diff --git a/splunkconf-backup/bin/splunkconf-backup.sh b/splunkconf-backup/bin/splunkconf-backup.sh
index 7f34bf3..3fc97c2 100755
--- a/splunkconf-backup/bin/splunkconf-backup.sh
+++ b/splunkconf-backup/bin/splunkconf-backup.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/bash  
+#!/bin/bash -x 
 exec > /tmp/splunkconf-backup-debug.log  2>&1
 
 # in normal condition
@@ -130,8 +130,9 @@ exec > /tmp/splunkconf-backup-debug.log  2>&1
 # 20240610 more splunk_assist support
 # 20240611 add support to get hostname via env variable for special k8s case and add hostname form checks
 # 20240620 fix test for splunk_assist and remove stanza instead of removing value when inconsistency detected
+# 20240629 replace direct var inclusion with loading function logic
 
-VERSION="20240620a"
+VERSION="20240629a"
 
 ###### BEGIN default parameters 
 # dont change here, use the configuration file to override them
@@ -571,6 +572,33 @@ function checklock() {
   fi
 }
 
+
+function load_settings_from_file () {
+ FI=$1
+ if [ -e "$FI" ]; then
+   regclass="([a-zA-Z]+)[[:space:]]*=[[:space:]]*\"{0,1}([a-zA-Z0-9_\-]+)\"{0,1}"
+   regclass2="^(#|\[)"
+    # Read the file line by line, remove spaces then create a variable if start by splunk
+    while read -r line; do
+      if [[ "${line}" =~ $regclass2 ]]; then
+        debug_log "comment line or stanza line with line=$line"
+      elif [ -z "${line-unset}" ]; then
+        debug_log "empty line"
+      elif [[ "${line}" =~ $regclass ]]; then
+        var_name=${BASH_REMATCH[1]}
+        var_value=${BASH_REMATCH[2]}
+        # Dynamically create the variable with its value
+        declare -g "$var_name=$var_value"
+        debug_log "OK:form ok, start with splunk setting $var_name=$var_value, $var_name=${!var_name}"
+      else
+        debug_log "KO:invalid form line=$line"
+      fi
+    done < $FI
+  else
+    debug_log "file $FI is not present"
+  fi
+}
+
 function check_assist () {
     # we will increment if needed
     INCONSISTENT=0
@@ -732,25 +760,30 @@ CPCMD2=""
 APPDIR=`pwd`
 debug_log "app=splunkconf-backup result=running SPLUNK_HOME=$SPLUNK_HOME splunkconfappdir=${APPDIR} loading splukconf-backup.conf file"
 if [[ -f "./default/splunkconf-backup.conf" ]]; then
-  . ./default/splunkconf-backup.conf
+#  . ./default/splunkconf-backup.conf
+  load_settings_from_file ./default/splunkconf-backup.conf
   debug_log "INFO: splunkconf-backup.conf default succesfully included"
 else
   debug_log "INFO: splunkconf-backup.conf default  not found or not readable. Using defaults from script "
 fi
 
 if [[ -f "./local/splunkconf-backup.conf" ]]; then
-  . ./local/splunkconf-backup.conf
+  #. ./local/splunkconf-backup.conf
+  load_settings_from_file ./local/splunkconf-backup.conf
   debug_log "INFO: splunkconf-backup.conf local succesfully included"
 else
   debug_log "INFO: splunkconf-backup.conf local not present, using only default"   
 fi 
 # take over over default and local
 if [[ -f "${SPLUNK_HOME}/system/local/splunkconf-backup.conf" ]]; then
-  . ${SPLUNK_HOME}/system/local/splunkconf-backup.conf && (echo_log "INFO: splunkconf-backup.conf system local succesfully included") 
+  load_settings_from_file ${SPLUNK_HOME}/system/local/splunkconf-backup.conf
+  #. ${SPLUNK_HOME}/system/local/splunkconf-backup.conf && (echo_log "INFO: splunkconf-backup.conf system local succesfully included") 
 else
   debug_log "INFO: splunkconf-backup.conf in system/local not present, no need to include it"
 fi
 
+#debug_log "INFO: MYVAR=$MYVAR, MYTEST=$MYTEST"
+
 regclass="^[A-Z_]+$"
 if [[ "${REMOTES3STORAGECLASS}" = "auto" ]]; then
   REMOTES3STORAGECLASS="STANDARD_IA"