diff --git a/pkg/strvals/parser.go b/pkg/strvals/parser.go
index c52f38ab1..c735412e9 100644
--- a/pkg/strvals/parser.go
+++ b/pkg/strvals/parser.go
@@ -150,7 +150,12 @@ func runeSet(r []rune) map[rune]bool {
 	return s
 }
 
-func (t *parser) key(data map[string]interface{}) error {
+func (t *parser) key(data map[string]interface{}) (reterr error) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			reterr = fmt.Errorf("unable to parse key: %s", r)
+		}
+	}()
 	stop := runeSet([]rune{'=', '[', ',', '.'})
 	for {
 		switch k, last, err := runesUntil(t.sc, stop); {
diff --git a/pkg/strvals/parser_test.go b/pkg/strvals/parser_test.go
index fb18980cf..742256153 100644
--- a/pkg/strvals/parser_test.go
+++ b/pkg/strvals/parser_test.go
@@ -362,6 +362,10 @@ func TestParseSet(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			str: "]={}].",
+			err: true,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {