diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
index 860cf089f..4a7bcde70 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
@@ -1714,7 +1714,14 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_gps(t: &str) -> Option<(f64, f64)> {
     let (a, b) = match t.split_once(',') {
         Some((a, b)) => (a.trim().to_string(), b.trim().to_string()),
         None => {
-            let i = t.find(['N', 'S', 'n', 's']).map(|i| i + 1).or_else(|| t.find(char::is_whitespace))?;
+            let lead = t.starts_with(['N', 'S', 'n', 's']);
+            let i = if lead {
+                // hemisphere letter first: "N 51.5 W 0.1" splits at the E/W letter
+                t.char_indices().skip(1).find(|(_, c)| matches!(c, 'E' | 'W' | 'e' | 'w')).map(|(i, _)| i)
+            } else {
+                t.find(['N', 'S', 'n', 's']).map(|i| i + 1)
+            }
+            .or_else(|| t.find(char::is_whitespace))?;
             (t[..i].trim().to_string(), t[i..].trim().to_string())
         }
     };
@@ -1746,6 +1753,9 @@ mod gps_tests {
         assert!((la - 51.50722).abs() < 1e-4 && (lo + 0.1275).abs() < 1e-4, "{la} {lo}");
         let (la, lo) = p("33.8688 S, 151.2093 E").unwrap();
         assert!((la + 33.8688).abs() < 1e-9 && (lo - 151.2093).abs() < 1e-9);
+        assert_eq!(p("51.5 N 0.1 W"), Some((51.5, -0.1)));
+        assert_eq!(p("N 51.5072 W 0.1276"), Some((51.5072, -0.1276)));
+        assert_eq!(p("S 33.8688 E 151.2093"), Some((-33.8688, 151.2093)));
         assert_eq!(p("95, 10"), None);
         assert_eq!(p("hello"), None);
     }