diff --git a/pyrit/score/response_handler.py b/pyrit/score/response_handler.py
index 6dea0a9d0a..0c27efd120 100644
--- a/pyrit/score/response_handler.py
+++ b/pyrit/score/response_handler.py
@@ -303,7 +303,10 @@ def parse(
             objective=objective,
         )
 
-        normalized_value = score.raw_score_value.lower()
+        # Strip surrounding whitespace before comparing: a judge that returns
+        # "true\n" or " false" is giving a valid verdict, and should not be
+        # rejected as out-of-domain over incidental whitespace.
+        normalized_value = score.raw_score_value.strip().lower()
         if normalized_value not in {"true", "false"}:
             raise InvalidJsonException(
                 message=f"True/false score_value must be 'true' or 'false', not {score.raw_score_value!r}."
diff --git a/tests/unit/score/test_response_handler.py b/tests/unit/score/test_response_handler.py
index 16084a5cf6..fac1b55ac0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/score/test_response_handler.py
+++ b/tests/unit/score/test_response_handler.py
@@ -43,6 +43,29 @@ def test_true_false_response_handler_accepts_boolean_values(json_value: str, exp
     assert score.raw_score_value == expected
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("json_value", "expected"),
+    [
+        ('"true "', "true"),
+        ('" false"', "false"),
+        ('"True\\n"', "true"),
+        ('"  FALSE  "', "false"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_true_false_response_handler_strips_whitespace_around_verdict(json_value: str, expected: str) -> None:
+    # A judge returning a valid verdict with incidental surrounding whitespace
+    # (e.g. a trailing newline) must not be rejected as out-of-domain.
+    handler = TrueFalseResponseHandler(response_handler=JsonSchemaResponseHandler())
+
+    score = handler.parse(
+        response_text=f'{{"score_value": {json_value}, "rationale": "test"}}',
+        scorer_identifier=SCORER_IDENTIFIER,
+        scored_prompt_id="test-id",
+    )
+
+    assert score.raw_score_value == expected
+
+
 def test_true_false_response_handler_rejects_value_outside_domain() -> None:
     handler = TrueFalseResponseHandler(response_handler=JsonSchemaResponseHandler())