diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f5f8da1..90af60d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ These channels need to be manually created by you in your Slack.
 
 ### Environment variables
 
-All configs in `configuration.yaml` are overrideable through environment variables with the same name prefixed by `DESTALINATOR_` (e.g. `activated` -> `DESTALINATOR_ACTIVATED`). Set array environment variables (e.g. `DESTALINATOR_IGNORE_CHANNELS`) by comma delimiting items
+All configs in `configuration.yaml` are overrideable through environment variables with the same name prefixed by `DESTALINATOR_` (e.g. `activated` -> `DESTALINATOR_ACTIVATED`). Set array environment variables (e.g. `DESTALINATOR_IGNORE_CHANNELS`) by comma delimiting items. If you only have one value for an array type environment variable add a training comma to denote the variable as a list.
 
 #### `DESTALINATOR_SB_TOKEN` (Required)
 
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index 364b3f6..d65d811 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def __getattr__(self, attrname):
         else:
             envvar = os.getenv('DESTALINATOR_' + upper_attrname)
         if envvar is not None:
-            return envvar.split(',') if ',' in envvar else envvar
+            return [x for x in envvar.split(',') if x] if ',' in envvar else envvar
 
         return self.config.get(attrname, '')
 
diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e9c88c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import os
+import unittest
+
+from config import get_config
+
+
+class ConfigTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        os.environ['DESTALINATOR_STRING_VARIABLE'] = 'test'
+        os.environ['DESTALINATOR_LIST_VARIABLE'] = 'test,'
+
+    def test_environment_variable_configs(self):
+        self.assertEqual(get_config().string_variable, 'test')
+        self.assertListEqual(get_config().list_variable, ['test'])