diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
index df948e85..4b4e3b4b 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
@@ -86,12 +86,23 @@ struct SExecRequestedRule {
 
 class CVarList {
   public:
+    /* passing 's' as a separator will use std::isspace */
     CVarList(const std::string& in, long unsigned int lastArgNo = 0, const char separator = ',') {
-        std::string curitem = "";
-        std::string argZ    = in;
+        std::string curitem  = "";
+        std::string argZ     = in;
+        const bool  SPACESEP = separator == 's';
 
         auto        nextItem = [&]() {
-            auto idx = lastArgNo != 0 && m_vArgs.size() >= lastArgNo - 1 ? std::string::npos : argZ.find_first_of(separator);
+            auto idx = lastArgNo != 0 && m_vArgs.size() >= lastArgNo - 1 ? std::string::npos : ([&]() -> size_t {
+                if (!SPACESEP)
+                    return argZ.find_first_of(separator);
+
+                uint64_t pos = -1;
+                while (!std::isspace(argZ[++pos]) && pos < argZ.length())
+                    ;
+
+                return pos < argZ.length() ? pos : std::string::npos;
+            }());
 
             if (idx != std::string::npos) {
                 curitem = argZ.substr(0, idx);