diff --git a/copyparty/authsrv.py b/copyparty/authsrv.py
index e72dc0ce..6931767a 100644
--- a/copyparty/authsrv.py
+++ b/copyparty/authsrv.py
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ class AuthSrv(object):
         if uname == "":
             uname = "*"
 
-        for un in uname.split(","):
+        for un in uname.replace(",", " ").strip().split():
             if "r" in lvl:
                 axs.uread[un] = 1
 
diff --git a/docs/example.conf b/docs/example.conf
index 2b3b9e0f..5c836e30 100644
--- a/docs/example.conf
+++ b/docs/example.conf
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ rw ed
 r k
 rw ed
 
-# this does the same thing:
+# this does the same thing,
+# and will cause an error on startup since /priv is already taken:
 ./priv
 /priv
 r ed k