diff --git a/.changeset/smart-cherries-leave.md b/.changeset/smart-cherries-leave.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d844352c7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/smart-cherries-leave.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'svelte': patch
+---
+
+fix: hydrate HTML with surrounding whitespace
diff --git a/.prettierignore b/.prettierignore
index 45e12c6e3f..dc6385309b 100644
--- a/.prettierignore
+++ b/.prettierignore
@@ -10,10 +10,8 @@ packages/svelte/tests/**/_actual*
 packages/svelte/tests/**/expected*
 packages/svelte/tests/**/_output
 packages/svelte/tests/**/shards/*.test.js
-packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/*/_before.html
-packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/*/_before_head.html
-packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/*/_after.html
-packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/*/_after_head.html
+packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/*/_expected.html
+packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/*/_override.html
 packages/svelte/types
 packages/svelte/compiler.cjs
 playgrounds/demo/src
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js
index 5b40e32606..ac71edfd01 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ import { create_attribute, is_custom_element_node, is_element_node } from '../..
 import { error } from '../../../errors.js';
 import { binding_properties } from '../../bindings.js';
 import { regex_starts_with_newline, regex_whitespaces_strict } from '../../patterns.js';
-import { DOMBooleanAttributes } from '../../../../constants.js';
+import { DOMBooleanAttributes, HYDRATION_END, HYDRATION_START } from '../../../../constants.js';
 import { sanitize_template_string } from '../../../utils/sanitize_template_string.js';
 
-const block_open = t_string('<![>');
-const block_close = t_string('<!]>');
+export const block_open = t_string(`<!--${HYDRATION_START}-->`);
+export const block_close = t_string(`<!--${HYDRATION_END}-->`);
 
 /**
  * @param {string} value
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/constants.js b/packages/svelte/src/constants.js
index 28e6d8d117..5c9408d314 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/constants.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/constants.js
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ export const TRANSITION_GLOBAL = 1 << 2;
 export const TEMPLATE_FRAGMENT = 1;
 export const TEMPLATE_USE_IMPORT_NODE = 1 << 1;
 
+export const HYDRATION_START = '[';
+export const HYDRATION_END = ']';
+
 export const UNINITIALIZED = Symbol();
 
 /** List of Element events that will be delegated */
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/each.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/each.js
index 2cca222051..8ad815a7a7 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/each.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/each.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import {
 	EACH_IS_CONTROLLED,
 	EACH_IS_STRICT_EQUALS,
 	EACH_ITEM_REACTIVE,
-	EACH_KEYED
+	EACH_KEYED,
+	HYDRATION_START
 } from '../../../../constants.js';
 import { hydrate_anchor, hydrate_nodes, hydrating, set_hydrating } from '../hydration.js';
 import { empty } from '../operations.js';
@@ -117,7 +118,10 @@ function each(anchor, flags, get_collection, get_key, render_fn, fallback_fn, re
 			var child_anchor = hydrate_nodes[0];
 
 			for (var i = 0; i < length; i++) {
-				if (child_anchor.nodeType !== 8 || /** @type {Comment} */ (child_anchor).data !== '[') {
+				if (
+					child_anchor.nodeType !== 8 ||
+					/** @type {Comment} */ (child_anchor).data !== HYDRATION_START
+				) {
 					// If `nodes` is null, then that means that the server rendered fewer items than what
 					// expected, so break out and continue appending non-hydrated items
 					mismatch = true;
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-head.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-head.js
index 07d02d2c06..70606cd32f 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-head.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-head.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { hydrate_anchor, hydrate_nodes, hydrating, set_hydrate_nodes } from '../hydration.js';
 import { empty } from '../operations.js';
 import { block } from '../../reactivity/effects.js';
+import { HYDRATION_START } from '../../../../constants.js';
 
 /**
  * @param {(anchor: Node) => import('#client').Dom | void} render_fn
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ export function head(render_fn) {
 		previous_hydrate_nodes = hydrate_nodes;
 
 		let anchor = /** @type {import('#client').TemplateNode} */ (document.head.firstChild);
-		while (anchor.nodeType !== 8 || /** @type {Comment} */ (anchor).data !== '[') {
+		while (anchor.nodeType !== 8 || /** @type {Comment} */ (anchor).data !== HYDRATION_START) {
 			anchor = /** @type {import('#client').TemplateNode} */ (anchor.nextSibling);
 		}
 
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/hydration.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/hydration.js
index 6404aa78f0..ef157f8344 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/hydration.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/hydration.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { HYDRATION_END, HYDRATION_START } from '../../../constants.js';
+
 /**
  * Use this variable to guard everything related to hydration code so it can be treeshaken out
  * if the user doesn't use the `hydrate` method and these code paths are therefore not needed.
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ export function set_hydrate_nodes(nodes) {
 }
 
 /**
- * This function is only called when `hydrating` is true. If passed a `<![>` opening
+ * This function is only called when `hydrating` is true. If passed a `<!--[-->` opening
  * hydration marker, it finds the corresponding closing marker and sets `hydrate_nodes`
  * to everything between the markers, before returning the closing marker.
  * @param {Node} node
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@ export function hydrate_anchor(node) {
 	var current = /** @type {Node | null} */ (node);
 
 	// TODO this could have false positives, if a user comment consisted of `[`. need to tighten that up
-	if (/** @type {Comment} */ (current)?.data !== '[') {
+	if (/** @type {Comment} */ (current)?.data !== HYDRATION_START) {
 		return node;
 	}
 
@@ -49,9 +51,9 @@ export function hydrate_anchor(node) {
 		if (current.nodeType === 8) {
 			var data = /** @type {Comment} */ (current).data;
 
-			if (data === '[') {
+			if (data === HYDRATION_START) {
 				depth += 1;
-			} else if (data === ']') {
+			} else if (data === HYDRATION_END) {
 				if (depth === 0) {
 					hydrate_nodes = /** @type {import('#client').TemplateNode[]} */ (nodes);
 					return current;
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/render.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/render.js
index aa2c0b4d55..2f28137163 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/render.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/render.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {
 	empty,
 	init_operations
 } from './dom/operations.js';
-import { PassiveDelegatedEvents } from '../../constants.js';
+import { HYDRATION_START, PassiveDelegatedEvents } from '../../constants.js';
 import { flush_sync, push, pop, current_component_context, untrack } from './runtime.js';
 import { effect_root, branch } from './reactivity/effects.js';
 import {
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ export function mount(component, options) {
  * @returns {Exports}
  */
 export function hydrate(component, options) {
-	const container = options.target;
-	const first_child = /** @type {ChildNode} */ (container.firstChild);
+	const target = options.target;
 	const previous_hydrate_nodes = hydrate_nodes;
 
 	let hydrated = false;
@@ -132,7 +131,19 @@ export function hydrate(component, options) {
 		return flush_sync(() => {
 			set_hydrating(true);
 
-			const anchor = hydrate_anchor(first_child);
+			var node = target.firstChild;
+			while (
+				node &&
+				(node.nodeType !== 8 || /** @type {Comment} */ (node).data !== HYDRATION_START)
+			) {
+				node = node.nextSibling;
+			}
+
+			if (!node) {
+				throw new Error('Missing hydration marker');
+			}
+
+			const anchor = hydrate_anchor(node);
 			const instance = _mount(component, { ...options, anchor });
 
 			// flush_sync will run this callback and then synchronously run any pending effects,
@@ -153,7 +164,7 @@ export function hydrate(component, options) {
 				error
 			);
 
-			clear_text_content(container);
+			clear_text_content(target);
 
 			set_hydrating(false);
 			return mount(component, options);
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/hydration.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/hydration.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..941918456b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/hydration.js
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import { HYDRATION_END, HYDRATION_START } from '../../constants.js';
+
+export const BLOCK_OPEN = `<!--${HYDRATION_START}-->`;
+export const BLOCK_CLOSE = `<!--${HYDRATION_END}-->`;
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js
index f163bbfb6d..1ecd0c991d 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../constants.js';
 import { DEV } from 'esm-env';
 import { current_component, pop, push } from './context.js';
+import { BLOCK_CLOSE, BLOCK_OPEN } from './hydration.js';
 
 /**
  * @typedef {{
@@ -161,11 +162,11 @@ export function element(payload, tag, attributes_fn, children_fn) {
 
 	if (!VoidElements.has(tag)) {
 		if (tag !== 'textarea') {
-			payload.out += '<!--[-->';
+			payload.out += BLOCK_OPEN;
 		}
 		children_fn();
 		if (tag !== 'textarea') {
-			payload.out += '<!--]-->';
+			payload.out += BLOCK_CLOSE;
 		}
 		payload.out += `</${tag}>`;
 	}
@@ -187,7 +188,7 @@ export function render(component, options) {
 
 	const prev_on_destroy = on_destroy;
 	on_destroy = [];
-	payload.out += '<!--[-->';
+	payload.out += BLOCK_OPEN;
 
 	if (options.context) {
 		push();
@@ -200,14 +201,14 @@ export function render(component, options) {
 		pop();
 	}
 
-	payload.out += '<!--]-->';
+	payload.out += BLOCK_CLOSE;
 	for (const cleanup of on_destroy) cleanup();
 	on_destroy = prev_on_destroy;
 
 	return {
 		head:
 			payload.head.out || payload.head.title
-				? payload.head.title + '<!--[-->' + payload.head.out + '<!--]-->'
+				? payload.head.title + BLOCK_OPEN + payload.head.out + BLOCK_CLOSE
 				: '',
 		html: payload.out
 	};
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/_config.js b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f47bee71df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import { test } from '../../test';
+
+export default test({});
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/_override.html b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/_override.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4b8d9e17c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/_override.html
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+		<!-- unrelated comment -->
+		<!--[--><!--[--><!--ssr:if:true-->hello<!--]--><!--]-->
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/main.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/main.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7d6fe33113
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/samples/surrounding-whitespace/main.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{#if true}hello{/if}
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/test.ts b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/test.ts
index 460d589695..6884504718 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/test.ts
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/hydration/test.ts
@@ -34,17 +34,11 @@ interface HydrationTest extends BaseTest {
 	after_test?: () => void;
 }
 
-const { test, run } = suite<HydrationTest>(async (config, cwd) => {
-	/**
-	 * Read file and remove whitespace between ssr comments
-	 */
-	function read_html(path: string, fallback?: string): string {
-		const html = fs.readFileSync(fallback && !fs.existsSync(path) ? fallback : path, 'utf-8');
-		return config.trim_whitespace !== false
-			? html.replace(/(<!--ssr:.?-->)[ \t\n\r\f]+(<!--ssr:.?-->)/g, '$1$2')
-			: html;
-	}
+function read(path: string): string | void {
+	return fs.existsSync(path) ? fs.readFileSync(path, 'utf-8') : undefined;
+}
 
+const { test, run } = suite<HydrationTest>(async (config, cwd) => {
 	if (!config.load_compiled) {
 		await compile_directory(cwd, 'client', { accessors: true, ...config.compileOptions });
 		await compile_directory(cwd, 'server', config.compileOptions);
@@ -58,7 +52,7 @@ const { test, run } = suite<HydrationTest>(async (config, cwd) => {
 	});
 
 	fs.writeFileSync(`${cwd}/_output/body.html`, rendered.html + '\n');
-	target.innerHTML = rendered.html;
+	target.innerHTML = read(`${cwd}/_override.html`) ?? rendered.html;
 
 	if (rendered.head) {
 		fs.writeFileSync(`${cwd}/_output/head.html`, rendered.head + '\n');
@@ -97,15 +91,11 @@ const { test, run } = suite<HydrationTest>(async (config, cwd) => {
 			assert.ok(!got_hydration_error, 'Unexpected hydration error');
 		}
 
-		const expected = fs.existsSync(`${cwd}/_expected.html`)
-			? read_html(`${cwd}/_expected.html`)
-			: rendered.html;
+		const expected = read(`${cwd}/_expected.html`) ?? rendered.html;
 		assert_html_equal(target.innerHTML, expected);
 
 		if (rendered.head) {
-			const expected = fs.existsSync(`${cwd}/_expected_head.html`)
-				? read_html(`${cwd}/_expected_head.html`)
-				: rendered.head;
+			const expected = read(`${cwd}/_expected_head.html`) ?? rendered.head;
 			assert_html_equal(head.innerHTML, expected);
 		}
 
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/comment-preserve/_expected.html b/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/comment-preserve/_expected.html
index 20b49122af..3eb11afc34 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/comment-preserve/_expected.html
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/comment-preserve/_expected.html
@@ -1 +1 @@
-<![><p>before</p><!-- a comment --><p>after</p><!]>
+<!--[--><p>before</p><!-- a comment --><p>after</p><!--]-->
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/bind-this/_expected/server/index.svelte.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/bind-this/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
index 5627a82d5c..bd1d1ec711 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/bind-this/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/bind-this/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import * as $ from "svelte/internal/server";
 
 export default function Bind_this($$payload, $$props) {
 	$.push(false);
-	$$payload.out += `<![>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--[-->`;
 	Foo($$payload, {});
-	$$payload.out += `<!]>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--]-->`;
 	$.pop();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/each-string-template/_expected/server/index.svelte.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/each-string-template/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
index 759705d3f2..baabeb63e0 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/each-string-template/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/each-string-template/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
@@ -7,16 +7,16 @@ export default function Each_string_template($$payload, $$props) {
 
 	const each_array = $.ensure_array_like(['foo', 'bar', 'baz']);
 
-	$$payload.out += `<![>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--[-->`;
 
 	for (let $$index = 0; $$index < each_array.length; $$index++) {
 		const thing = each_array[$$index];
 
-		$$payload.out += "<![>";
+		$$payload.out += "<!--[-->";
 		$$payload.out += `${$.escape(thing)}, `;
-		$$payload.out += "<!]>";
+		$$payload.out += "<!--]-->";
 	}
 
-	$$payload.out += `<!]>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--]-->`;
 	$.pop();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/function-prop-no-getter/_expected/server/index.svelte.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/function-prop-no-getter/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
index cec3ef17ce..1ae4cc7613 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/function-prop-no-getter/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/function-prop-no-getter/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export default function Function_prop_no_getter($$payload, $$props) {
 
 	const plusOne = (num) => num + 1;
 
-	$$payload.out += `<![>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--[-->`;
 
 	Button($$payload, {
 		onmousedown: () => count += 1,
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ export default function Function_prop_no_getter($$payload, $$props) {
 		}
 	});
 
-	$$payload.out += `<!]>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--]-->`;
 	$.pop();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
index a1ffeff067..2bd6400a5c 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ export default function Svelte_element($$payload, $$props) {
 
 	let { tag = 'hr' } = $$props;
 
-	$$payload.out += `<![>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--[-->`;
 	if (tag) $.element($$payload, tag, () => {}, () => {});
-	$$payload.out += `<!]>`;
+	$$payload.out += `<!--]-->`;
 	$.pop();
 }
\ No newline at end of file