    'content'    => "\n",
+                    'lineOffset' => 0,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                    'content'    => '    ',
+                    'lineOffset' => 1,
+                ],
+                [
+                    'type'       => 'T_ECHO',
+                    'lineOffset' => 1,
+                ],
+            ],
+        ];
+
+        return $data;
+
+    }//end dataLongOpenTag()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Test that the tokenization of non-lowercase long PHP open tags does not include whitespace
+     * and that the case of the tag is unchanged.
+     *
+     * @param string                           $testMarker     The comment prefacing the test.
+     * @param array> $expectedTokens The tokenization expected.
+     *
+     * @dataProvider dataCaseLongOpenTag
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testCaseLongOpenTag($testMarker, array $expectedTokens)
+    {
+        $this->checkTokenSequence($testMarker, $expectedTokens);
+
+    }//end testCaseLongOpenTag()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Data provider.
+     *
+     * @return array>>>
+     */
+    public static function dataCaseLongOpenTag()
+    {
+        $data = self::getOpenTagTokenizationProvider('CaseLongOpen', 'T_OPEN_TAG', '> $expectedTokens The tokenization expected.
+     *
+     * @dataProvider dataShortOpenEchoTag
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testShortOpenEchoTag($testMarker, array $expectedTokens)
+    {
+        $this->checkTokenSequence($testMarker, $expectedTokens);
+
+    }//end testShortOpenEchoTag()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Data provider.
+     *
+     * @return array>>>
+     */
+    public static function dataShortOpenEchoTag()
+    {
+        return self::getOpenTagTokenizationProvider('ShortOpenEcho', 'T_OPEN_TAG_WITH_ECHO', '=');
+
+    }//end dataShortOpenEchoTag()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Test the tokenization of short PHP open tags (for consistency).
+     *
+     * @param string                           $testMarker     The comment prefacing the test.
+     * @param array> $expectedTokens The tokenization expected.
+     *
+     * @dataProvider dataShortOpenTag
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testShortOpenTag($testMarker, array $expectedTokens)
+    {
+        if ((bool) ini_get('short_open_tag') === false) {
+            $this->markTestSkipped('short_open_tag=on is required for this test');
+        }
+
+        $this->checkTokenSequence($testMarker, $expectedTokens);
+
+    }//end testShortOpenTag()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Data provider.
+     *
+     * @return array>>>
+     */
+    public static function dataShortOpenTag()
+    {
+        return self::getOpenTagTokenizationProvider('ShortOpen', 'T_OPEN_TAG', '');
+
+    }//end dataShortOpenTag()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Test helper. Check a token sequence complies with an expected token sequence.
+     *
+     * @param string                           $testMarker     The comment prefacing the test.
+     * @param array> $expectedTokens The tokenization expected.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    private function checkTokenSequence($testMarker, array $expectedTokens)
+    {
+        $tokens   = $this->phpcsFile->getTokens();
+        $target   = $this->getTargetToken($testMarker, [T_OPEN_TAG, T_OPEN_TAG_WITH_ECHO]);
+        $stackPtr = $target;
+
+        foreach ($expectedTokens as $tokenInfo) {
+            $this->assertSame(
+                constant($tokenInfo['type']),
+                $tokens[$stackPtr]['code'],
+                'Token tokenized as '.Tokens::tokenName($tokens[$stackPtr]['code']).', not '.$tokenInfo['type'].' (code)'
+            );
+            $this->assertSame(
+                $tokenInfo['type'],
+                $tokens[$stackPtr]['type'],
+                'Token tokenized as '.$tokens[$stackPtr]['type'].', not '.$tokenInfo['type'].' (type)'
+            );
+
+            if (isset($tokenInfo['content']) === true) {
+                $this->assertSame(
+                    $tokenInfo['content'],
+                    $tokens[$stackPtr]['content'],
+                    'Token content does not match expected content'
+                );
+            }
+
+            $this->assertSame(
+                ($tokens[$target]['line'] + $tokenInfo['lineOffset']),
+                $tokens[$stackPtr]['line'],
+                'Line number does not match expected line number'
+            );
+
+            ++$stackPtr;
+        }//end foreach
+
+    }//end checkTokenSequence()
+
+
+    /**
+     * Data provider generator.
+     *
+     * @param string $tagtype      The type of tag being examined.
+     * @param string $tokenType    The expected token type.
+     * @param string $tokenContent The expected token contents.
+     *
+     * @return array>>>
+     */
+    private static function getOpenTagTokenizationProvider($tagtype, $tokenType, $tokenContent)
+    {
+        $lastTokenType = 'T_ECHO';
+        if ($tagtype === 'ShortOpenEcho') {
+            $lastTokenType = 'T_CONSTANT_ENCAPSED_STRING';
+        }
+
+        return [
+            'open tag + new line'                       => [
+                'testMarker'     => '/* test'.$tagtype.'TagWithNewLine */',
+                'expectedTokens' => [
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $tokenType,
+                        'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                        'content'    => "\n",
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $lastTokenType,
+                        'lineOffset' => 1,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+            'open tag + one space + new line'           => [
+                'testMarker'     => '/* test'.$tagtype.'TagWithOneSpaceAndNewLine */',
+                'expectedTokens' => [
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $tokenType,
+                        'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                        'content'    => ' '."\n",
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $lastTokenType,
+                        'lineOffset' => 1,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+            'open tag + trailing whitespace + new line' => [
+                'testMarker'     => '/* test'.$tagtype.'TagWithTrailingWhiteSpaceAndNewLine */',
+                'expectedTokens' => [
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $tokenType,
+                        'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                        'content'    => '    '."\n",
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $lastTokenType,
+                        'lineOffset' => 1,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+            'open tag, no space'                        => [
+                'testMarker'     => '/* test'.$tagtype.'TagNoSpace */',
+                'expectedTokens' => [
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $tokenType,
+                        'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $lastTokenType,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+            'open tag, one space'                       => [
+                'testMarker'     => '/* test'.$tagtype.'TagOneSpace */',
+                'expectedTokens' => [
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $tokenType,
+                        'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                        'content'    => ' ',
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $lastTokenType,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+            'open tag, multi space'                     => [
+                'testMarker'     => '/* test'.$tagtype.'TagMultiSpace */',
+                'expectedTokens' => [
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $tokenType,
+                        'content'    => $tokenContent,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => 'T_WHITESPACE',
+                        'content'    => '      ',
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                    [
+                        'type'       => $lastTokenType,
+                        'lineOffset' => 0,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ];
+
+    }//end getOpenTagTokenizationProvider()
+
+
+}//end class
diff --git a/tests/Core/Tokenizers/Tokenizer/ReplaceTabsInTokenMiscTest.php b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/Tokenizer/ReplaceTabsInTokenMiscTest.php
index 18b9ac548c..deae18e9a6 100644
--- a/tests/Core/Tokenizers/Tokenizer/ReplaceTabsInTokenMiscTest.php
+++ b/tests/Core/Tokenizers/Tokenizer/ReplaceTabsInTokenMiscTest.php
@@ -41,10 +41,9 @@ public function testTabWidthNotSet()
         $phpcsFile->parse();
 
         $tokens = $phpcsFile->getTokens();
-        $target = $phpcsFile->findNext(T_WHITESPACE, 0);
+        $target = 2;
 
         // Verify initial state.
-        $this->assertIsInt($target, 'Target token was not found');
         $this->assertSame('		', $tokens[$target]['content'], 'Content after initial parsing does not contain tabs');
         $this->assertSame(2, $tokens[$target]['length'], 'Length after initial parsing is not as expected');
         $this->assertArrayNotHasKey('orig_content', $tokens[$target], "Key 'orig_content' found in the initial token array.");