Sounds like the input line was padded with "blank space" characters (when first displayed) instead of "null" characters. There's a difference.
Fatal error
Yesterday I came across the fatal error that would prevent me to access databases from the console. I've started calling tech support and figured out that input stream pops up with invisible character(s) that need to be cleared after an input of Data Base ID before pressing an Enter key.
It was invisible bug -- a Ghost In The Machine.