diff -r 84280fac98b9 -r 9170231ebf14 Doc/packaging/setupcfg.rst
--- a/Doc/packaging/setupcfg.rst	Tue Sep 27 07:30:00 2011 +0200
+++ b/Doc/packaging/setupcfg.rst	Tue Sep 27 15:36:52 2011 -0400
@@ -764,8 +764,8 @@
                   /usr/include/blitz
    extra_compile_args =
        -fPIC -O2
-       -DGECODE_VERSION=$(./gecode_version) -- sys.platform != 'win32'
-       /DGECODE_VERSION='win32' -- sys.platform == 'win32'
+       -DGECODE_VERSION=$(./gecode_version) ;; sys.platform != 'win32'
+       /DGECODE_VERSION='win32' ;; sys.platform == 'win32'
 
 The section name must start with ``extension:``; the right-hand part is used as
 the full name (including a parent package, if any) of the extension.  Whitespace
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@
 :class:`packaging.compiler.extension.Extension` class; values documented as
 Python lists translate to multi-line values in the configuration file.  In
 addition, multi-line values accept environment markers on each line, after a
-``--``.
+``;;``.
 
 
 Command sections
diff -r 84280fac98b9 -r 9170231ebf14 Lib/packaging/config.py
--- a/Lib/packaging/config.py	Tue Sep 27 07:30:00 2011 +0200
+++ b/Lib/packaging/config.py	Tue Sep 27 15:36:52 2011 -0400
@@ -30,18 +30,20 @@
 
 
 def _pop_values(values_dct, key):
-    """Remove values from the dictionary and convert them as a list"""
+    """Remove values from the dictionary and convert them to a list"""
     vals_str = values_dct.pop(key, '')
     if not vals_str:
         return
     fields = []
-    # the line separator is \n for setup.cfg files
-    for field in vals_str.split('\n'):
-        tmp_vals = field.split('--')
-        if len(tmp_vals) == 2 and not interpret(tmp_vals[1]):
-            continue
-        fields.append(tmp_vals[0])
-    # Get bash options like `gcc -print-file-name=libgcc.a` XXX bash options?
+    for field in vals_str.split("\n"):
+        if ';;' in field:
+            # fields values containing ';;' should add a trailing ';;'
+            # since this splits on the rightmost ';;'
+            field, marker = field.rsplit(';;', 1)
+            if not interpret(marker):
+                continue
+        fields.append(field)
+    # parse string into arglist using shlex POSIX rules
     vals = split(' '.join(fields))
     if vals:
         return vals
diff -r 84280fac98b9 -r 9170231ebf14 Lib/packaging/tests/test_config.py
--- a/Lib/packaging/tests/test_config.py	Tue Sep 27 07:30:00 2011 +0200
+++ b/Lib/packaging/tests/test_config.py	Tue Sep 27 15:36:52 2011 -0400
@@ -111,8 +111,9 @@
 sources = c_src/speed_coconuts.c
 extra_link_args = "`gcc -print-file-name=libgcc.a`" -shared
 define_macros = HAVE_CAIRO HAVE_GTK2
-libraries = gecodeint gecodekernel -- sys.platform != 'win32'
-    GecodeInt GecodeKernel -- sys.platform == 'win32'
+libraries =
+    gecodeint gecodekernel ;; sys.platform != 'win32'
+    GecodeInt GecodeKernel ;; sys.platform == 'win32'
 
 [extension: two.fast_taunt]
 sources = cxx_src/utils_taunt.cxx
@@ -120,8 +121,8 @@
 include_dirs = /usr/include/gecode
     /usr/include/blitz
 extra_compile_args = -fPIC -O2
-    -DGECODE_VERSION=$(./gecode_version) -- sys.platform != 'win32'
-    /DGECODE_VERSION='win32' -- sys.platform == 'win32'
+    -DGECODE_VERSION=$(./gecode_version) ;; sys.platform != 'win32'
+    /DGECODE_VERSION='win32' ;; sys.platform == 'win32'
 language = cxx
 
 # corner case: if the parent package of an extension is declared but