diff --git a/manimlib/mobject/svg/tex_mobject.py b/manimlib/mobject/svg/tex_mobject.py
index 3afd362e..fdf39845 100644
--- a/manimlib/mobject/svg/tex_mobject.py
+++ b/manimlib/mobject/svg/tex_mobject.py
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ class TexMobject(SingleStringTexMobject):
         split_list = split_string_list_to_isolate_substrings(
             tex_strings, *substrings_to_isolate
         )
-        split_list = list(map(str.strip, split_list))
+        split_list = [str(x).strip() for x in split_list]
+        #split_list = list(map(str.strip, split_list))
         split_list = [s for s in split_list if s != '']
         return split_list