diff --git a/conf/lex.go b/conf/lex.go
index 7fd2bf50348..278fab0406a 100644
--- a/conf/lex.go
+++ b/conf/lex.go
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@ func (lx *lexer) pop() stateFn {
 
 func (lx *lexer) emit(typ itemType) {
 	val := strings.Join(lx.stringParts, "") + lx.input[lx.start:lx.pos]
-
 	// Position of item in line where it started.
 	pos := lx.pos - lx.ilstart - len(val)
 	lx.items <- item{typ, val, lx.line, pos}
@@ -329,6 +328,9 @@ func lexBlockStart(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	case topOptStart:
 		lx.push(lexBlockEnd)
 		return lexSkip(lx, lexBlockStart)
+	case topOptTerm:
+		lx.ignore()
+		return lx.pop()
 	case commentHashStart:
 		lx.push(lexBlockEnd)
 		return lexCommentStart
@@ -351,10 +353,41 @@ func lexBlockStart(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	// At this point, the only valid item can be a key, so we back up
 	// and let the key lexer do the rest.
 	lx.backup()
-	lx.push(lexBlockEnd)
+	lx.push(lexBlockValueEnd)
 	return lexKeyStart
 }
 
+// lexBlockValueEnd is entered whenever a block-level value has been consumed.
+// It must see only whitespace, and will turn back to lexBlockStart upon a new line.
+// If it sees EOF, it will quit the lexer successfully.
+func lexBlockValueEnd(lx *lexer) stateFn {
+	r := lx.next()
+	switch {
+	case r == commentHashStart:
+		// a comment will read to a new line for us.
+		lx.push(lexBlockValueEnd)
+		return lexCommentStart
+	case r == commentSlashStart:
+		rn := lx.next()
+		if rn == commentSlashStart {
+			lx.push(lexBlockValueEnd)
+			return lexCommentStart
+		}
+		lx.backup()
+		fallthrough
+	case isWhitespace(r):
+		return lexBlockValueEnd
+	case isNL(r) || r == optValTerm || r == topOptValTerm:
+		lx.ignore()
+		return lexBlockStart
+	case r == topOptTerm:
+		lx.backup()
+		return lexBlockEnd
+	}
+	return lx.errorf("Expected a block-level value to end with a new line, "+
+		"comment or EOF, but got '%v' instead.", r)
+}
+
 // lexBlockEnd is entered whenever a block-level value has been consumed.
 // It must see only whitespace, and will turn back to lexTop upon a "}".
 func lexBlockEnd(lx *lexer) stateFn {
@@ -362,12 +395,12 @@ func lexBlockEnd(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	switch {
 	case r == commentHashStart:
 		// a comment will read to a new line for us.
-		lx.push(lexBlockEnd)
+		lx.push(lexBlockStart)
 		return lexCommentStart
 	case r == commentSlashStart:
 		rn := lx.next()
 		if rn == commentSlashStart {
-			lx.push(lexBlockEnd)
+			lx.push(lexBlockStart)
 			return lexCommentStart
 		}
 		lx.backup()
@@ -381,7 +414,7 @@ func lexBlockEnd(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 		lx.ignore()
 		return lx.pop()
 	}
-	return lx.errorf("Expected a block-level value to end with a '}', but got '%v' instead.", r)
+	return lx.errorf("Expected a block-level to end with a '}', but got '%v' instead.", r)
 }
 
 // lexKeyStart consumes a key name up until the first non-whitespace character.
diff --git a/conf/parse_test.go b/conf/parse_test.go
index 53644b0b343..d74bc5612de 100644
--- a/conf/parse_test.go
+++ b/conf/parse_test.go
@@ -796,6 +796,22 @@ func TestBlocks(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			"", "",
 		},
+		{
+			"top line values in block scope",
+			`
+			{
+			  "debug":              False
+			  "prof_port":          8221
+			  "server_name":        "aws-useast2-natscj1-1"
+			}
+			`,
+			map[string]any{
+				"debug":       false,
+				"prof_port":   int64(8221),
+				"server_name": "aws-useast2-natscj1-1",
+			},
+			"", "",
+		},
 	} {
 		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			f, err := os.CreateTemp(t.TempDir(), "nats.conf-")