diff --git a/autotests/kdesktopfiletest.cpp b/autotests/kdesktopfiletest.cpp
--- a/autotests/kdesktopfiletest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/kdesktopfiletest.cpp
@@ -43,10 +43,10 @@
     QTextStream ts(&file);
     ts <<
        "[Desktop Entry]\n"
-       "Type=Application\n"
+       "Type= Application\n"
        "Name=My Application\n"
-       "Icon=foo\n"
-       "MimeType=text/plain;image/png;\n"
+       "Icon = foo\n"
+       "MimeType =text/plain;image/png;\n"
        "\n";
     file.close();
     QVERIFY(QFile::exists(fileName));
diff --git a/src/core/kconfigini.cpp b/src/core/kconfigini.cpp
--- a/src/core/kconfigini.cpp
+++ b/src/core/kconfigini.cpp
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@
                 temp.trim();
                 aKey = temp;
                 line.truncateLeft(eqpos + 1);
+                line.trim();
             }
             if (aKey.isEmpty()) {
                 qWarning() << warningProlog(file, lineNo) << "Invalid entry (empty key)";