diff --git a/src/core/cfg.lex b/src/core/cfg.lex
index 2b90fbb66a0..ff8096d9f23 100644
--- a/src/core/cfg.lex
+++ b/src/core/cfg.lex
@@ -1337,7 +1337,7 @@ IMPORTFILE      "import_file"
 <DEFINE_DATA>\\{CR}		{	count(); ksr_cfg_print_part(yytext); } /* eat the escaped CR */
 <DEFINE_DATA>{CR}		{	count();
 							ksr_cfg_print_part(yytext);
-							if (pp_define_set(strlen(s_buf.s), s_buf.s)) return 1;
+							if (pp_define_set(strlen(s_buf.s), s_buf.s, KSR_PPDEF_NORMAL)) return 1;
 							memset(&s_buf, 0, sizeof(s_buf));
 							state = INITIAL;
 							ksr_cfg_print_initial_state();
@@ -2007,7 +2007,7 @@ int pp_define(int len, const char *text)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int pp_define_set(int len, char *text)
+int pp_define_set(int len, char *text, int mode)
 {
 	int ppos;
 
@@ -2090,7 +2090,7 @@ int pp_define_env(const char *text, int len)
 		LM_ERR("cannot set define name [%s]\n", (char*)text);
 		return -1;
 	}
-	if(pp_define_set(defvalue.len, defvalue.s)<0) {
+	if(pp_define_set(defvalue.len, defvalue.s, KSR_PPDEF_NORMAL)<0) {
 		LM_ERR("cannot set define value [%s]\n", (char*)text);
 		return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/src/core/ppcfg.c b/src/core/ppcfg.c
index 627402ba666..a5aa1d3e28a 100644
--- a/src/core/ppcfg.c
+++ b/src/core/ppcfg.c
@@ -143,20 +143,14 @@ int pp_substdef_add(char *data, int mode)
 		LM_ERR("cannot set define name\n");
 		goto error;
 	}
-	if(mode==1) {
-		/* define the value enclosed in double quotes */
-		*(defvalue.s-1) = '"';
-		defvalue.s[defvalue.len] = '"';
-		defvalue.s--;
-		defvalue.len += 2;
-	}
 	if(memchr(defvalue.s, '$', defvalue.len) != NULL) {
 		fmsg = faked_msg_get_next();
 		if(pv_eval_str(fmsg, &newval, &defvalue)>=0) {
 			defvalue = newval;
 		}
 	}
-	if(pp_define_set(defvalue.len, defvalue.s)<0) {
+	if(pp_define_set(defvalue.len, defvalue.s,
+				(mode==1)?KSR_PPDEF_QUOTED:KSR_PPDEF_NORMAL)<0) {
 		LM_ERR("cannot set define value\n");
 		goto error;
 	}
diff --git a/src/core/ppcfg.h b/src/core/ppcfg.h
index 70627268b6f..17b19380bc6 100644
--- a/src/core/ppcfg.h
+++ b/src/core/ppcfg.h
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 
 #include "str.h"
 
+#define KSR_PPDEF_NORMAL (0)     /* define normal value */
+#define KSR_PPDEF_QUOTED (1<<0)  /* define quoted value */
+
 typedef struct ksr_ppdefine {
 	str name;
 	str value;
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ int pp_substdef_add(char *data, int mode);
 int pp_subst_run(char **data);
 
 int  pp_define(int len, const char *text);
-int  pp_define_set(int len, char *text);
+int  pp_define_set(int len, char *text, int mode);
 int  pp_define_set_type(int type);
 str *pp_define_get(int len, const char * text);
 int  pp_define_env(const char * text, int len);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 71a024d5bbf..a391f57afba 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -2264,7 +2264,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 					}
 					if(p) {
 						p++;
-						if(pp_define_set(strlen(p), p)<0) {
+						if(pp_define_set(strlen(p), p, KSR_PPDEF_NORMAL)<0) {
 							fprintf(stderr, "error at define value: -A %s\n",
 								optarg);
 							goto error;