diff --git a/inc/meta-config b/inc/meta-config
index 6252135747..be73b60800 100644
--- a/inc/meta-config
+++ b/inc/meta-config
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ function merge_config_group {
 
             realconfigfile=$(eval "echo $configfile")
             if [[ -z $realconfigfile ]]; then
-                die $LINENO "bogus config file specification: $configfile is undefined"
+                warn $LINENO "unknown config file specification: $configfile is undefined"
+                break
             fi
             dir=$(dirname $realconfigfile)
             if [[ -d $dir ]]; then
diff --git a/tests/test_meta_config.sh b/tests/test_meta_config.sh
index 92f9c01f69..087aaf468b 100755
--- a/tests/test_meta_config.sh
+++ b/tests/test_meta_config.sh
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ function die {
     exit -1
 }
 
+function warn {
+    return 0
+}
+
 TEST_1C_ADD="[eee]
 type=new
 multi = foo2"
@@ -92,7 +96,7 @@ $TEST_1C_ADD
 [[test3|test-space.conf]]
 [DEFAULT]
 attribute=value
- 
+
 # the above line has a single space
 
 [[test4|\$TEST4_DIR/\$TEST4_FILE]]
@@ -378,11 +382,10 @@ set -e
 
 echo -n "merge_config_group test9 undefined conf file: "
 set +e
-# function is expected to fail and exit, running it
-# in a subprocess to let this script proceed
+# function is expected to trigger warn and continue
 (merge_config_group test.conf test9)
 VAL=$?
-EXPECT_VAL=255
+EXPECT_VAL=0
 check_result "$VAL" "$EXPECT_VAL"
 set -e