diff --git a/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py b/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py
index 9398a591b7b..0a6a8f5ea97 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class InventoryParser(object):
                 if line.find("=") == -1:
                     raise errors.AnsibleError("variables assigned to group must be in key=value form")
                 else:
-                    (k,v) = line.split("=")
+                    (k,v) = line.split("=",1)
                     group.set_variable(k,v)