diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index d4527beb44591983ce0131851bd596209d487b47..0205052978825bc77a91823ea24014ce45f3fabb 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -2329,7 +2329,7 @@ static int store_aux_event(enum config_event_t type,
 
 	if (type == CONFIG_EVENT_SECTION) {
 		if (cf->var.len < 2 || cf->var.buf[cf->var.len - 1] != '.')
-			BUG("Invalid section name '%s'", cf->var.buf);
+			return error("invalid section name '%s'", cf->var.buf);
 
 		/* Is this the section we were looking for? */
 		store->is_keys_section =