diff --git a/src/cfgparse.c b/src/cfgparse.c
index 4cee8a7b6..fed8f7e59 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse.c
@@ -1889,13 +1889,11 @@ int readcfgfile(const char *file)
 				const char *errptr = NULL;
 				char *errmsg = NULL;
 				int cond;
+				char *w;
 
-				if (*args[2]) {
-					ha_alert("parsing [%s:%d]: Unexpected argument '%s' for '%s'.\n",
-					         file, linenum, args[2], args[0]);
-					err_code |= ERR_ALERT | ERR_FATAL | ERR_ABORT;
-					break;
-				}
+				/* remerge all words into a single expression */
+				for (w = *args; (w += strlen(w)) < outline + outlen - 1; *w = ' ')
+					;
 
 				nested_cond_lvl++;
 				if (nested_cond_lvl >= MAXNESTEDCONDS) {
@@ -1938,13 +1936,11 @@ int readcfgfile(const char *file)
 				const char *errptr = NULL;
 				char *errmsg = NULL;
 				int cond;
+				char *w;
 
-				if (*args[2]) {
-					ha_alert("parsing [%s:%d]: Unexpected argument '%s' for '%s'.\n",
-					         file, linenum, args[2], args[0]);
-					err_code |= ERR_ALERT | ERR_FATAL | ERR_ABORT;
-					break;
-				}
+				/* remerge all words into a single expression */
+				for (w = *args; (w += strlen(w)) < outline + outlen - 1; *w = ' ')
+					;
 
 				if (!nested_cond_lvl) {
 					ha_alert("parsing [%s:%d]: lone '.elif' with no matching '.if'.\n", file, linenum);
diff --git a/src/haproxy.c b/src/haproxy.c
index c863e13ec..a4cbce5e3 100644
--- a/src/haproxy.c
+++ b/src/haproxy.c
@@ -1807,6 +1807,7 @@ static void init(int argc, char **argv)
 		char *args[MAX_LINE_ARGS+1];
 		int arg = sizeof(args) / sizeof(*args);
 		size_t outlen = strlen(check_condition) + 1;
+		char *w;
 
 		err = parse_line(check_condition, check_condition, &outlen, args, &arg,
 		                 PARSE_OPT_ENV | PARSE_OPT_WORD_EXPAND | PARSE_OPT_DQUOTE | PARSE_OPT_SQUOTE | PARSE_OPT_BKSLASH,
@@ -1827,7 +1828,7 @@ static void init(int argc, char **argv)
 			exit(2);
 		}
 
-		if ((err & PARSE_ERR_TOOMANY) || *args[1]) {
+		if (err & PARSE_ERR_TOOMANY) {
 			ha_alert("Error in condition: Too many words.\n");
 			exit(2);
 		}
@@ -1837,6 +1838,10 @@ static void init(int argc, char **argv)
 			exit(2);
 		}
 
+		/* remerge all words into a single expression */
+		for (w = *args; (w += strlen(w)) < check_condition + outlen - 1; *w = ' ')
+			;
+
 		result = cfg_eval_condition(args, &errmsg, &errptr);
 
 		if (result < 0) {