diff --git a/src/apps.js b/src/apps.js
index 80bdaf8c6..848a804f6 100644
--- a/src/apps.js
+++ b/src/apps.js
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ function parseCrontab(crontab) {
     for (let i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
         const line = lines[i].trim();
         if (!line || line.startsWith('#')) continue;
-        const parts = /(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(.*)/.exec(line);
+        const parts = /^(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(.+)$/.exec(line);
         if (!parts) throw new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_FIELD, `Invalid cron configuration at line ${i+1}`);
         const schedule = parts.slice(1, 6).join(' ');
         const command = parts[6];
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ function parseCrontab(crontab) {
             throw new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_FIELD, `Invalid cron pattern at line ${i+1}`);
         }
 
-        if (command.length === 0) throw new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_FIELD, `Invalid cron pattern. Command must not be empty at line ${i+1}`);
+        if (command.length === 0) throw new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_FIELD, `Invalid cron pattern. Command must not be empty at line ${i+1}`); // not possible with the regexp we have
 
         result.push({ schedule, command });
     }
diff --git a/src/test/apps-test.js b/src/test/apps-test.js
index 47e6fc695..4d751bee7 100644
--- a/src/test/apps-test.js
+++ b/src/test/apps-test.js
@@ -317,4 +317,40 @@ describe('Apps', function () {
             expect(result[2].installationState).to.be(apps.ISTATE_PENDING_INSTALL);
         });
     });
+
+    describe('parseCrontab', function () {
+        it('succeeds for null crontob', function () {
+            expect(apps._parseCrontab(null)).to.eql([]);
+        });
+
+        it('succeeds for empty crontob', function () {
+            expect(apps._parseCrontab('')).to.eql([]);
+        });
+
+        it('throws for bad crontab', function () {
+            safe(() => apps._parseCrontab('# some comment\n*/1  *  *  * ')); // incomplete pattern
+            expect(safe.error.message).to.be('Invalid cron configuration at line 2');
+
+            safe(() => apps._parseCrontab('* *  *  * 13 command')); // bad pattern
+            expect(safe.error.message).to.be('Invalid cron pattern at line 1');
+
+            safe(() => apps._parseCrontab('*/1  *  *  *\t* ')); // no command
+            expect(safe.error.message).to.be('Invalid cron configuration at line 1');
+        });
+
+        it('succeeds for crontab', function () {
+            const result = apps._parseCrontab(
+                '# this is a custom cron job\n' +
+                ' */1  *  *  *\t*     echo  "==> This is a custom cron task running every minute"\n\n' +
+                '00 */1 * * * echo "==> This is a custom cron task running every hour" '); // trailing spaces are trimmed
+
+            expect(result.length).to.be(2);
+            expect(result[0].schedule).to.be('*/1 * * * *');
+            expect(result[0].command).to.be('echo  "==> This is a custom cron task running every minute"');
+
+            expect(result[1].schedule).to.be('00 */1 * * *');
+            expect(result[1].command).to.be('echo "==> This is a custom cron task running every hour"');
+
+        });
+    });
 });