diff --git a/src/Loader.php b/src/Loader.php
index 327302db..cb3508fa 100644
--- a/src/Loader.php
+++ b/src/Loader.php
@@ -253,14 +253,14 @@ protected function sanitiseVariableValue($name, $value)
             $parts = explode(' #', $value, 2);
             $value = trim($parts[0]);
 
-            // Check if value is a comment (usually triggered when empty value with comment)
-            if (preg_match('/^#/', $value) > 0) {
-                $value = '';
-            }
-
             // Unquoted values cannot contain whitespace
             if (preg_match('/\s+/', $value) > 0) {
-                throw new InvalidFileException('Dotenv values containing spaces must be surrounded by quotes.');
+                // Check if value is a comment (usually triggered when empty value with comment)
+                if (preg_match('/^#/', $value) > 0) {
+                    $value = '';
+                } else {
+                    throw new InvalidFileException('Dotenv values containing spaces must be surrounded by quotes.');
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php b/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php
index 2e972945..b44b4983 100644
--- a/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php
+++ b/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public function testCommentedDotenvLoadsEnvironmentVars()
         $this->assertSame('a value with a # character', getenv('CQUOTES'));
         $this->assertSame('a value with a # character & a quote " character inside quotes', getenv('CQUOTESWITHQUOTE'));
         $this->assertEmpty(getenv('CNULL'));
+        $this->assertEmpty(getenv('EMPTY'));
     }
 
     public function testQuotedDotenvLoadsEnvironmentVars()
@@ -261,23 +262,27 @@ public function testDotenvAssertions()
         $this->assertEmpty(getenv('ASSERTVAR2'));
         $this->assertEmpty(getenv('ASSERTVAR3'));
         $this->assertSame('0', getenv('ASSERTVAR4'));
+        $this->assertSame('#foo', getenv('ASSERTVAR5'));
 
         $dotenv->required(array(
             'ASSERTVAR1',
             'ASSERTVAR2',
             'ASSERTVAR3',
             'ASSERTVAR4',
+            'ASSERTVAR5',
         ));
 
         $dotenv->required(array(
             'ASSERTVAR1',
             'ASSERTVAR4',
+            'ASSERTVAR5',
         ))->notEmpty();
 
         $dotenv->required(array(
             'ASSERTVAR1',
             'ASSERTVAR4',
-        ))->notEmpty()->allowedValues(array('0', 'val1'));
+            'ASSERTVAR5',
+        ))->notEmpty()->allowedValues(array('0', 'val1', '#foo'));
 
         $this->assertTrue(true); // anything wrong an an exception will be thrown
     }
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env b/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env
index 2a4f4b01..6361d178 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env
+++ b/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ ASSERTVAR1="val1"
 ASSERTVAR2=""
 ASSERTVAR3="   "
 ASSERTVAR4="0" # empty looking value
+ASSERTVAR5=#foo
\ No newline at end of file