diff --git a/ipapython/directivesetter.py b/ipapython/directivesetter.py
index f4e496c7f..732e1c239 100644
--- a/ipapython/directivesetter.py
+++ b/ipapython/directivesetter.py
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ def get_directive(filename, directive, separator=' '):
     if separator == ' ':
         separator = '[ \t]+'
 
+    if directive is None:
+        return None
+
     result = None
     with open(filename, "r") as fd:
         for line in fd:
@@ -193,7 +196,7 @@ def get_directive(filename, directive, separator=' '):
                 if match:
                     value = match.group(1)
                 else:
-                    raise ValueError("Malformed directive: {}".format(line))
+                    continue
 
                 result = unquote_directive_value(value.strip(), '"')
                 result = result.strip(' ')
diff --git a/ipatests/test_ipapython/test_directivesetter.py b/ipatests/test_ipapython/test_directivesetter.py
index 08a30124b..ff86559e0 100644
--- a/ipatests/test_ipapython/test_directivesetter.py
+++ b/ipatests/test_ipapython/test_directivesetter.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ WHITESPACE_CONFIG = [
     'foobar\t2\n',
 ]
 
+SUBSTRING_CONFIG = [
+    'foobar=2\n',
+]
+
 
 class test_set_directive_lines:
     def test_remove_directive(self):
@@ -88,6 +92,7 @@ class test_set_directive:
 
 class test_get_directive:
     def test_get_directive(self, tmpdir):
+        """Test retrieving known values from a config file"""
         configfile = tmpdir.join('config')
         configfile.write(''.join(EXAMPLE_CONFIG))
 
@@ -97,6 +102,34 @@ class test_get_directive:
         assert '2' == directivesetter.get_directive(str(configfile),
                                                     'foobar',
                                                     separator='=')
+        assert None is directivesetter.get_directive(str(configfile),
+                                                     'notfound',
+                                                     separator='=')
+
+    def test_get_directive_substring(self, tmpdir):
+        """Test retrieving values from a config file where there is
+           a similar substring that is not present.
+        """
+        configfile = tmpdir.join('config')
+        configfile.write(''.join(SUBSTRING_CONFIG))
+
+        assert None is directivesetter.get_directive(str(configfile),
+                                                     'foo',
+                                                     separator='=')
+        assert '2' == directivesetter.get_directive(str(configfile),
+                                                    'foobar',
+                                                    separator='=')
+
+    def test_get_directive_none(self, tmpdir):
+        """Test retrieving a value from a config file where the
+           directive is None. i.e. don't fail.
+        """
+        configfile = tmpdir.join('config')
+        configfile.write(''.join(EXAMPLE_CONFIG))
+
+        assert None is directivesetter.get_directive(str(configfile),
+                                                     None,
+                                                     separator='=')
 
 
 class test_get_directive_whitespace: