diff --git a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py
index 27a3e96..26931ea 100755
--- a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py
+++ b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py
@@ -320,16 +320,19 @@ class IPEngineApp(BaseParallelApplication):
         
         exec_lines = []
         for app in ('IPKernelApp', 'InteractiveShellApp'):
-            if '%s.exec_lines' in config:
-                exec_lines = config.IPKernelApp.exec_lines = config[app].exec_lines
+            if '%s.exec_lines' % app in config:
+                exec_lines = config[app].exec_lines
                 break
         
         exec_files = []
         for app in ('IPKernelApp', 'InteractiveShellApp'):
-            if '%s.exec_files' in config:
-                exec_files = config.IPKernelApp.exec_files = config[app].exec_files
+            if '%s.exec_files' % app in config:
+                exec_files = config[app].exec_files
                 break
         
+        config.IPKernelApp.exec_lines = exec_lines
+        config.IPKernelApp.exec_files = exec_files
+        
         if self.startup_script:
             exec_files.append(self.startup_script)
         if self.startup_command: