diff --git a/cfc/environment.py b/cfc/environment.py
index 337b0ae..8b4ce02 100644
--- a/cfc/environment.py
+++ b/cfc/environment.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 from .config import config
 
 NAME_PATTERN = r"^[^\-\.][\w\-\.]+$"
-ENV_VARS_PATTERN = r"^([\w:.\/\-]+=[\w:.\/\-]+)(,[\w:.\/\-]+=[\w:.\/\-]+)*$"
+ENV_VARS_PATTERN = r"^([\w:.\/\-]+=[^=,\s]+)(,[\w:.\/\-]+=[^=,\s]+)*$"
 ENVIRONMENT_ENVVAR_NAME = "CFC_ENVIRONMENT"
 
 env_app = typer.Typer()
diff --git a/tests/test_environment.py b/tests/test_environment.py
index b74bdc8..a3e6894 100644
--- a/tests/test_environment.py
+++ b/tests/test_environment.py
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ def test_env_var_callback(self):
         # test empty input
         env_var_callback("")
 
+        # test special characters in values
+        env_var_callback("VAR1=p@ssw0rd!")
+        env_var_callback("VAR1=value#1")
+        env_var_callback("VAR1=hello!,VAR2=world?")
+        env_var_callback("SECRET=abc$def%ghi^jkl&mno*pqr")
+
         # test invalid input
         with self.assertRaises(typer.BadParameter):
             env_var_callback("VAR1=VALUE1,VAR2=VALUE2,")
@@ -23,3 +29,7 @@ def test_env_var_callback(self):
             env_var_callback("VAR1=VALUE1,VAR2=VALUE2,VAR3")
         with self.assertRaises(typer.BadParameter):
             env_var_callback("VAR1=VALUE1,VAR2=VALUE2,VAR3=VALUE3=")
+        with self.assertRaises(typer.BadParameter):
+            env_var_callback("VAR1=value with spaces")
+        with self.assertRaises(typer.BadParameter):
+            env_var_callback("VAR1=val1,VAR2=val=2")