diff --git a/src/tools/config.py b/src/tools/config.py
index 1a6c7c67..c598c2f9 100644
--- a/src/tools/config.py
+++ b/src/tools/config.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from ConfigParser import SafeConfigParser, DEFAULTSECT, NoOptionError, NoSection
 from xdg import BaseDirectory
 import os
 import csv
+import json
 
 
 def fixConfigOption(section, option, value, silent=True):
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ def getConfig(config, section, name, default=None):
     elif name.endswith('_list'):
         value = csv.reader([value], delimiter=',', quotechar='"', skipinitialspace=True).next()
     elif name.endswith('_dict'):
-        value = dict(csv.reader([item], delimiter=':', quotechar='"', skipinitialspace=True).next()
-                     for item in csv.reader([value], delimiter=',', quotechar='"', skipinitialspace=True).next())
+        value = json.loads(value)
+        if not isinstance(value, dict):
+            raise ValueError(u"{name} value is not a dict: {value}".format(name=name, value=value))
     return value