diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 03d726a3..4edf4f38 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+  - fix bug where config file starts with hidden section (boots, Monte)
   - add discrete error checking pertaining to $cache_dir
     and $compile_dir, their existance and writability (Monte)
   - fixed behaviour of start=... for {counter} (messju)
diff --git a/libs/Config_File.class.php b/libs/Config_File.class.php
index f6ee755a..aaadf912 100644
--- a/libs/Config_File.class.php
+++ b/libs/Config_File.class.php
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ class Config_File {
 		$config_data = array();
 
 		/* Get global variables first. */
-		if (preg_match("/^(.*?)(\n\[|\Z)/s", $contents, $match))
+		if ($contents{0} != '[' && preg_match("/^(.*?)(\n\[|\Z)/s", $contents, $match))
 			$config_data["vars"] = $this->_parse_config_block($match[1]);
 		
 		/* Get section variables. */