diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 40f9c6d..818ba6d 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -135,8 +135,10 @@
 	for (;;) {
 		int c = get_next_char();
 		if (c == '\n') {
-			if (quote)
+			if (quote) {
+				cf->linenr--;
 				return NULL;
+			}
 			return cf->value.buf;
 		}
 		if (comment)
@@ -226,7 +228,7 @@
 {
 	do {
 		if (c == '\n')
-			return -1;
+			goto error_incomplete_line;
 		c = get_next_char();
 	} while (isspace(c));
 
@@ -238,13 +240,13 @@
 	for (;;) {
 		int c = get_next_char();
 		if (c == '\n')
-			return -1;
+			goto error_incomplete_line;
 		if (c == '"')
 			break;
 		if (c == '\\') {
 			c = get_next_char();
 			if (c == '\n')
-				return -1;
+				goto error_incomplete_line;
 		}
 		name[baselen++] = c;
 		if (baselen > MAXNAME / 2)
@@ -255,6 +257,9 @@
 	if (get_next_char() != ']')
 		return -1;
 	return baselen;
+error_incomplete_line:
+	cf->linenr--;
+	return -1;
 }
 
 static int get_base_var(char *name)
diff --git a/t/t1300-repo-config.sh b/t/t1300-repo-config.sh
index 0690e0e..728a965 100755
--- a/t/t1300-repo-config.sh
+++ b/t/t1300-repo-config.sh
@@ -960,4 +960,35 @@
 	test_must_fail git -c "" rev-parse
 '
 
+# malformed configuration files
+test_expect_success 'barf on syntax error' '
+	cat >.git/config <<-\EOF &&
+	# broken section line
+	[section]
+	key garbage
+	EOF
+	test_must_fail git config --get section.key >actual 2>error &&
+	grep " line 3 " error
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'barf on incomplete section header' '
+	cat >.git/config <<-\EOF &&
+	# broken section line
+	[section
+	key = value
+	EOF
+	test_must_fail git config --get section.key >actual 2>error &&
+	grep " line 2 " error
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'barf on incomplete string' '
+	cat >.git/config <<-\EOF &&
+	# broken section line
+	[section]
+	key = "value string
+	EOF
+	test_must_fail git config --get section.key >actual 2>error &&
+	grep " line 3 " error
+'
+
 test_done