diff --git a/pep8.py b/pep8.py
index 34ce07ae..206e3391 100755
--- a/pep8.py
+++ b/pep8.py
@@ -2081,10 +2081,10 @@ def process_options(arglist=None, parse_argv=False, config_file=None,
         options = read_config(options, args, arglist, parser)
         options.reporter = parse_argv and options.quiet == 1 and FileReport
 
-    options.filename = options.filename and options.filename.split(',')
+    options.filename = _parse_multi_options(options.filename.split(','))
     options.exclude = normalize_paths(options.exclude)
-    options.select = options.select and options.select.split(',')
-    options.ignore = options.ignore and options.ignore.split(',')
+    options.select = _parse_multi_options(options.select.split(','))
+    options.ignore = _parse_multi_options(options.ignore.split(','))
 
     if options.diff:
         options.reporter = DiffReport
@@ -2095,6 +2095,22 @@ def process_options(arglist=None, parse_argv=False, config_file=None,
     return options, args
 
 
+def _parse_multi_options(options):
+    r"""Split and strip and discard empties.
+
+    Turns the following:
+
+    A,
+    B,
+
+    into ["A", "B"]
+    """
+    if options:
+        return [o.strip() for o in options if o.strip()]
+    else:
+        return options
+
+
 def _main():
     """Parse options and run checks on Python source."""
     import signal
diff --git a/testsuite/test_all.py b/testsuite/test_all.py
index 50e2cb9f..bfb61d5f 100644
--- a/testsuite/test_all.py
+++ b/testsuite/test_all.py
@@ -46,11 +46,12 @@ def test_own_dog_food(self):
 
 
 def suite():
-    from testsuite import test_api, test_shell, test_util
+    from testsuite import test_api, test_parser, test_shell, test_util
 
     suite = unittest.TestSuite()
     suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(Pep8TestCase))
     suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(test_api.APITestCase))
+    suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(test_parser.ParserTestCase))
     suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(test_shell.ShellTestCase))
     suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(test_util.UtilTestCase))
     return suite
diff --git a/testsuite/test_parser.py b/testsuite/test_parser.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d9e1ac5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/test_parser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import os
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+
+import pep8
+
+
+def _process_file(contents):
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False) as f:
+        f.write(contents)
+
+    options, args = pep8.process_options(config_file=f.name)
+    os.remove(f.name)
+
+    return options, args
+
+
+class ParserTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_vanilla_ignore_parsing(self):
+        contents = b"""
+[pep8]
+ignore = E226,E24
+        """
+        options, args = _process_file(contents)
+
+        self.assertEqual(options.ignore, ["E226", "E24"])
+
+    def test_multiline_ignore_parsing(self):
+        contents = b"""
+[pep8]
+ignore =
+    E226,
+    E24
+        """
+
+        options, args = _process_file(contents)
+
+        self.assertEqual(options.ignore, ["E226", "E24"])
+
+    def test_trailing_comma_ignore_parsing(self):
+        contents = b"""
+[pep8]
+ignore = E226,
+        """
+
+        options, args = _process_file(contents)
+
+        self.assertEqual(options.ignore, ["E226"])
+
+    def test_multiline_trailing_comma_ignore_parsing(self):
+        contents = b"""
+[pep8]
+ignore =
+    E226,
+    E24,
+        """
+
+        options, args = _process_file(contents)
+
+        self.assertEqual(options.ignore, ["E226", "E24"])