diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Accounting.pm b/New/Shorewall/Accounting.pm
index bfed42e1b..bdc15b059 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Accounting.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Accounting.pm
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ sub setup_accounting() {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $action, $chain, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $user ) = split_line 8, 'Accounting File';
+	my ( $action, $chain, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $user ) = split_line 1, 8, 'Accounting File';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";                
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm b/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm
index b0270e5d4..3914a308b 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ sub process_actions1() {
 	open_file $file;
 
 	while ( read_a_line ) {
-	    my ( $action ) = split_line 1, 'action file';
+	    my ( $action ) = split_line 1, 1, 'action file';
 
 	    if ( $action =~ /:/ ) {
 		warning_message 'Default Actions are now specified in /etc/shorewall/shorewall.conf';
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ sub process_actions1() {
 
 	    while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-		my ($wholetarget, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $rate, $users ) = split_line 8, 'action file';
+		my ($wholetarget, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $rate, $users ) = split_line 1, 8, 'action file';
 
 		my ( $target, $level ) = split_action $wholetarget;
 
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ sub process_actions1() {
 			push_open( $macrofile );
 
 			while ( read_a_line ) {
-			    my ( $mtarget, $msource,  $mdest,  $mproto,  $mports,  $msports, $ mrate, $muser ) = split_line 8, 'macro file';
+			    my ( $mtarget, $msource,  $mdest,  $mproto,  $mports,  $msports, $ mrate, $muser ) = split_line 1, 8, 'macro file';
 
 			    $mtarget =~ s/:.*$//;
 
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ sub process_action3( $$$$$ ) {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ($target, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $rate, $user ) = split_line 8, 'action file';
+	my ($target, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $rate, $user ) = split_line 1, 8, 'action file';
 
 	my $target2 = merge_levels $wholeaction, $target;
 
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ sub process_action3( $$$$$ ) {
 
 	    while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-		my ( $mtarget, $msource, $mdest, $mproto, $mports, $msports, $mrate, $muser ) = split_line 8, 'macro file';
+		my ( $mtarget, $msource, $mdest, $mproto, $mports, $msports, $mrate, $muser ) = split_line 1, 8, 'macro file';
 
 		if ( $mtarget =~ /^PARAM:?/ ) {
 		    fatal_error 'PARAM requires that a parameter be supplied in macro invocation' unless $param;
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Config.pm b/New/Shorewall/Config.pm
index 4b9c6485a..2401631a8 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Config.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Config.pm
@@ -291,16 +291,17 @@ my %no_pad = ( COMMENT => 1,
 #    ensure that it has an appropriate number of columns.
 #    supply '-' in omitted trailing columns.
 #
-sub split_line( $$ ) {
-    my ( $columns, $description ) = @_;
+sub split_line( $$$ ) {
+    my ( $mincolumns, $maxcolumns, $description ) = @_;
 
     my @line = split /\s+/, $line;
 
     return @line if $no_pad{$line[0]};
 
-    fatal_error "Invalid $description entry (too many columns)" if @line > $columns;
+    fatal_error "Invalid $description entry (too few columns)"  if @line < $mincolumns;
+    fatal_error "Invalid $description entry (too many columns)" if @line > $maxcolumns;
 
-    push @line, '-' while @line < $columns;
+    push @line, '-' while @line < $maxcolumns;
 
     @line;
 }
@@ -687,7 +688,7 @@ sub get_configuration( $ ) {
     default 'OPTIMIZE'              , 0;
     default 'IPSECFILE'             , 'ipsec';
 
-    fatal_error "IPSECFILE=ipsec is not supported by Shorewall-perl ' . $globals{VERSION} unless $config{IPSECFILE} eq 'zones';
+    fatal_error 'IPSECFILE=ipsec is not supported by Shorewall-perl ' . $globals{VERSION} unless $config{IPSECFILE} eq 'zones';
 
     for my $default qw/DROP_DEFAULT REJECT_DEFAULT QUEUE_DEFAULT ACCEPT_DEFAULT/ {
 	$config{$default} = 'none' if "\L$config{$default}" eq 'none';
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Hosts.pm b/New/Shorewall/Hosts.pm
index 945fe9c97..33ca0cf17 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Hosts.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Hosts.pm
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ sub validate_hosts_file()
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ($zone, $hosts, $options ) = split_line 3, 'hosts file';
+	my ($zone, $hosts, $options ) = split_line 2, 3, 'hosts file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm b/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm
index 0713a0c8b..a70ad39df 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ sub validate_interfaces_file()
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ($zone, $interface, $networks, $options ) = split_line 4, 'interfaces file';
+	my ($zone, $interface, $networks, $options ) = split_line 2, 4, 'interfaces file';
 	my $zoneref;
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Nat.pm b/New/Shorewall/Nat.pm
index ff462eb55..d1adadc83 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Nat.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Nat.pm
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ sub setup_masq()
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ($fullinterface, $networks, $addresses, $proto, $ports, $ipsec) = split_line 6, 'masq file';
+	my ($fullinterface, $networks, $addresses, $proto, $ports, $ipsec) = split_line 2, 6, 'masq file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";                     
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ sub setup_nat() {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $external, $interface, $internal, $allints, $localnat ) = split_line 5, 'nat file';
+	my ( $external, $interface, $internal, $allints, $localnat ) = split_line 3, 5, 'nat file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";                
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ sub setup_netmap() {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $type, $net1, $interface, $net2 ) = split_line 4, 'netmap file';
+	my ( $type, $net1, $interface, $net2 ) = split_line 4, 4, 'netmap file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";                
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Policy.pm b/New/Shorewall/Policy.pm
index d4c41e697..d0ad890e6 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Policy.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Policy.pm
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ sub validate_policy()
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $client, $server, $policy, $loglevel, $synparams ) = split_line 5, 'policy file';
+	my ( $client, $server, $policy, $loglevel, $synparams ) = split_line 3, 5, 'policy file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Providers.pm b/New/Shorewall/Providers.pm
index 514d3834f..5305178bf 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Providers.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Providers.pm
@@ -163,9 +163,6 @@ sub setup_providers() {
 	emit "qt ip route flush table $number";
 	emit "echo \"qt ip route flush table $number\" >> \${VARDIR}/undo_routing";
 
-	$duplicate = '-' unless $duplicate;
-	$copy      = '-' unless $copy;
-
 	if ( $duplicate ne '-' ) {
 	    if ( $copy ne '-' ) {
 		if ( $copy eq 'none' ) {
@@ -312,9 +309,6 @@ sub setup_providers() {
 	    fatal_error "Unknown provider ($provider)" unless $found;
 	}
 
-	$source = '-' unless $source;
-	$dest   = '-' unless $dest;
-
 	fatal_error "You must specify either the source or destination in a route_rules entry" if $source eq '-' && $dest eq '-';
 
 	$dest = $dest eq '-' ? '' : "to $dest";
@@ -376,7 +370,7 @@ sub setup_providers() {
 	    emit 'DEFAULT_ROUTE=';
 	}
 	
-	my ( $table, $number, $mark, $duplicate, $interface, $gateway,  $options, $copy ) = split_line 8, 'providers file';
+	my ( $table, $number, $mark, $duplicate, $interface, $gateway,  $options, $copy ) = split_line 6, 8, 'providers file';
 
 	add_a_provider(  $table, $number, $mark, $duplicate, $interface, $gateway,  $options, $copy );
 
@@ -441,7 +435,7 @@ sub setup_providers() {
 		    $first_entry = 0;
 		}
 		
-		my ( $source, $dest, $provider, $priority ) = split_line 4, 'route_rules file';
+		my ( $source, $dest, $provider, $priority ) = split_line 4, 4, 'route_rules file';
 
 		add_an_rtrule( $source, $dest, $provider , $priority );
 	    }
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm b/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm
index d01027a0b..6f7007ab2 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ sub setup_proxy_arp() {
 
 	while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	    my ( $address, $interface, $external, $haveroute, $persistent ) = split_line 5, 'proxyarp file';
+	    my ( $address, $interface, $external, $haveroute, $persistent ) = split_line 3, 5, 'proxyarp file';
 
 	    if ( $first_entry ) {
 		progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm b/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm
index 54a9a9504..9c51296a5 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ sub process_tos() {
 	
 	while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	    my ($src, $dst, $proto, $sports, $ports , $tos ) = split_line 6, 'tos file';
+	    my ($src, $dst, $proto, $sports, $ports , $tos ) = split_line 6, 6, 'tos file';
 
 	    if ( $first_entry ) {
 		progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ sub setup_ecn()
 
 	while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	    my ($interface, $hosts ) = split_line 2, 'ecn file';
+	    my ($interface, $hosts ) = split_line 1, 2, 'ecn file';
 
 	    if ( $first_entry ) {
 		progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ sub setup_rfc1918_filteration( $ ) {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $networks, $target ) = split_line 2, 'rfc1918 file';
+	my ( $networks, $target ) = split_line 2, 2, 'rfc1918 file';
 
 	my $s_target;
 
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ sub setup_blacklist() {
 
 	    while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-		my ( $networks, $protocol, $ports ) = split_line 3, 'blacklist file';
+		my ( $networks, $protocol, $ports ) = split_line 1, 3, 'blacklist file';
 
 		if ( $first_entry ) {
 		    unless  ( @$hosts ) {
@@ -341,14 +341,14 @@ sub process_criticalhosts() {
 
 	my $routeback = 0;
 
-	my ($interface, $hosts, $options ) = split_line 3, 'routestopped file';
+	my ($interface, $hosts, $options ) = split_line 1, 3, 'routestopped file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn for critical hosts...";
 	    $first_entry = 0;
 	}
 
-	$hosts = ALLIPv4 unless $hosts && $hosts ne '-';
+	$hosts = ALLIPv4 unless $hosts ne '-';
 
 	my @hosts;
 
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ sub process_routestopped() {
 
 	my $routeback = 0;
 
-	my ($interface, $hosts, $options ) = split_line 3, 'routestopped file';
+	my ($interface, $hosts, $options ) = split_line 1, 3, 'routestopped file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ sub setup_mac_lists( $ ) {
 
 	while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	    my ( $disposition, $interface, $mac, $addresses  ) = split_line 4, 'maclist file';
+	    my ( $disposition, $interface, $mac, $addresses  ) = split_line 3, 4, 'maclist file';
 
 	    if ( $first_entry ) {
 		progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ sub process_macro ( $$$$$$$$$$$ ) {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $mtarget, $msource, $mdest, $mproto, $mports, $msports, $mrate, $muser ) = split_line 8, 'macro file';
+	my ( $mtarget, $msource, $mdest, $mproto, $mports, $msports, $mrate, $muser ) = split_line 1, 8, 'macro file';
 
 	$mtarget = merge_levels $target, $mtarget;
 
@@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ sub process_rules() {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $target, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $origdest, $ratelimit, $user ) = split_line 9, 'rules file';
+	my ( $target, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $origdest, $ratelimit, $user ) = split_line 3, 9, 'rules file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Tc.pm b/New/Shorewall/Tc.pm
index 4a997ad37..3b8bf405d 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Tc.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Tc.pm
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ sub validate_tc_class( $$$$$$ ) {
     $tcref->{tos}      = [];
     $tcref->{rate}     = convert_rate $full, $rate;
     $tcref->{ceiling}  = convert_rate $full, $ceil;
-    $tcref->{priority} = defined $prio ? $prio : 1;
+    $tcref->{priority} = $prio eq '-' ? 1 : $prio;
 
     unless ( $options eq '-' ) {
 	for my $option ( split /,/, "\L$options" ) {
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ sub setup_traffic_shaping() {
 
 	while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	    my ( $device, $inband, $outband ) = split_line 3, 'tcdevices';
+	    my ( $device, $inband, $outband ) = split_line 3, 3, 'tcdevices';
 
 	    if ( $first_entry ) {
 		progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ sub setup_traffic_shaping() {
 		$first_entry = 0;
 	    }
 
-	    my ( $device, $mark, $rate, $ceil, $prio, $options ) = split_line 6, 'tcclasses file';
+	    my ( $device, $mark, $rate, $ceil, $prio, $options ) = split_line 4, 6, 'tcclasses file';
 
 	    validate_tc_class( $device, $mark, $rate, $ceil, $prio, $options );
 	}
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ sub setup_tc() {
 
 	while ( read_a_line ) {
 	    
-	    my ( $mark, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $user, $testval, $length, $tos ) = split_line 10, 'tcrules file';
+	    my ( $mark, $source, $dest, $proto, $ports, $sports, $user, $testval, $length, $tos ) = split_line 2, 10, 'tcrules file';
 
 	    if ( $first_entry ) {
 		progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";                  
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Tunnels.pm b/New/Shorewall/Tunnels.pm
index df1f9913f..d0f648d50 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Tunnels.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Tunnels.pm
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ sub setup_tunnels() {
 
     while ( read_a_line ) {
 
-	my ( $kind, $zone, $gateway, $gatewayzones ) = split_line 4, 'tunnels file';
+	my ( $kind, $zone, $gateway, $gatewayzones ) = split_line 2, 4, 'tunnels file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";                       
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Zones.pm b/New/Shorewall/Zones.pm
index 1c9f922f3..32c694cff 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Zones.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Zones.pm
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ sub determine_zones()
 
 	my @parents;
 
-	my ($zone, $type, $options, $in_options, $out_options ) = split_line 5, 'zones file';
+	my ($zone, $type, $options, $in_options, $out_options ) = split_line 1, 5, 'zones file';
 
 	if ( $first_entry ) {
 	    progress_message2 "$doing $fn...";