diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm
index b652f8465..a4e90b216 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Config.pm
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ our %EXPORT_TAGS = ( internal => [ qw( create_temp_script
 
 Exporter::export_ok_tags('internal');
 
-our $VERSION = '4.5_12';
+our $VERSION = 'MODULEVERSION';
 
 #
 # describe the current command, it's present progressive, and it's completion.
@@ -1955,7 +1955,7 @@ sub split_line1( $$;$$ ) {
 	$pairs =~ s/^\s*//;
 	$pairs =~ s/\s*$//;
 
-	if ( $first eq 'INLINE') {
+	if ( $first =~ /^INLINE(?:\(.*\))?$/) {
 	    $inline_matches = $pairs;
 	} else {
 	    my @pairs = split( /,?\s+/, $pairs );
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
index 2e8d433b4..79c67e5fa 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
@@ -2089,6 +2089,27 @@ sub process_rule ( $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ) {
 
     $param = '' unless defined $param;
 
+    if ( $basictarget eq 'INLINE' ) {
+	my $inline_matches = get_inline_matches;
+
+	if ( $inline_matches =~ /^(.*\s+)-j\s+(.+)$/ ) {
+	    $matches .= $1;
+	    $action = $2;
+	    fatal_error "INLINE may not have a parameter when '-j' is specified in the free-form area" if $param ne '';
+	} else {
+	    $matches .= "$inline_matches ";
+
+	    if ( $param eq '' ) {
+		$action = '';
+	    } else {
+		( $action, $loglevel )   = split_action $param;
+		( $basictarget, $param ) = get_target_param $action;
+		$param = '' unless defined $param;
+	    }
+	}
+
+	$rule = $matches;
+    }
     #
     # Determine the validity of the action
     #
@@ -2238,20 +2259,6 @@ sub process_rule ( $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ) {
 		  fatal_error "HELPER requires require that the helper be specified in the HELPER column" if $helper eq '-';
 		  fatal_error "HELPER rules may only appear in the NEW section" unless $section == NEW_SECTION;
 		  $action = ''; } ,
-
-             INLINE => sub {
-		 my $inline_matches = get_inline_matches;
-
-		 if ( $inline_matches =~ /^(.*\s+)-j\s+(.+)$/ ) {
-		     $matches .= $1;
-		     $action = $2;
-		 } else {
-		     $matches .= "$inline_matches ";
-		     $action = '';
-		 }
-
-		 $rule = $matches;
-	     } ,
 	    );
 
 	my $function = $functions{ $bt };