diff --git a/functions b/functions
index 5ff4a9b7ca..0280b2bcc4 100644
--- a/functions
+++ b/functions
@@ -729,6 +729,8 @@ function iniset() {
     local option=$3
     local value=$4
 
+    [[ -z $section || -z $option ]] && return
+
     if ! grep -q "^\[$section\]" "$file" 2>/dev/null; then
         # Add section at the end
         echo -e "\n[$section]" >>"$file"
diff --git a/lib/config b/lib/config
index 91cefe48cc..c28072fc08 100644
--- a/lib/config
+++ b/lib/config
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ function merge_config_file() {
         /^ *\#/ {
             next
         }
-        /^.+/ {
+        /^[^ \t]+/ {
             split($0, d, " *= *")
             print "iniset " configfile " " section " " d[1] " \"" d[2] "\""
         }
diff --git a/tests/functions.sh b/tests/functions.sh
index 40376aa63f..95dafe1028 100755
--- a/tests/functions.sh
+++ b/tests/functions.sh
@@ -38,195 +38,6 @@ if [[ $? = 0 ]]; then
 fi
 
 
-echo "Testing INI functions"
-
-cat >test.ini <<EOF
-[default]
-# comment an option
-#log_file=./log.conf
-log_file=/etc/log.conf
-handlers=do not disturb
-
-[aaa]
-# the commented option should not change
-#handlers=cc,dd
-handlers = aa, bb
-
-[bbb]
-handlers=ee,ff
-
-[ ccc ]
-spaces  =  yes
-
-[ddd]
-empty =
-
-[eee]
-multi = foo1
-multi = foo2
-EOF
-
-# Test with spaces
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa handlers)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "aa, bb" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: $VAL"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-iniset test.ini aaa handlers "11, 22"
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa handlers)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "11, 22" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: $VAL"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test with spaces in section header
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini " ccc " spaces)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "yes" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: $VAL"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-iniset test.ini "b b" opt_ion 42
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini "b b" opt_ion)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "42" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: $VAL"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test without spaces, end of file
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini bbb handlers)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "ee,ff" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: $VAL"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-iniset test.ini bbb handlers "33,44"
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini bbb handlers)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "33,44" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: $VAL"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# test empty option
-if ini_has_option test.ini ddd empty; then
-    echo "OK: ddd.empty present"
-else
-    echo "ini_has_option failed: ddd.empty not found"
-fi
-
-# test non-empty option
-if ini_has_option test.ini bbb handlers; then
-    echo "OK: bbb.handlers present"
-else
-    echo "ini_has_option failed: bbb.handlers not found"
-fi
-
-# test changing empty option
-iniset test.ini ddd empty "42"
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini ddd empty)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "42" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: $VAL"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test section not exist
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini zzz handlers)
-if [[ -z "$VAL" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: zzz not present"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-iniset test.ini zzz handlers "999"
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini zzz handlers)
-if [[ -n "$VAL" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: zzz not present"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test option not exist
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa debug)
-if [[ -z "$VAL" ]]; then
-    echo "OK aaa.debug not present"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-if ! ini_has_option test.ini aaa debug; then
-    echo "OK aaa.debug not present"
-else
-    echo "ini_has_option failed: aaa.debug"
-fi
-
-iniset test.ini aaa debug "999"
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa debug)
-if [[ -n "$VAL" ]]; then
-    echo "OK aaa.debug present"
-else
-    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test comments
-
-inicomment test.ini aaa handlers
-
-VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa handlers)
-if [[ -z "$VAL" ]]; then
-    echo "OK"
-else
-    echo "inicomment failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test multiple line iniset/iniget
-iniset_multiline test.ini eee multi bar1 bar2
-
-VAL=$(iniget_multiline test.ini eee multi)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "bar1 bar2" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: iniset_multiline"
-else
-    echo "iniset_multiline failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test iniadd with exiting values
-iniadd test.ini eee multi bar3
-VAL=$(iniget_multiline test.ini eee multi)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "bar1 bar2 bar3" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: iniadd"
-else
-    echo "iniadd failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-# Test iniadd with non-exiting values
-iniadd test.ini eee non-multi foobar1 foobar2
-VAL=$(iniget_multiline test.ini eee non-multi)
-if [[ "$VAL" == "foobar1 foobar2" ]]; then
-    echo "OK: iniadd with non-exiting value"
-else
-    echo "iniadd with non-exsting failed: $VAL"
-fi
-
-rm test.ini
-
 # Enabling/disabling services
 
 echo "Testing enable_service()"
diff --git a/tests/test_config.sh b/tests/test_config.sh
index fed2e7d477..39603c9dbe 100755
--- a/tests/test_config.sh
+++ b/tests/test_config.sh
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ additional=true
 
 [[test1|test1c.conf]]
 $TEST_1C_ADD
+
+[[test3|test-space.conf]]
+[DEFAULT]
+attribute=value
+ 
+# the above line has a single space
 EOF
 
 
@@ -176,4 +182,14 @@ else
     echo "failed: $VAL != $EXPECT_VAL"
 fi
 
-rm -f test.conf test1c.conf test2a.conf
+echo -n "merge_config_file test-space: "
+rm -f test-space.conf
+merge_config_file test.conf test3 test-space.conf
+VAL=$(cat test-space.conf)
+# iniset adds a blank line if it creates the file...
+EXPECT_VAL="
+[DEFAULT]
+attribute = value"
+check_result "$VAL" "$EXPECT_VAL"
+
+rm -f test.conf test1c.conf test2a.conf test-space.conf
diff --git a/tests/test_ini.sh b/tests/test_ini.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..b0dc6b176b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_ini.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Tests for DevStack INI functions
+
+TOP=$(cd $(dirname "$0")/.. && pwd)
+
+# Import common functions
+source $TOP/functions
+
+
+echo "Testing INI functions"
+
+cat >test.ini <<EOF
+[default]
+# comment an option
+#log_file=./log.conf
+log_file=/etc/log.conf
+handlers=do not disturb
+
+[aaa]
+# the commented option should not change
+#handlers=cc,dd
+handlers = aa, bb
+
+[bbb]
+handlers=ee,ff
+
+[ ccc ]
+spaces  =  yes
+
+[ddd]
+empty =
+
+[eee]
+multi = foo1
+multi = foo2
+EOF
+
+# Test with missing arguments
+
+BEFORE=$(cat test.ini)
+
+echo -n "iniset: test missing attribute argument: "
+iniset test.ini aaa
+NO_ATTRIBUTE=$(cat test.ini)
+if [[ "$BEFORE" == "$NO_ATTRIBUTE" ]]; then
+    echo "OK"
+else
+    echo "failed"
+fi
+
+echo -n "iniset: test missing section argument: "
+iniset test.ini
+NO_SECTION=$(cat test.ini)
+if [[ "$BEFORE" == "$NO_SECTION" ]]; then
+    echo "OK"
+else
+    echo "failed"
+fi
+
+# Test with spaces
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa handlers)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "aa, bb" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: $VAL"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+iniset test.ini aaa handlers "11, 22"
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa handlers)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "11, 22" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: $VAL"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test with spaces in section header
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini " ccc " spaces)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "yes" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: $VAL"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+iniset test.ini "b b" opt_ion 42
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini "b b" opt_ion)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "42" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: $VAL"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test without spaces, end of file
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini bbb handlers)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "ee,ff" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: $VAL"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+iniset test.ini bbb handlers "33,44"
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini bbb handlers)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "33,44" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: $VAL"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# test empty option
+if ini_has_option test.ini ddd empty; then
+    echo "OK: ddd.empty present"
+else
+    echo "ini_has_option failed: ddd.empty not found"
+fi
+
+# test non-empty option
+if ini_has_option test.ini bbb handlers; then
+    echo "OK: bbb.handlers present"
+else
+    echo "ini_has_option failed: bbb.handlers not found"
+fi
+
+# test changing empty option
+iniset test.ini ddd empty "42"
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini ddd empty)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "42" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: $VAL"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test section not exist
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini zzz handlers)
+if [[ -z "$VAL" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: zzz not present"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+iniset test.ini zzz handlers "999"
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini zzz handlers)
+if [[ -n "$VAL" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: zzz not present"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test option not exist
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa debug)
+if [[ -z "$VAL" ]]; then
+    echo "OK aaa.debug not present"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+if ! ini_has_option test.ini aaa debug; then
+    echo "OK aaa.debug not present"
+else
+    echo "ini_has_option failed: aaa.debug"
+fi
+
+iniset test.ini aaa debug "999"
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa debug)
+if [[ -n "$VAL" ]]; then
+    echo "OK aaa.debug present"
+else
+    echo "iniget failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test comments
+
+inicomment test.ini aaa handlers
+
+VAL=$(iniget test.ini aaa handlers)
+if [[ -z "$VAL" ]]; then
+    echo "OK"
+else
+    echo "inicomment failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test multiple line iniset/iniget
+iniset_multiline test.ini eee multi bar1 bar2
+
+VAL=$(iniget_multiline test.ini eee multi)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "bar1 bar2" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: iniset_multiline"
+else
+    echo "iniset_multiline failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test iniadd with exiting values
+iniadd test.ini eee multi bar3
+VAL=$(iniget_multiline test.ini eee multi)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "bar1 bar2 bar3" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: iniadd"
+else
+    echo "iniadd failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+# Test iniadd with non-exiting values
+iniadd test.ini eee non-multi foobar1 foobar2
+VAL=$(iniget_multiline test.ini eee non-multi)
+if [[ "$VAL" == "foobar1 foobar2" ]]; then
+    echo "OK: iniadd with non-exiting value"
+else
+    echo "iniadd with non-exsting failed: $VAL"
+fi
+
+rm test.ini