diff --git a/vdirsyncer/cli.py b/vdirsyncer/cli.py
index 0b24ea2..5204cdc 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/cli.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/cli.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def load_config(fname, pair_options=('collections', 'conflict_resolution')):
     c = RawConfigParser()
     c.read(fname)
 
-    get_options = lambda s: dict(parse_options(c.items(s)))
+    get_options = lambda s: dict(parse_options(c.items(s), section=s))
 
     pairs = {}
     storages = {}
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/utils.py b/vdirsyncer/utils.py
index 19792a2..950cc54 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/utils.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/utils.py
@@ -59,8 +59,13 @@ def split_dict(d, f):
     return a, b
 
 
-def parse_options(items):
+def parse_options(items, section=None):
     for key, value in items:
+        if len(value.splitlines()) > 1:
+            raise ValueError('Section {!r}, option {!r}: '
+                             'No multiline-values allowed.'
+                             .format(section, key))
+
         if value.lower() in ('yes', 'true', 'on'):
             value = True
         elif value.lower() in ('no', 'false', 'off'):