diff --git a/control-structure-spacing.js b/control-structure-spacing.js
index 92e6f4dcf..7a25796af 100644
--- a/control-structure-spacing.js
+++ b/control-structure-spacing.js
@@ -46,6 +46,16 @@ export default {
             const afterOpen = sourceCode.getTokenAfter(openParen);
             const beforeClose = sourceCode.getTokenBefore(closeParen);
 
+            {
+                const contentBetweenParens = sourceCode.getText().slice(openParen.range[1], closeParen.range[0]);
+                const isSingleCharVariable = /^\s*[a-zA-Z_$]\s*$/.test(contentBetweenParens);
+
+                // Skip spacing requirements for single character variables
+                if ( isSingleCharVariable ) {
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+
             // Control structures should have spacing
             if ( afterOpen && openParen.range[1] === afterOpen.range[0] ) {
                 context.report({
diff --git a/extensions/whoami/routes.js b/extensions/whoami/routes.js
index b552fc699..1697c378e 100644
--- a/extensions/whoami/routes.js
+++ b/extensions/whoami/routes.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const whoami_common = ({ is_user, user }) => {
             epoch = new Date(user.last_activity_ts).getTime();
             // round to 1 decimal place
             epoch = Math.round(epoch / 1000);
-        } catch(e) {
+        } catch (e) {
             console.error('Error parsing last_activity_ts', e);
         }