diff --git a/src/Loader.php b/src/Loader.php
index 54e3e5e2..96c5dc9f 100644
--- a/src/Loader.php
+++ b/src/Loader.php
@@ -294,12 +294,7 @@ protected function splitCompoundStringIntoParts($name, $value)
      */
     protected function sanitiseVariableValue($name, $value)
     {
-        if ($value === null) {
-            return [$name, $value];
-        }
-
-        $value = trim($value);
-        if ($value === '') {
+        if ($value === null || trim($value) === '') {
             return [$name, $value];
         }
 
@@ -325,7 +320,7 @@ protected function sanitiseVariableValue($name, $value)
             $value = str_replace('\\\\', '\\', $value);
         } else {
             $parts = explode(' #', $value, 2);
-            $value = trim($parts[0]);
+            $value = $parts[0];
 
             // Unquoted values cannot contain whitespace
             if (preg_match('/\s+/', $value) > 0) {
@@ -338,7 +333,7 @@ protected function sanitiseVariableValue($name, $value)
             }
         }
 
-        return [$name, trim($value)];
+        return [$name, $value];
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php b/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php
index 48770161..f8a4dd8a 100644
--- a/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php
+++ b/tests/Dotenv/DotenvTest.php
@@ -260,12 +260,12 @@ public function testDotenvAssertions()
         $dotenv->load();
         $this->assertSame('val1', getenv('ASSERTVAR1'));
         $this->assertEmpty(getenv('ASSERTVAR2'));
-        $this->assertEmpty(getenv('ASSERTVAR3'));
+        $this->assertSame('val3   ', getenv('ASSERTVAR3'));
         $this->assertSame('0', getenv('ASSERTVAR4'));
         $this->assertSame('#foo', getenv('ASSERTVAR5'));
         $this->assertSame("val1\nval2", getenv('ASSERTVAR6'));
-        $this->assertSame("val3", getenv('ASSERTVAR7'));
-        $this->assertSame("val3", getenv('ASSERTVAR8'));
+        $this->assertSame("\nval3", getenv('ASSERTVAR7'));
+        $this->assertSame("val3\n", getenv('ASSERTVAR8'));
 
         $dotenv->required([
             'ASSERTVAR1',
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ public function testDotenvAssertions()
 
         $dotenv->required([
             'ASSERTVAR1',
+            'ASSERTVAR3',
             'ASSERTVAR4',
             'ASSERTVAR5',
             'ASSERTVAR6',
@@ -292,9 +293,7 @@ public function testDotenvAssertions()
             'ASSERTVAR1',
             'ASSERTVAR4',
             'ASSERTVAR5',
-            'ASSERTVAR7',
-            'ASSERTVAR8',
-        ])->notEmpty()->allowedValues(['0', 'val1', 'val3', '#foo']);
+        ])->notEmpty()->allowedValues(['0', 'val1', '#foo']);
 
         $this->assertTrue(true); // anything wrong an an exception will be thrown
     }
@@ -314,26 +313,13 @@ public function testDotenvEmptyThrowsRuntimeException()
 
     /**
      * @expectedException \Dotenv\Exception\ValidationException
-     * @expectedExceptionMessage One or more environment variables failed assertions: ASSERTVAR3 is empty.
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage One or more environment variables failed assertions: ASSERTVAR9 is empty.
      */
     public function testDotenvStringOfSpacesConsideredEmpty()
     {
         $dotenv = Dotenv::create($this->fixturesFolder, 'assertions.env');
         $dotenv->load();
-        $this->assertEmpty(getenv('ASSERTVAR3'));
-
-        $dotenv->required('ASSERTVAR3')->notEmpty();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @expectedException \Dotenv\Exception\ValidationException
-     * @expectedExceptionMessage One or more environment variables failed assertions: ASSERTVAR3 is empty.
-     */
-    public function testDotenvHitsLastChain()
-    {
-        $dotenv = Dotenv::create($this->fixturesFolder, 'assertions.env');
-        $dotenv->load();
-        $dotenv->required('ASSERTVAR3')->notEmpty();
+        $dotenv->required('ASSERTVAR9')->notEmpty();
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env b/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env
index 565c1c6c..f82325df 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env
+++ b/tests/fixtures/env/assertions.env
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-ASSERTVAR1="val1"
+ASSERTVAR1=val1
+
 ASSERTVAR2=""
-ASSERTVAR3="   "
+ASSERTVAR3="val3   "
 ASSERTVAR4="0" # empty looking value
 ASSERTVAR5=#foo
 ASSERTVAR6="val1