diff --git a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
index 6de645582e1..b3aa35abb2b 100644
--- a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
+++ b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
@@ -462,7 +462,10 @@ Following is the default configuration. See |nvim-tree-opts| for details. >lua
           hidden_placement = "after",
           diagnostics_placement = "signcolumn",
           bookmarks_placement = "signcolumn",
-          padding = " ",
+          padding = {
+            icon = " ",
+            folder_arrow = " ",
+          },
           symlink_arrow = " ➛ ",
           show = {
             file = true,
@@ -1065,10 +1068,14 @@ Configuration options for icons.
     Bookmark icon placement.
       Type: `string`, Default: `signcolumn`
 
-    *nvim-tree.renderer.icons.padding*
+    *nvim-tree.renderer.icons.padding.icon*
     Inserted between icon and filename.
       Type: `string`, Default: `" "`
 
+    *nvim-tree.renderer.icons.padding.folder_arrow*
+    Inserted between folder arrow icon and file/folder icon.
+      Type: `string`, Default: `" "`
+
     *nvim-tree.renderer.icons.symlink_arrow*
     Used as a separator between symlinks' source and target.
       Type: `string`, Default: `" ➛ "`
@@ -3027,6 +3034,7 @@ needed.
 `sort_by`                            |nvim-tree.sort.sorter|
 `git.ignore`                         |nvim-tree.filters.git_ignored|
 `renderer.icons.webdev_colors`       |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.web_devicons.file.color|
+`renderer.icons.padding`             |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.padding.icon|
 
 ==============================================================================
  14.2 LEGACY: HIGHLIGHT                           *nvim-tree-legacy-highlight*
@@ -3183,7 +3191,8 @@ highlight group is not, hard linking as follows: >
 |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.glyphs.symlink|
 |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.hidden_placement|
 |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.modified_placement|
-|nvim-tree.renderer.icons.padding|
+|nvim-tree.renderer.icons.padding.folder_arrow|
+|nvim-tree.renderer.icons.padding.icon|
 |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.show|
 |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.show.bookmarks|
 |nvim-tree.renderer.icons.show.diagnostics|
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree.lua b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
index dc64044abc2..3e8c04b75c3 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
@@ -334,7 +334,10 @@ local DEFAULT_OPTS = { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
       hidden_placement = "after",
       diagnostics_placement = "signcolumn",
       bookmarks_placement = "signcolumn",
-      padding = " ",
+      padding = {
+        icon = " ",
+        folder_arrow = " ",
+      },
       symlink_arrow = " ➛ ",
       show = {
         file = true,
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
index 7ba4f989e6a..21f9a72b6cf 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ local function refactored(opts)
     end
   end
   utils.move_missing_val(opts, "update_focused_file", "ignore_list", opts, "update_focused_file.update_root", "ignore_list", true)
+
+  -- 2025/04/30
+  if opts.renderer and opts.renderer.icons and type(opts.renderer.icons.padding) == "string" then
+    local icons_padding = opts.renderer.icons.padding
+    opts.renderer.icons.padding = {}
+    opts.renderer.icons.padding.icon = icons_padding
+  end
 end
 
 local function deprecated(opts)
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/builder.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/builder.lua
index 9ada17751ab..447c75b8f88 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/builder.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/builder.lua
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ function Builder:format_line(indent_markers, arrows, icon, name, node)
     end
     for _, v in ipairs(t2) do
       if added_len > 0 then
-        table.insert(t1, { str = self.explorer.opts.renderer.icons.padding })
+        table.insert(t1, { str = self.explorer.opts.renderer.icons.padding.icon })
       end
       table.insert(t1, v)
     end
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/components/padding.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/components/padding.lua
index ccb550e3229..a33525cc437 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/components/padding.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/components/padding.lua
@@ -95,15 +95,15 @@ function M.get_arrows(node)
   local dir = node:as(DirectoryNode)
   if dir then
     if dir.open then
-      str = M.config.icons.glyphs.folder["arrow_open"] .. " "
+      str = M.config.icons.glyphs.folder["arrow_open"] .. M.config.icons.padding.folder_arrow
       hl = "NvimTreeFolderArrowOpen"
     else
-      str = M.config.icons.glyphs.folder["arrow_closed"] .. " "
+      str = M.config.icons.glyphs.folder["arrow_closed"] .. M.config.icons.padding.folder_arrow
     end
   elseif M.config.indent_markers.enable then
     str = ""
   else
-    str = "  "
+    str = " " .. string.rep(" ", #M.config.icons.padding.folder_arrow)
   end
 
   return { str = str, hl = { hl } }