diff --git a/cmake/modules/envtoh.cmake b/cmake/modules/envtoh.cmake
index 822e73b..ee65e97 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/envtoh.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/envtoh.cmake
@@ -15,17 +15,15 @@ file(STRINGS "${ENV_FILE}" ENV_LINES)
 set(HEADER_CONTENT "#pragma once\n#include \"dusk.h\"\n\n")
 
 foreach(line IN LISTS ENV_LINES)
-  # Only trim whitespace if line is not empty
-  if(NOT line STREQUAL "")
-    string(REGEX REPLACE "^[ \t]*" "" line "${line}")
-    string(REGEX REPLACE "[ \t]*$" "" line "${line}")
-  endif()
-
   # Skip comments and empty lines (allow whitespace before # or ;)
   if(line STREQUAL "" OR line MATCHES "^[ \t]*[#;]")
     continue()
   endif()
 
+  # Trim whitespace only for non-empty, non-comment lines
+  string(REGEX REPLACE "^[ \t]*" "" line "${line}")
+  string(REGEX REPLACE "[ \t]*$" "" line "${line}")
+
   # Expect KEY=VALUE (allow spaces around '=')
   if(NOT line MATCHES "^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*[ \t]*=[ \t]*")
     message(WARNING "Skipping invalid line in ${ENV_FILE}: '${line}'")