diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Common.pm b/New/Shorewall/Common.pm
index c0aba2820..b709df791 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Common.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Common.pm
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ our @EXPORT = qw(ALLIPv4
 		 $command
 		 $doing
 		 $done
+                 $verbose
 		 );
 our @EXPORT_OK = ();
 our @VERSION = 1.00;
@@ -73,12 +74,18 @@ our $line = '';          # Current config file line
 
 our ( $command, $doing, $done ) = qw/ compile Compiling Compiled/; #describe the current command, it's present progressive, and it's completion.
 
+our $verbose;
+
 my $object = 0;          # Object file Handle Reference
 my $lastlineblank = 0;   # Avoid extra blank lines in the output
 my $indent        = '';
 my ( $dir, $file );      # Object's Directory and File
 my $tempfile;            # Temporary File Name
 
+BEGIN {
+    $verbose = $ENV{VERBOSE} || 0;
+}
+
 #
 # Fatal Error
 #
@@ -166,28 +173,27 @@ sub save_progress_message_short( $ ) {
     emit "progress_message $_[0]" if $object;
 }
 
-sub progress_message {
-    if ( $ENV{VERBOSE} > 1 ) {
-	my $ts = '';
-	$ts = ( localtime ) . ' ' if $ENV{TIMESTAMP};
-	print "${ts}@_\n";
-    }
-}
-
 sub timestamp() {
     my ($sec, $min, $hr) = ( localtime ) [0,1,2];
     printf '%02d:%02d:%02d ', $hr, $min, $sec;
 }
 
+sub progress_message {
+    if ( $verbose > 1 ) {
+	timestamp if $ENV{TIMESTAMP};
+	print "@_\n";
+    }
+}
+
 sub progress_message2 {
-    if ( $ENV{VERBOSE} > 0 ) {
+    if ( $verbose > 0 ) {
 	timestamp if $ENV{TIMESTAMP};
 	print "@_\n";
     }
 }
 
 sub progress_message3 {
-    if ( $ENV{VERBOSE} >= 0 ) {
+    if ( $verbose >= 0 ) {
 	timestamp if $ENV{TIMESTAMP};
 	print "@_\n";
     }
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Config.pm b/New/Shorewall/Config.pm
index e22f11047..0efd43c43 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Config.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Config.pm
@@ -370,9 +370,10 @@ sub read_a_line {
 	    $currentlinenumber++;
 	    next if $nextline =~ /^\s*#/;
 	    next if $nextline =~ /^\s*$/;
+
 	    $nextline =~ s/#.*$//;
-	    
 	    chomp $nextline;
+	    $nextline =~ s/\s+/ /g if $verbose >= 2;
 
 	    if ( substr( $nextline, -1, 1 ) eq '\\' ) {
 		$line .= substr( $nextline, 0, -1 );
@@ -480,14 +481,14 @@ sub get_configuration() {
 	    open_file $file;
 
 	    while ( read_a_line ) {
-		if ( $line =~ /^([a-zA-Z]\w*)\s*=\s*(.*)$/ ) {
+		if ( $line =~ /^([a-zA-Z]\w*)=(.*?)\s*$/ ) {
 		    my ($var, $val) = ($1, $2);
 		    unless ( exists $config{$var} ) {
 			warning_message "Unknown configuration option \"$var\" ignored";
 			next;
 		    }
 
-		    $config{$var} = $val =~ /\"([^\"]*)\"$/ ? $1 : $val;
+		    $config{$var} = ( $val =~ /\"([^\"]*)\"$/ ? $1 : $val );
 		} else {
 		    fatal_error "Unrecognized entry in $file: $line";
 		}
@@ -510,7 +511,7 @@ sub get_configuration() {
 		next if $line =~ /^\s*#/;
 		next if $line =~ /^\s*$/;
 
-		if ( $line =~ /^([a-zA-Z]\w*)\s*=\s*(.*)$/ ) {
+		if ( $line =~ /^([a-zA-Z]\w*)=(.*)$/ ) {
 		    my ($var, $val) = ($1, $2);
 		    unless ( exists $capabilities{$var} ) {
 			warning_message "Unknown capability \"$var\" ignored";