diff --git a/internal/web/service/bulk_traffic_test.go b/internal/web/service/bulk_traffic_test.go
index 2fbb2a878..b3fc9fdfa 100644
--- a/internal/web/service/bulk_traffic_test.go
+++ b/internal/web/service/bulk_traffic_test.go
@@ -204,3 +204,30 @@ func TestGetClientTrafficByEmailReadsClientsTable(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("SubId not enriched from clients table, got %q", tr.SubId)
 	}
 }
+
+// A depleted usage row keyed by a padded email belongs to no client; trimming it on the
+// way to BulkDelete deleted the healthy client it resembles.
+func TestDelDepletedIgnoresPaddedUsageRow(t *testing.T) {
+	setupBulkDB(t)
+	svc := &ClientService{}
+	inboundSvc := &InboundService{}
+
+	source := []model.Client{{Email: "alice@x", ID: "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111", SubID: "sa", Enable: true}}
+	ib := mkInbound(t, 21003, model.VLESS, clientsSettings(t, source))
+	if err := svc.SyncInbound(nil, ib.Id, source); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed linkage: %v", err)
+	}
+	mkTraffic(t, ib.Id, "alice@x", 0, 0, 0, 0, true)
+	mkTraffic(t, ib.Id, "alice@x ", 0, 0, 0, 1, false)
+
+	deleted, _, err := svc.DelDepleted(inboundSvc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DelDepleted: %v", err)
+	}
+	if deleted != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("deleted %d clients, want 0", deleted)
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.GetRecordByEmail(nil, "alice@x"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("alice was deleted through a look-alike usage row: %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/web/service/client_bulk.go b/internal/web/service/client_bulk.go
index a7d5733fe..1f500c8ac 100644
--- a/internal/web/service/client_bulk.go
+++ b/internal/web/service/client_bulk.go
@@ -1533,8 +1533,9 @@ func (s *ClientService) DelDepleted(inboundSvc *InboundService) (int, bool, erro
 
 	seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(rows))
 	emails := make([]string, 0, len(rows))
+	// BulkDelete trims each email, so a padded usage row would resolve to the client it resembles.
 	for _, r := range rows {
-		if r.Email == "" {
+		if r.Email == "" || r.Email != strings.TrimSpace(r.Email) {
 			continue
 		}
 		if _, ok := seen[r.Email]; ok {