diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/tmpl.v b/vlib/v/parser/tmpl.v
index ce5b1eb775..6d786f86fd 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/tmpl.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/tmpl.v
@@ -96,21 +96,22 @@ fn vweb_tmpl_${fn_name}() string {
 	mut tline_number := -1 // keep the original line numbers, even after insert/delete ops on lines; `i` changes
 	for i := 0; i < lines.len; i++ {
 		line := lines[i]
+		trimmed_line := line.trim_space()
 		tline_number++
 		start_of_line_pos = end_of_line_pos
 		end_of_line_pos += line.len + 1
-		$if trace_tmpl ? {
-			eprintln('>>> tfile: $template_file, spos: ${start_of_line_pos:6}, epos:${end_of_line_pos:6}, fi: ${tline_number:5}, i: ${i:5}, line: $line')
-		}
 		if is_html_open_tag('style', line) {
 			state = .css
-		} else if line == '</style>' {
+		} else if trimmed_line == '</style>' {
 			state = .html
 		} else if is_html_open_tag('script', line) {
 			state = .js
-		} else if line == '</script>' {
+		} else if trimmed_line == '</script>' {
 			state = .html
 		}
+		$if trace_tmpl ? {
+			eprintln('>>> tfile: $template_file, spos: ${start_of_line_pos:6}, epos:${end_of_line_pos:6}, fi: ${tline_number:5}, i: ${i:5}, state: ${state:10}, line: $line')
+		}
 		if line.contains('@header') {
 			position := line.index('@header') or { 0 }
 			p.error_with_error(errors.Error{
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/tmpl/selective_interpolation_in_script_tag.html b/vlib/v/tests/tmpl/selective_interpolation_in_script_tag.html
index 1007509355..6d757a8686 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/tmpl/selective_interpolation_in_script_tag.html
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/tmpl/selective_interpolation_in_script_tag.html
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
-// V won't parse that
-<script>
-   var non_interpolated_labels = @benchmark_plot_data.dates;
-   var non_interpolated_values = @benchmark_plot_data.numerical_result;
-</script>
 
-// V will parse that
-<script>
-   var real_labels = @benchmark_plot_data.dates; //V_TEMPLATE
-   var real_values = @benchmark_plot_data.numerical_result; //V_TEMPLATE
-</script>
+This should be interpolated: 
+Username: @username
+
+   // V will NOT do interpolation inside <script> tags by default:
+   <script>
+     var non_interpolated_labels = @benchmark_plot_data.dates;
+     var non_interpolated_values = @benchmark_plot_data.numerical_result;
+   </script>
+
+   // V will interpolate the values here:
+   <script>
+     var real_labels = @benchmark_plot_data.dates; //V_TEMPLATE
+     var real_values = @benchmark_plot_data.numerical_result; //V_TEMPLATE
+   </script>
+
+This should be interpolated too, because it is outside the script tag:
+Year: @year
+myint: @{benchmark_plot_data.myint(1)}
+mydate: @{benchmark_plot_data.mydate()}
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/tmpl_script_tag_interpolation_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/tmpl_script_tag_interpolation_test.v
index bb57f81e4d..a98f16cb41 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/tmpl_script_tag_interpolation_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/tmpl_script_tag_interpolation_test.v
@@ -5,12 +5,26 @@ struct PlotData {
 	numerical_result []int
 }
 
+fn (pd PlotData) mydate() string {
+	return pd.dates[0]
+}
+
+fn (pd PlotData) myint(idx int) int {
+	return pd.numerical_result[idx]
+}
+
 fn test_template_interpolation_can_be_selectively_turned_on_in_script_tags() {
 	benchmark_plot_data := PlotData{['2012-11-30', '2022-12-29'], [5, 6, 7, 1]}
+	username := 'abcd'
+	year := 2022
 	text := $tmpl('tmpl/selective_interpolation_in_script_tag.html')
-	// dump(text)
+	dump(text)
+	assert text.contains('Username: abcd')
 	assert text.contains('var non_interpolated_labels = @benchmark_plot_data.dates;')
 	assert text.contains('var non_interpolated_values = @benchmark_plot_data.numerical_result;')
 	assert text.contains("var real_labels = ['2012-11-30', '2022-12-29']; //V_TEMPLATE")
 	assert text.contains('var real_values = [5, 6, 7, 1]; //V_TEMPLATE')
+	assert text.contains('Year: 2022')
+	assert text.contains('myint: 6')
+	assert text.contains('mydate: 2012-11-30')
 }