diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index 3cefbd0f..e2e95b2d 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -545,6 +545,23 @@ static void parse_env(char *line)
 			*end-- = 0;
 	}
 
+	/* strip any leading 'set ' */
+	end = key;
+	if (!strncmp(key, "set", 3))
+		end += 3;
+
+	/* check key, no spaces allowed */
+	while (*end && isspace(*end))
+		end++;
+	key = end;
+	while (*end && !isspace(*end))
+		end++;
+	if (*end != 0) {
+		warnx("'%s=%s': not a valid identifier", key, val);
+		return;	/* invalid key */
+	}
+
+	dbg("Global env '%s'='%s'", key, val);
 	setenv(key, val, 1);
 
 	node = malloc(sizeof(*node));
diff --git a/src/service.c b/src/service.c
index 30f7ffe0..6f6f506b 100644
--- a/src/service.c
+++ b/src/service.c
@@ -471,6 +471,22 @@ static void source_env(svc_t *svc)
 				*end-- = 0;
 		}
 
+		/* strip any leading 'set ' */
+		end = key;
+		if (!strncmp(key, "set", 3))
+			end += 3;
+
+		/* check key, no spaces allowed */
+		while (*end && isspace(*end))
+			end++;
+		key = end;
+		while (*end && !isspace(*end))
+			end++;
+		if (*end != 0) {
+			warnx("'%s=%s': not a valid identifier", key, val);
+			continue;	/* invalid key */
+		}
+
 		switch (wordexp(value, &we, 0)) {
 		case 0:
 			for (i = 0, *val = 0; i < we.we_wordc; i++) {
diff --git a/test/global-envs.sh b/test/global-envs.sh
index 0528ca14..5dfb25d5 100755
--- a/test/global-envs.sh
+++ b/test/global-envs.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 set -eu
 
 TEST_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
+# shellcheck disable=SC2034
+BOOTSTRAP="foo=bar\n\
+set COLORTERM=yes\n\
+b aq=oroszoe\n\
+baz=qux"
 
 test_setup()
 {
@@ -19,13 +24,14 @@ test_teardown()
 # shellcheck source=/dev/null
 . "$TEST_DIR/lib/setup.sh"
 
+say "Waiting for runlevel 2"
+sleep 2
+
 #run "initctl debug"
-say "Add custom envs to $FINIT_CONF ..."
-run "echo 'foo=bar' >  $FINIT_CONF"
-run "echo 'baz=qux' >> $FINIT_CONF"
 
 say "Add service stanza to $FINIT_CONF ..."
 run "echo 'service serv -np -e foo:bar -- Verify foo=bar' >> $FINIT_CONF"
+#run "cat $FINIT_CONF"
 
 say 'Reload Finit'
 run "initctl reload"