diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py
index 8f3f120ed5..b3d10c6c7d 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/parse_py/ConfHandler.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import logging
 import bb.utils
 from bb.parse import ParseError, resolve_file, ast, logger
 
-__config_regexp__  = re.compile( r"(?P<exp>export\s*)?(?P<var>[a-zA-Z0-9\-_+.${}/]+)(\[(?P<flag>[a-zA-Z0-9\-_+.]+)\])?\s*((?P<colon>:=)|(?P<lazyques>\?\?=)|(?P<ques>\?=)|(?P<append>\+=)|(?P<prepend>=\+)|(?P<predot>=\.)|(?P<postdot>\.=)|=)\s*(?!'[^']*'[^']*'$)(?!\"[^\"]*\"[^\"]*\"$)(?P<apo>['\"])(?P<value>.*)(?P=apo)$")
+__config_regexp__  = re.compile( r"(?P<exp>export\s*)?(?P<var>[a-zA-Z0-9\-~_+.${}/]+)(\[(?P<flag>[a-zA-Z0-9\-_+.]+)\])?\s*((?P<colon>:=)|(?P<lazyques>\?\?=)|(?P<ques>\?=)|(?P<append>\+=)|(?P<prepend>=\+)|(?P<predot>=\.)|(?P<postdot>\.=)|=)\s*(?!'[^']*'[^']*'$)(?!\"[^\"]*\"[^\"]*\"$)(?P<apo>['\"])(?P<value>.*)(?P=apo)$")
 __include_regexp__ = re.compile( r"include\s+(.+)" )
 __require_regexp__ = re.compile( r"require\s+(.+)" )
 __export_regexp__ = re.compile( r"export\s+([a-zA-Z0-9\-_+.${}/]+)$" )