diff --git a/cmdparse.c b/cmdparse.c
index 591e2e4..a24324f 100644
--- a/cmdparse.c
+++ b/cmdparse.c
@@ -223,6 +223,32 @@ CPS_ParseNTPSourceAdd(char *line, CPS_NTP_Source *src)
 
 /* ================================================== */
 
+int
+CPS_ParseLocal(char *line, int *stratum)
+{
+  int n;
+  char *cmd;
+
+  *stratum = 10;
+
+  while (*line) {
+    cmd = line;
+    line = CPS_SplitWord(line);
+
+    if (!strcasecmp(cmd, "stratum")) {
+      if (sscanf(line, "%d%n", stratum, &n) != 1)
+        return 0;
+    } else {
+      return 0;
+    }
+
+    line += n;
+  }
+
+  return 1;
+}
+/* ================================================== */
+
 void
 CPS_StatusToString(CPS_Status status, char *dest, int len)
 {
diff --git a/cmdparse.h b/cmdparse.h
index 3d18ade..eb1714d 100644
--- a/cmdparse.h
+++ b/cmdparse.h
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ typedef struct {
 /* Parse a command to add an NTP server or peer */
 extern CPS_Status CPS_ParseNTPSourceAdd(char *line, CPS_NTP_Source *src);
   
+/* Parse a command to enable local reference */
+extern int CPS_ParseLocal(char *line, int *stratum);
+
 /* Get a string describing error status */
 extern void CPS_StatusToString(CPS_Status status, char *dest, int len);
 
diff --git a/conf.c b/conf.c
index b7c3ddc..d989a5e 100644
--- a/conf.c
+++ b/conf.c
@@ -817,13 +817,9 @@ parse_log(char *line)
 static void
 parse_local(char *line)
 {
-  int stratum;
-  if (sscanf(line, "stratum%d", &stratum) == 1) {
-    local_stratum = stratum;
-    enable_local = 1;
-  } else {
+  if (!CPS_ParseLocal(line, &local_stratum))
     command_parse_error();
-  }
+  enable_local = 1;
 }
 
 /* ================================================== */