diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/src/fmt.rs b/crates/squawk_fmt/src/fmt.rs
index 81c28ad6..3571bee9 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/src/fmt.rs
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/src/fmt.rs
@@ -5950,12 +5950,10 @@ fn build_import_table_filter<'a>(ctx: &Ctx, filter: ast::ImportTableFilter) -> D
     )
     .unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil);
     doc = doc
-        .append(Doc::space())
         .append(
             l_paren
-                .clone()
-                .map(|el| comments_before(&el))
-                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil),
+                .map(|el| space_or_comments_before(&el))
+                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::space),
         )
         .append(Doc::text("("))
         .append(wrap_body(ctx, body, r_paren))
@@ -9520,9 +9518,11 @@ fn build_publication_object<'a>(ctx: &Ctx, object: ast::PublicationObject) -> Do
             let parenthesized = object.l_paren_token().is_some();
             if let Some(l_paren) = object.l_paren_token() {
                 if has_prefix {
-                    doc = doc.append(Doc::space());
+                    doc = doc.append(space_or_comments_before(&l_paren));
+                } else {
+                    doc = doc.append(comments_before(&l_paren));
                 }
-                doc = doc.append(comments_before(&l_paren)).append(Doc::text("("));
+                doc = doc.append(Doc::text("("));
             }
             if let Some(table) = object.table_name_ref() {
                 if !parenthesized && has_prefix {
@@ -9582,8 +9582,7 @@ fn build_except_table_clause<'a>(ctx: &Ctx, clause: ast::ExceptTableClause) -> D
     let mut doc = Doc::text("except");
     if let Some(l_paren) = clause.l_paren_token() {
         doc = doc
-            .append(Doc::space())
-            .append(comments_before(&l_paren))
+            .append(space_or_comments_before(&l_paren))
             .append(Doc::text("("));
     }
     let items = clause.except_table_names().map(|name| {
@@ -11831,11 +11830,10 @@ fn build_drop_element_properties<'a>(ctx: &Ctx, n: ast::DropVertexEdgeLabelPrope
     });
     let body = build_comma_separated_docs(items).unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil);
     detail = detail
-        .append(Doc::space())
         .append(
             n.l_paren_token()
-                .map(|el| comments_before(&el))
-                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil),
+                .map(|el| space_or_comments_before(&el))
+                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::space),
         )
         .append(Doc::text("("))
         .append(wrap_body(ctx, body, n.r_paren_token()))
@@ -11864,11 +11862,10 @@ fn build_drop_element_tables<'a>(
     });
     let body = build_comma_separated_docs(items).unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil);
     doc = doc
-        .append(Doc::space())
         .append(
             l.clone()
-                .map(|el| comments_before(&el))
-                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil),
+                .map(|el| space_or_comments_before(&el))
+                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::space),
         )
         .append(Doc::text("("))
         .append(wrap_body(ctx, body, r))
@@ -11894,11 +11891,10 @@ fn build_vertex_tables<'a>(ctx: &Ctx, n: ast::VertexTables) -> Doc<'a> {
     });
     let body = build_comma_separated_docs(items).unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil);
     doc = doc
-        .append(Doc::space())
         .append(
             n.l_paren_token()
-                .map(|el| comments_before(&el))
-                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil),
+                .map(|el| space_or_comments_before(&el))
+                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::space),
         )
         .append(Doc::text("("))
         .append(wrap_body(ctx, body, n.r_paren_token()))
@@ -11943,11 +11939,10 @@ fn build_edge_tables<'a>(ctx: &Ctx, n: ast::EdgeTables) -> Doc<'a> {
     });
     let body = build_comma_separated_docs(items).unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil);
     doc = doc
-        .append(Doc::space())
         .append(
             n.l_paren_token()
-                .map(|el| comments_before(&el))
-                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::nil),
+                .map(|el| space_or_comments_before(&el))
+                .unwrap_or_else(Doc::space),
         )
         .append(Doc::text("("))
         .append(wrap_body(ctx, body, n.r_paren_token()))
diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/alter_property_graph.snap b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/alter_property_graph.snap
index f92dfffb..9f34f3c0 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/alter_property_graph.snap
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/alter_property_graph.snap
@@ -82,3 +82,11 @@ alter property graph social_graph
     people,
     organizations -- trailing
   ) cascade;
+
+alter property graph social_graph
+  alter relationship table follows
+    alter label connection drop properties /* before paren */(
+      created_at
+    );
+
+alter property graph social_graph drop vertex tables /* before paren */(people);
diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_property_graph.snap b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_property_graph.snap
index a60c1615..aa4326ab 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_property_graph.snap
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_property_graph.snap
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ create property graph social
 
 -- comments in every position
 create /* persistence */ local /* temporary */ temporary /* property */ property /* graph */ graph /* graph name */ public /* dot */./* name */ social
-  /* vertex */ vertex /* tables */ tables  /* left paren */(
+  /* vertex */ vertex /* tables */ tables /* left paren */(
     /* table */ people /* key */ key /* key left */ (
       /* key column */ id /* key right */
     )
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ create /* persistence */ local /* temporary */ temporary /* property */ property
     /* second table */ organizations
       /* no */ no /* properties */ properties /* vertex right */
   )
-  /* edge */ edge /* edge tables */ tables  /* edge left */(
+  /* edge */ edge /* edge tables */ tables /* edge left */(
     /* edge table */ follows
       /* source */ source /* source key */ key /* source left */ (
         /* source column */ follower_id /* source right */
diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_publication.snap b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_publication.snap
index 52c1e544..4695fba0 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_publication.snap
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/create_publication.snap
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ create publication omitted_schema_keywords
 
 create /* after create */ publication /* after publication */ commented_pub
   for
-    /* after for */ table /* after table */ only  /* after only */(/* before table name */ public.commented /* before close */)/* before star */ * /* before columns */ (
+    /* after for */ table /* after table */ only /* after only */(/* before table name */ public.commented /* before close */)/* before star */ * /* before columns */ (
       /* before column */ id /* before comma */,
       /* after comma */ payload /* before columns close */
     )
@@ -59,3 +59,6 @@ create /* after create */ publication /* after publication */ commented_pub
   with /* after with */ (
     /* before option */ publish /* before equals */ = /* before value */ 'insert' /* before options close */
   ) /* before semicolon */;
+
+create publication except_paren_comment
+  for all tables except /* before paren */(table audit.secret_events);
diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/import_foreign_schema.snap b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/import_foreign_schema.snap
index 6c627558..a6b92266 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/import_foreign_schema.snap
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/after/import_foreign_schema.snap
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import foreign schema remote
 
 /* before import */
 import /* before foreign */ foreign /* before schema */ schema /* before remote */ remote
-  /* before limit */ limit /* before to */ to  /* before open */(
+  /* before limit */ limit /* before to */ to /* before open */(
     /* before table */ records /* before comma */,
     /* before second */ users /* before close */
   )
diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/alter_property_graph.sql b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/alter_property_graph.sql
index 19e00483..62e71f28 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/alter_property_graph.sql
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/alter_property_graph.sql
@@ -28,3 +28,7 @@ alter property graph social_graph owner /* to */ to /* role */ graph_administrat
 
 alter property graph social_graph drop vertex tables (people, organizations -- trailing
 ) cascade;
+
+alter property graph social_graph alter relationship table follows alter label connection drop properties /* before paren */ (created_at);
+
+alter property graph social_graph drop vertex tables /* before paren */ (people);
diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/create_publication.sql b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/create_publication.sql
index c07e80d6..81941792 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/create_publication.sql
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/before/create_publication.sql
@@ -16,3 +16,5 @@ create publication omitted_schema_keywords for tables in schema first_schema, /*
 create /* after create */ publication /* after publication */ commented_pub
 for /* after for */ table /* after table */ only /* after only */ (/* before table name */ public.commented /* before close */) /* before star */ * /* before columns */ (/* before column */ id /* before comma */, /* after comma */ payload /* before columns close */) /* before where */ where /* before where open */ (/* before expression */ id > 0 /* before where close */), /* after object comma */ tables /* after tables */ in /* after in */ schema /* after schema */ current_schema
 with /* after with */ (/* before option */ publish /* before equals */ = /* before value */ 'insert' /* before options close */) /* before semicolon */;
+
+create publication except_paren_comment for all tables except /* before paren */ (table audit.secret_events);
diff --git a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/tests.rs b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/tests.rs
index 3923ef9e..07ce8b43 100644
--- a/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/squawk_fmt/tests/tests.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+use annotate_snippets::{AnnotationKind, Level, Renderer, Snippet};
 use camino::Utf8Path;
 use dir_test::{Fixture, dir_test};
 use insta::{assert_snapshot, with_settings};
 use squawk_fmt::token_compare::assert_no_dropped_tokens;
+use squawk_lexer::{Token, TokenKind, tokenize};
 
 #[dir_test(
     dir: "$CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR/tests/before",
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@ fn fmt(fixture: Fixture<&str>) {
 
     assert_no_dropped_tokens(content, &formatted);
     assert_parses(&formatted);
+    assert_no_extra_spaces(&formatted);
     assert_eq!(
         squawk_fmt::fmt_str(&formatted, Default::default()).unwrap(),
         formatted,
@@ -175,3 +178,29 @@ fn assert_parses(formatted: &str) {
             .join("\n")
     );
 }
+
+fn assert_no_extra_spaces(formatted: &str) {
+    let mut offset = 0;
+    for Token { kind, len } in tokenize(formatted) {
+        let start = offset;
+        offset += len as usize;
+        if kind != TokenKind::Whitespace {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let text = &formatted[start..offset];
+        let at_line_start = start == 0 || formatted[..start].ends_with(['\n', '\r']);
+        let at_eof = offset == formatted.len();
+        if at_line_start || at_eof || text.contains(['\n', '\r']) || text == " " {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let snippet = Snippet::source(formatted)
+            .fold(true)
+            .annotation(AnnotationKind::Primary.span(start..offset));
+        let group = Level::ERROR
+            .primary_title(format!(
+                "expected a single space between tokens, found {text:?}"
+            ))
+            .element(snippet);
+        panic!("{}", Renderer::plain().render(&[group]));
+    }
+}