diff --git a/packages/rich-text/src/component/index.js b/packages/rich-text/src/component/index.js
index cb62992fa669a1..df4d3f129e9006 100644
--- a/packages/rich-text/src/component/index.js
+++ b/packages/rich-text/src/component/index.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { useSelectObject } from './use-select-object';
 import { useIndentListItemOnSpace } from './use-indent-list-item-on-space';
 import { useInputAndSelection } from './use-input-and-selection';
 import { useDelete } from './use-delete';
+import { useSpace } from './use-space';
 
 export function useRichText( {
 	value = '',
@@ -198,6 +199,7 @@ export function useRichText( {
 			isSelected,
 			onSelectionChange,
 		} ),
+		useSpace(),
 		useRefEffect( () => {
 			applyFromProps();
 			didMount.current = true;
diff --git a/packages/rich-text/src/component/use-space.js b/packages/rich-text/src/component/use-space.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..5a64f08549a8c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/rich-text/src/component/use-space.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/**
+ * WordPress dependencies
+ */
+import { useRefEffect } from '@wordpress/compose';
+import { SPACE } from '@wordpress/keycodes';
+
+/**
+ * For some elements like BUTTON and SUMMARY, the space key doesn't insert a
+ * space character in some browsers even though the element is editable. We have
+ * to manually insert a space and prevent default behaviour.
+ *
+ * DO NOT limit this behaviour to specific tag names! It would mean that this
+ * behaviour is not widely tested. If there's ever any problems, we should find
+ * a different solution entirely or remove it entirely.
+ */
+export function useSpace() {
+	return useRefEffect( ( element ) => {
+		function onKeyDown( event ) {
+			// Don't insert a space if default behaviour is prevented.
+			if ( event.defaultPrevented ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			const { keyCode, altKey, metaKey, ctrlKey } = event;
+
+			// Only consider the space key without modifiers pressed.
+			if ( keyCode !== SPACE || altKey || metaKey || ctrlKey ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			event.target.ownerDocument.execCommand( 'insertText', false, ' ' );
+			event.preventDefault();
+		}
+
+		element.addEventListener( 'keydown', onKeyDown );
+		return () => {
+			element.removeEventListener( 'keydown', onKeyDown );
+		};
+	}, [] );
+}