diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/explorer/state b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/explorer/state
index 94a5ea7f..b990733d 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/explorer/state
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/explorer/state
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2014 Daniel Heule     (hda at sfs.biz)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -18,36 +19,85 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-key="$(cat "$__object/parameter/key" 2>/dev/null \
+export key="$(cat "$__object/parameter/key" 2>/dev/null \
    || echo "$__object_id")"
-state="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state" 2>/dev/null \
-   || echo "present")"
-file="$(cat "$__object/parameter/file")"
-delimiter="$(cat "$__object/parameter/delimiter")"
-value="$(cat "$__object/parameter/value" 2>/dev/null \
-   || echo "__CDIST_NOTSET__")"
+export state="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")"
 
-case "$state" in
-   absent)
-      if grep -q -E "^$key$delimiter+" "$file"; then
-         # if the key exists, with whatever value, we will have to remove it
-         # so report it as present
-         echo present
-      else
-         # key does not exist
-         echo absent
-      fi
-   ;;
-   present)
-      if grep -q -E "^$key$delimiter+$value$" "$file"; then
-         # key exists and value is same
-         echo present
-      elif grep -q -E "^$key$delimiter+" "$file"; then
-         # key exists, but value is empty or different
-         echo wrongvalue
-      else
-         # key does not exist
-         echo absent
-      fi
-   ;;
-esac
+file="$(cat "$__object/parameter/file")"
+
+if [ ! -f "$file" ]; then
+    echo "nosuchfile"
+    exit
+fi
+
+export delimiter="$(cat "$__object/parameter/delimiter")"
+export value="$(cat "$__object/parameter/value" 2>/dev/null \
+   || echo "__CDIST_NOTSET__")"
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/exact_delimiter" ]; then
+    export exact_delimiter=1
+else
+    export exact_delimiter=0
+fi
+
+awk -f - "$file" <<"AWK_EOF"
+BEGIN {
+    state=ENVIRON["state"]
+    key=ENVIRON["key"]
+    delimiter=ENVIRON["delimiter"]
+    value=ENVIRON["value"]
+    exact_delimiter=ENVIRON["exact_delimiter"]
+    found=0
+}
+# enter the main loop
+{
+    i = index($0,key)
+    if(i == 1) {
+        delval = substr($0,length(key)+1)
+        delpos = index(delval,delimiter)
+        if(delpos == 0) {
+            # in this case, the delimiter was not found
+            next
+        }
+        if(delpos > 1) {
+            spaces = substr(delval,1,delpos-1)
+            sub(/[ \t]*/,"",spaces)
+            if( length(spaces) > 0 ) {
+                # if there are not only spaces between key and delimiter,
+                # continue since we we are on the wrong line
+                next
+            }
+            if( exact_delimiter == 1) {
+                # we have key and delimiter, but since additional spaces are not alowed
+                # return wrongformat
+                found=1
+                print "wrongformat"
+                exit
+            }
+        }
+        found=1
+        if(state == "absent") {
+            # on state absent, only the ocurance is relevant, so exit here
+            print "present"
+            exit
+        }
+        linevalue=substr(delval,delpos + length(delimiter))
+        if(exact_delimiter == 0){
+            #ok, now strip tabs and whitespaces at the beginning of the value
+            sub(/[ \t]*/,"",linevalue)
+        }
+        # Key with separator found
+        if(linevalue == value) {
+            # exact match found, so state is present
+            print "present"
+        }
+        else {
+            print "wrongvalue"
+        }
+        exit
+    }
+}
+END {
+    if(found == 0)
+        print "absent"
+}
+AWK_EOF
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/files/remote_script.sh b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/files/remote_script.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..282ba531
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/files/remote_script.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+export key="$(cat "$__object/parameter/key" 2>/dev/null \
+   || echo "$__object_id")"
+export state="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")"
+
+file="$(cat "$__object/parameter/file")"
+
+export delimiter="$(cat "$__object/parameter/delimiter")"
+export value="$(cat "$__object/parameter/value" 2>/dev/null \
+   || echo "__CDIST_NOTSET__")"
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/exact_delimiter" ]; then
+    export exact_delimiter=1
+else
+    export exact_delimiter=0
+fi
+
+tmpfile=$(mktemp "${file}.cdist.XXXXXXXXXX")
+# preserve ownership and permissions by copying existing file over tmpfile
+if [ -f "$file" ]; then
+    cp -p "$file" "$tmpfile"
+else
+    touch "$file"
+fi
+awk -f - "$file" >"$tmpfile" <<"AWK_EOF"
+BEGIN {
+    # import variables in a secure way ..
+    state=ENVIRON["state"]
+    key=ENVIRON["key"]
+    delimiter=ENVIRON["delimiter"]
+    value=ENVIRON["value"]
+    comment=ENVIRON["comment"]
+    exact_delimiter=ENVIRON["exact_delimiter"]
+    inserted=0
+    lastline=""
+    lastlinepopulated=0
+    line=key delimiter value
+}
+# enter the main loop
+{
+    # I dont use regex, this is by design, so we can match against every value without special meanings of chars ...
+    i = index($0,key)
+    if(i == 1) {
+        delval = substr($0,length(key)+1)
+        delpos = index(delval,delimiter)
+        if(delpos > 1) {
+            spaces = substr(delval,1,delpos-1)
+            sub(/[ \t]*/,"",spaces)
+            if( length(spaces) > 0 ) {
+                # if there are not only spaces between key and delimiter,
+                # continue since we we are on the wrong line
+                if(lastlinepopulated == 1) {
+                    print lastline
+                }
+                lastline=$0
+                lastlinepopulated=1
+                next
+            }
+        }
+        if(state == "absent") {
+            if(lastline == comment) {
+                # if comment is present, clear lastlinepopulated flag
+                lastlinepopulated=0
+            }
+            # if absent, simple yump over this line
+            next
+        }
+        else {
+            # if comment is present and not present in last line
+            if (lastlinepopulated == 1) {
+                print lastline
+                if( comment != "" && lastline != comment) {
+                    print comment
+                }
+                lastlinepopulated=0
+            }
+            inserted=1
+            # state is present, so insert correct line here
+            print line
+            lastline=line
+            next
+        }
+    }
+    else {
+        if(lastlinepopulated == 1) {
+            print lastline
+        }
+        lastline=$0
+        lastlinepopulated=1
+    }
+}
+END {
+    if(lastlinepopulated == 1) {
+        print lastline
+    }
+    if(inserted == 0 && state == "present" ) {
+        if(comment != "" && lastline != comment){
+            print comment
+        }
+        print line
+    }
+}
+AWK_EOF
+mv -f "$tmpfile" "$file"
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/gencode-remote
index e1041a02..e6815cb6 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/gencode-remote
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #
 # 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
 # 2012-2014 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
+# 2014 Daniel Heule     (hda at sfs.biz)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -19,55 +20,56 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-key="$__object_id"
-[ -f "$__object/parameter/key" ] && key="$(cat "$__object/parameter/key")"
 
 state_should="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")"
-
-file="$(cat "$__object/parameter/file")"
-delimiter="$(cat "$__object/parameter/delimiter")"
-# escape double quotes, as that is what we use ourself below
-value_escaped="$(cat "$__object/parameter/value" | sed -e "s/\([\"]\)/\\\\\1/g")"
 state_is="$(cat "$__object/explorer/state")"
 
-[ "$state_is" = "$state_should" ] && exit 0
+if [  "$state_is" = "$state_should" ]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
 
+# here we check only if the states are valid,
+# emmit messages and 
+# let awk do the work ...
 case "$state_should" in
     absent)
-        # remove lines starting with key
-        cat << DONE
-tmpfile=\$(mktemp ${file}.cdist.XXXXXXXXXX)
-# preserve ownership and permissions by copying existing file over tmpfile
-cp -p "$file" "\$tmpfile"
-sed '/^$key\($delimiter\+\)/d' "$file" > "\$tmpfile"
-mv -f "\$tmpfile" "$file"
-DONE
-        echo "remove" >> "$__messages_out"
-    ;;
-    present)
         case "$state_is" in
-            absent)
-                # add new key and value
-                printf 'echo "%s%s%s" >> "%s"' "$key" "$delimiter" "$value_escaped" "$file"
-                echo "add" >> "$__messages_out"
+            absent|nosuchfile)
+                # nothing to do
             ;;
-            wrongvalue)
-                # change exisiting value
-                cat << DONE
-tmpfile=\$(mktemp ${file}.cdist.XXXXXXXXXX)
-# preserve ownership and permissions by copying existing file over tmpfile
-cp -p "$file" "\$tmpfile"
-sed "s|^$key\($delimiter\+\).*|$key\\1$value_escaped|" "$file" > "\$tmpfile"
-mv -f "\$tmpfile" "$file"
-DONE
-                echo "changevalue" >> "$__messages_out"
+            wrongformat|wrongvalue|present)
+                echo "remove" >> "$__messages_out"
             ;;
             *)
                 echo "Unknown explorer state: $state_is" >&2
                 exit 1
+            ;;
+        esac
+    ;;
+    present)
+        case "$state_is" in
+            nosuchfile)
+                echo "create" >> "$__messages_out"
+            ;;
+            absent)
+                echo "insert" >> "$__messages_out"
+            ;;
+            wrongformated|wrongvalue)
+                echo "change" >> "$__messages_out"
+            ;;
+            present)
+                # nothing to do
+            ;;
+            *)
+                echo "Unknown explorer state: $state_is" >&2
+                exit 1
+            ;;
         esac
     ;;
     *)
        echo "Unknown state: $state_should" >&2
        exit 1
+    ;;
 esac
+
+cat "$__type/files/remote_script.sh"
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/man.text b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/man.text
index 7def7139..d4c8e2cc 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/man.text
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/man.text
@@ -25,21 +25,36 @@ delimiter::
 OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
 -------------------
 state::
-   present or absent, defaults to present. If present, sets the key to value,
-   if absent, removes the key from the file.
+    present or absent, defaults to present. If present, sets the key to value,
+    if absent, removes the key from the file.
 key::
-   The key to change. Defaults to object_id.
+    The key to change. Defaults to object_id.
 value::
-   The value for the key. Optional if state=absent, required otherwise.
+    The value for the key. Optional if state=absent, required otherwise.
+comment::
+    If supplied, the value will be inserted before the line with the key,
+    but only if the key or value must be changed.
+    You need to ensure yourself that the line is prefixed with the correct
+    comment sign. (for example # or ; or wathever ..)
+
+
+BOOLEAN PARAMETERS
+------------------
+exact_delimiter::
+    If supplied, treat additional whitespaces between key, delimiter and value
+    as wrong value.
+
 
 MESSAGES
 --------
-create::
+remove::
+    Removed existing key and value
+insert::
     Added key and value
 change::
     Changed value of existing key
-remove::
-    Removed existing key and value
+create::
+    A new line was inserted in a new file
 
 
 EXAMPLES
@@ -55,13 +70,19 @@ __key_value my-fancy-id --file /etc/login.defs --key SYS_UID_MAX --value 666 \
 
 # Enable packet forwarding
 __key_value net.ipv4.ip_forward --file /etc/sysctl.conf --value 1 \
-   --delimiter '='
+   --delimiter ' = ' --comment '# my linux kernel should act as a router'
 
 # Remove existing key/value
 __key_value LEGACY_KEY --file /etc/somefile --state absent --delimiter '=' 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
+MORE INFORMATION
+----------------
+This type try to handle as many values as possible, so it doesn't use regexes.
+So you need to exactly specify the key and delimiter. Delimiter can be of any lenght.
+
+
 SEE ALSO
 --------
 - cdist-type(7)
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/boolean b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/boolean
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..190831c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/boolean
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+exact_delimiter
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/default/comment b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/default/comment
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b137891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/default/comment
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/optional b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/optional
index 483e3192..666be2ae 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/optional
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__key_value/parameter/optional
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 key
 value
 state
+comment