Index: configf.scm
==================================================================
--- configf.scm
+++ configf.scm
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@
 
 (define configf:include-rx (regexp "^\\[include\\s+(.*)\\]\\s*$"))
 (define configf:section-rx (regexp "^\\[(.*)\\]\\s*$"))
 (define configf:blank-l-rx (regexp "^\\s*$"))
 (define configf:key-sys-pr (regexp "^(\\S+)\\s+\\[system\\s+(\\S+.*)\\]\\s*$"))
-(define configf:key-val-pr (regexp "^(\\S+)\\s+(.*)$"))
+(define configf:key-val-pr (regexp "^(\\S+)(\\s+(.*)|())$"))
 (define configf:comment-rx (regexp "^\\s*#.*"))
 (define configf:cont-ln-rx (regexp "^(\\s+)(\\S+.*)$"))
 
 ;; read a line and process any #{ ... } constructs
 
@@ -181,11 +181,11 @@
 												      ((return-procs) val-proc)
 												      ((return-string) cmd)
 												      (else (val-proc)))))
 							    (loop (configf:read-line inp res) curr-section-name #f #f))
 							  (loop (configf:read-line inp res) curr-section-name #f #f)))
-	       (configf:key-val-pr ( x key val      ) (let* ((alist   (hash-table-ref/default res curr-section-name '()))
+	       (configf:key-val-pr ( x key unk1 val unk2 ) (let* ((alist   (hash-table-ref/default res curr-section-name '()))
 							     (envar   (and environ-patt (string-search (regexp environ-patt) curr-section-name)))
 							     (realval (if envar
 									  (config:eval-string-in-environment val)
 									  val)))
 							(debug:print 6 "INFO: read-config env setting, envar: " envar " realval: " realval " val: " val " key: " key " curr-section-name: " curr-section-name)

Index: tests/fullrun/megatest.config
==================================================================
--- tests/fullrun/megatest.config
+++ tests/fullrun/megatest.config
@@ -36,10 +36,12 @@
 WACKYVAR4 #{scheme (+ 5 6 7)}
 WACKYVAR5 #{getenv sysname}/#{getenv fsname}/#{getenv datapath}
 WACKYVAR6 #{scheme (args:get-arg "-target")}
 PREDICTABLE the_ans
 MRAH MT_RUN_AREA_HOME=#{getenv MT_RUN_AREA_HOME}
+# The empty var should have a definition with null string
+EMPTY_VAR
 
 # XTERM   [system xterm]
 # RUNDEAD [system exit 56]
 
 ## disks are:

ADDED   tests/fullrun/tests/test_mt_vars/empty_var.sh
Index: tests/fullrun/tests/test_mt_vars/empty_var.sh
==================================================================
--- /dev/null
+++ tests/fullrun/tests/test_mt_vars/empty_var.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+if [ x$EMPTY_VAR != "x" ];then
+  echo BAD EMPTY VAR!
+  exit 1
+fi

Index: tests/fullrun/tests/test_mt_vars/testconfig
==================================================================
--- tests/fullrun/tests/test_mt_vars/testconfig
+++ tests/fullrun/tests/test_mt_vars/testconfig
@@ -9,10 +9,13 @@
 # $BOGOUS should NOT be set
 bogousnotset bogousnotset.sh
 
 # ALT_VAR should NOT be set
 altvarnotset altvarnotset.sh
+
+# EMPTY_VAR should be an empty string
+empty_var empty_var.sh
 
 [requirements]
 waiton runfirst
 priority 0