diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Cnc/Traits/SupportPowers/ChronoshiftPower.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Cnc/Traits/SupportPowers/ChronoshiftPower.cs
index 8d5ae7ed53..229cc9f20c 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Cnc/Traits/SupportPowers/ChronoshiftPower.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Cnc/Traits/SupportPowers/ChronoshiftPower.cs
@@ -63,8 +63,15 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Cnc.Traits
 
 	class ChronoshiftPower : SupportPower
 	{
+		readonly char[] footprint;
+		readonly CVec dimensions;
+
 		public ChronoshiftPower(Actor self, ChronoshiftPowerInfo info)
-			: base(self, info) { }
+			: base(self, info)
+		{
+			footprint = info.Footprint.Where(c => !char.IsWhiteSpace(c)).ToArray();
+			dimensions = info.Dimensions;
+		}
 
 		public override void SelectTarget(Actor self, string order, SupportPowerManager manager)
 		{
@@ -96,8 +103,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Cnc.Traits
 
 		public IEnumerable<Actor> UnitsInRange(CPos xy)
 		{
-			var footprint = ((ChronoshiftPowerInfo)Info).Footprint;
-			var dimensions = ((ChronoshiftPowerInfo)Info).Dimensions;
 			var tiles = CellsMatching(xy, footprint, dimensions);
 			var units = new HashSet<Actor>();
 			foreach (var t in tiles)
@@ -111,8 +116,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Cnc.Traits
 			if (!Self.Owner.Shroud.IsExplored(xy))
 				return false;
 
-			var footprint = ((ChronoshiftPowerInfo)Info).Footprint;
-			var dimensions = ((ChronoshiftPowerInfo)Info).Dimensions;
 			var sourceTiles = CellsMatching(xy, footprint, dimensions);
 			var destTiles = CellsMatching(sourceLocation, footprint, dimensions);
 
@@ -139,7 +142,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Cnc.Traits
 		class SelectChronoshiftTarget : OrderGenerator
 		{
 			readonly ChronoshiftPower power;
-			readonly string footprint;
+			readonly char[] footprint;
 			readonly CVec dimensions;
 			readonly Sprite tile;
 			readonly SupportPowerManager manager;
@@ -156,7 +159,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Cnc.Traits
 				this.power = power;
 
 				var info = (ChronoshiftPowerInfo)power.Info;
-				footprint = info.Footprint;
+				footprint = info.Footprint.Where(c => !char.IsWhiteSpace(c)).ToArray();
 				dimensions = info.Dimensions;
 				tile = world.Map.Rules.Sequences.GetSequence(info.FootprintImage, info.SourceFootprintSequence).GetSprite(0);
 			}
@@ -214,7 +217,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Cnc.Traits
 		{
 			readonly ChronoshiftPower power;
 			readonly CPos sourceLocation;
-			readonly string footprint;
+			readonly char[] footprint;
 			readonly CVec dimensions;
 			readonly Sprite validTile, invalidTile, sourceTile;
 			readonly SupportPowerManager manager;
@@ -228,7 +231,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Cnc.Traits
 				this.sourceLocation = sourceLocation;
 
 				var info = (ChronoshiftPowerInfo)power.Info;
-				footprint = info.Footprint;
+				footprint = info.Footprint.Where(c => !char.IsWhiteSpace(c)).ToArray();
 				dimensions = info.Dimensions;
 
 				var sequences = world.Map.Rules.Sequences;
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/GrantExternalConditionPower.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/GrantExternalConditionPower.cs
index 590d44439d..64f28ad94b 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/GrantExternalConditionPower.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/GrantExternalConditionPower.cs
@@ -57,11 +57,13 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 	class GrantExternalConditionPower : SupportPower
 	{
 		readonly GrantExternalConditionPowerInfo info;
+		readonly char[] footprint;
 
 		public GrantExternalConditionPower(Actor self, GrantExternalConditionPowerInfo info)
 			: base(self, info)
 		{
 			this.info = info;
+			footprint = info.Footprint.Where(c => !char.IsWhiteSpace(c)).ToArray();
 		}
 
 		public override void SelectTarget(Actor self, string order, SupportPowerManager manager)
@@ -93,7 +95,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 
 		public IEnumerable<Actor> UnitsInRange(CPos xy)
 		{
-			var tiles = CellsMatching(xy, info.Footprint, info.Dimensions);
+			var tiles = CellsMatching(xy, footprint, info.Dimensions);
 			var units = new List<Actor>();
 			foreach (var t in tiles)
 				units.AddRange(Self.World.ActorMap.GetActorsAt(t));
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 		class SelectConditionTarget : OrderGenerator
 		{
 			readonly GrantExternalConditionPower power;
-			readonly string footprint;
+			readonly char[] footprint;
 			readonly CVec dimensions;
 			readonly Sprite tile;
 			readonly SupportPowerManager manager;
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 				this.manager = manager;
 				this.order = order;
 				this.power = power;
-				footprint = power.info.Footprint;
+				footprint = power.info.Footprint.Where(c => !char.IsWhiteSpace(c)).ToArray();
 				dimensions = power.info.Dimensions;
 				tile = world.Map.Rules.Sequences.GetSequence("overlay", "target-select").GetSprite(0);
 			}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/SupportPower.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/SupportPower.cs
index 1da74bdeec..d030f11de7 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/SupportPower.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/SupportPower.cs
@@ -194,15 +194,14 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 			Game.Sound.PlayNotification(Self.World.Map.Rules, toPlayer, "Speech", speech, toPlayer.Faction.InternalName);
 		}
 
-		public IEnumerable<CPos> CellsMatching(CPos location, string footprint, CVec dimensions)
+		public IEnumerable<CPos> CellsMatching(CPos location, char[] footprint, CVec dimensions)
 		{
 			var index = 0;
-			var fp = footprint.Where(c => !char.IsWhiteSpace(c)).ToArray();
 			var x = location.X - (dimensions.X - 1) / 2;
 			var y = location.Y - (dimensions.Y - 1) / 2;
 			for (var j = 0; j < dimensions.Y; j++)
 				for (var i = 0; i < dimensions.X; i++)
-					if (fp[index++] == 'x')
+					if (footprint[index++] == 'x')
 						yield return new CPos(x + i, y + j);
 		}
 	}