diff --git a/PVE/QemuServer.pm b/PVE/QemuServer.pm
index 808c0e1c..d8bb21d6 100644
--- a/PVE/QemuServer.pm
+++ b/PVE/QemuServer.pm
@@ -2229,27 +2229,27 @@ sub parse_vm_config {
 	}
 	$descr = undef;
     };
-    my $section = '';
+    my $section = { name => '', type => 'main' };
 
     my @lines = split(/\n/, $raw);
     foreach my $line (@lines) {
 	next if $line =~ m/^\s*$/;
 
 	if ($line =~ m/^\[PENDING\]\s*$/i) {
-	    $section = 'pending';
+	    $section = { name => 'pending', type => 'pending' };
 	    $finish_description->();
-	    $conf = $res->{$section} = {};
+	    $conf = $res->{$section->{name}} = {};
 	    next;
 	} elsif ($line =~ m/^\[special:cloudinit\]\s*$/i) {
-	    $section = 'cloudinit';
+	    $section = { name => 'cloudinit', type => 'special' };
 	    $finish_description->();
-	    $conf = $res->{$section} = {};
+	    $conf = $res->{$section->{name}} = {};
 	    next;
 
 	} elsif ($line =~ m/^\[([a-z][a-z0-9_\-]+)\]\s*$/i) {
-	    $section = $1;
+	    $section = { name => $1, type => 'snapshot' };
 	    $finish_description->();
-	    $conf = $res->{snapshots}->{$section} = {};
+	    $conf = $res->{snapshots}->{$section->{name}} = {};
 	    next;
 	}
 
@@ -2270,7 +2270,7 @@ sub parse_vm_config {
 	    $conf->{$key} = $value;
 	} elsif ($line =~ m/^delete:\s*(.*\S)\s*$/) {
 	    my $value = $1;
-	    if ($section eq 'pending') {
+	    if ($section->{name} eq 'pending' && $section->{type} eq 'pending') {
 		$conf->{delete} = $value; # we parse this later
 	    } else {
 		$handle_error->("vm $vmid - property 'delete' is only allowed in [PENDING]\n");
@@ -2278,7 +2278,7 @@ sub parse_vm_config {
 	} elsif ($line =~ m/^([a-z][a-z_\-]*\d*):\s*(.+?)\s*$/) {
 	    my $key = $1;
 	    my $value = $2;
-	    if ($section eq 'cloudinit') {
+	    if ($section->{name} eq 'cloudinit' && $section->{type} eq 'special') {
 		# ignore validation only used for informative purpose
 		$conf->{$key} = $value;
 		next;
diff --git a/test/parse-config-expected/cloudinit-snapshot.conf b/test/parse-config-expected/cloudinit-snapshot.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc01f975
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parse-config-expected/cloudinit-snapshot.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+boot: order=scsi0
+cores: 2
+cpu: x86-64-v2-AES
+ide2: lvm:vm-120-cloudinit,media=cdrom
+ipconfig0: ip6=dhcp
+memory: 4096
+meta: creation-qemu=9.0.2,ctime=1725975013
+name: deb1223
+net0: vmxnet3=BC:24:11:2C:69:EC,bridge=vnet0,firewall=1
+numa: 0
+ostype: l26
+parent: cloudinit
+scsi0: nfs:120/vm-120-disk-0.qcow2,iothread=1,size=4G
+scsihw: virtio-scsi-single
+smbios1: uuid=b3247ab1-1fe6-428e-965b-08a1b64a8746
+sockets: 1
+unused0: rbd:vm-120-disk-0
+vmgenid: 7079e97c-50e3-4079-afe7-23e67566b946
+
+[special:cloudinit]
+ipconfig0: ip=dhcp,ip6=dhcp
+name: deb122
+
+[cloudinit]
+boot: order=scsi0
+cores: 2
+cpu: x86-64-v2-AES
+ide2: lvm:vm-120-cloudinit,media=cdrom
+ipconfig0: ip6=dhcp
+memory: 4096
+meta: creation-qemu=9.0.2,ctime=1725975013
+name: deb1223
+net0: vmxnet3=BC:24:11:2C:69:EC,bridge=vnet0,firewall=1
+ostype: l26
+scsi0: nfs:120/vm-120-disk-0.qcow2,iothread=1,size=4G
+scsihw: virtio-scsi-single
+smbios1: uuid=b3247ab1-1fe6-428e-965b-08a1b64a8746
+snaptime: 1737549549
+sockets: 1
+vmgenid: 7079e97c-50e3-4079-afe7-23e67566b946
diff --git a/test/parse-config-expected/cloudinit-snapshot.conf.strict.error b/test/parse-config-expected/cloudinit-snapshot.conf.strict.error
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1a77d4a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parse-config-expected/cloudinit-snapshot.conf.strict.error
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+vm 8006 - unable to parse value of 'numa' - type check ('boolean') failed - got 'verify meee~ :)'
diff --git a/test/parse-config-input/cloudinit-snapshot.conf b/test/parse-config-input/cloudinit-snapshot.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9be05b1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parse-config-input/cloudinit-snapshot.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+boot: order=scsi0
+cores: 2
+cpu: x86-64-v2-AES
+ide2: lvm:vm-120-cloudinit,media=cdrom
+ipconfig0: ip6=dhcp
+memory: 4096
+meta: creation-qemu=9.0.2,ctime=1725975013
+name: deb1223
+net0: vmxnet3=BC:24:11:2C:69:EC,bridge=vnet0,firewall=1
+numa: 0
+ostype: l26
+parent: cloudinit
+scsi0: nfs:120/vm-120-disk-0.qcow2,iothread=1,size=4G
+scsihw: virtio-scsi-single
+smbios1: uuid=b3247ab1-1fe6-428e-965b-08a1b64a8746
+sockets: 1
+unused0: rbd:vm-120-disk-0
+vmgenid: 7079e97c-50e3-4079-afe7-23e67566b946
+
+[special:cloudinit]
+ipconfig0: ip=dhcp,ip6=dhcp
+name: deb122
+
+[cloudinit]
+boot: order=scsi0
+cores: 2
+cpu: x86-64-v2-AES
+ide2: lvm:vm-120-cloudinit,media=cdrom
+ipconfig0: ip6=dhcp
+memory: 4096
+meta: creation-qemu=9.0.2,ctime=1725975013
+name: deb1223
+net0: vmxnet3=BC:24:11:2C:69:EC,bridge=vnet0,firewall=1
+numa: verify meee~ :)
+ostype: l26
+scsi0: nfs:120/vm-120-disk-0.qcow2,iothread=1,size=4G
+scsihw: virtio-scsi-single
+smbios1: uuid=b3247ab1-1fe6-428e-965b-08a1b64a8746
+snaptime: 1737549549
+sockets: 1
+vmgenid: 7079e97c-50e3-4079-afe7-23e67566b946
diff --git a/test/run_parse_config_tests.pl b/test/run_parse_config_tests.pl
index d071f355..51f87ae5 100755
--- a/test/run_parse_config_tests.pl
+++ b/test/run_parse_config_tests.pl
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ my $OUTPUT_DIR = './parse-config-output';
 my $EXPECTED_DIR = './parse-config-expected';
 
 # NOTE update when you add/remove tests
-plan tests => 2 * 6;
+plan tests => 2 * 7;
 
 sub run_tests {
     my ($strict) = @_;