diff --git a/doc/fixes36.3 b/doc/fixes36.3
index f4e36ac3a..daedd86ec 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.3
+++ b/doc/fixes36.3
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ for wizard mode 'monpolycontrol', allow usually disallowed type 'chameleon',
 add Space, Return, and Escape to '? k' (help for menu control keys)
 hero can no longer negotiate a bribe with a demon lord when deaf
 wishing for "foo amulet" now yields an "amulet of foo" rather than random one
+code in parse_conf_file() to trim trailing blanks/cr was skipping over them
 
 
 Fixes to Post-3.6.2 Problems that Were Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 92940c9b0..29ad2f1a8 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -3051,9 +3051,9 @@ boolean FDECL((*proc), (char *));
                     *ep = '\0';
 
                 /* trim off spaces at end of line */
-                while (--ep >= inbuf
+                while (ep >= inbuf
                        && (*ep == ' ' || *ep == '\t' || *ep == '\r'))
-                    *ep = '\0';
+                    *ep-- = '\0';
 
                 if (!config_error_nextline(inbuf)) {
                     rv = FALSE;