diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py
index 4b62a3a5eb..3255c8beb8 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py
@@ -29,7 +29,30 @@ import logging
 import bb.utils
 from bb.parse import ParseError, resolve_file, ast, logger
 
-__config_regexp__  = re.compile( r"(?P<exp>export\s*)?(?P<var>[a-zA-Z0-9\-~_+.${}/]+?)(\[(?P<flag>[a-zA-Z0-9\-_+.]+)\])?\s*((?P<colon>:=)|(?P<lazyques>\?\?=)|(?P<ques>\?=)|(?P<append>\+=)|(?P<prepend>=\+)|(?P<predot>=\.)|(?P<postdot>\.=)|=)\s*(?!'[^']*'[^']*'$)(?!\"[^\"]*\"[^\"]*\"$)(?P<apo>['\"])(?P<value>.*)(?P=apo)$")
+__config_regexp__  = re.compile( r"""
+    ^
+    (?P<exp>export\s*)?
+    (?P<var>[a-zA-Z0-9\-~_+.${}/]+?)
+    (\[(?P<flag>[a-zA-Z0-9\-_+.]+)\])?
+
+    \s* (
+        (?P<colon>:=) |
+        (?P<lazyques>\?\?=) |
+        (?P<ques>\?=) |
+        (?P<append>\+=) |
+        (?P<prepend>=\+) |
+        (?P<predot>=\.) |
+        (?P<postdot>\.=) |
+        =
+    ) \s*
+
+    (?!'[^']*'[^']*'$)
+    (?!\"[^\"]*\"[^\"]*\"$)
+    (?P<apo>['\"])
+    (?P<value>.*)
+    (?P=apo)
+    $
+    """, re.X)
 __include_regexp__ = re.compile( r"include\s+(.+)" )
 __require_regexp__ = re.compile( r"require\s+(.+)" )
 __export_regexp__ = re.compile( r"export\s+([a-zA-Z0-9\-_+.${}/]+)$" )