diff --git a/salt/master.py b/salt/master.py
index 2a019b142e..a2ac4541ea 100644
--- a/salt/master.py
+++ b/salt/master.py
@@ -161,8 +161,23 @@ class Master(SMaster):
         pillargitfs = []
         for opts_dict in [x for x in self.opts.get('ext_pillar', [])]:
             if 'git' in opts_dict:
-                br, loc = opts_dict['git'].strip().split()
-                pillargitfs.append(git_pillar.GitPillar(br, loc, self.opts))
+                parts = opts_dict['git'].strip().split()
+                try:
+                    br = parts[0]
+                    loc = parts[1]
+                except IndexError:
+                    log.critical(
+                        'Unable to extract external pillar data: {0}'
+                        .format(opts_dict['git'])
+                    )
+                else:
+                    pillargitfs.append(
+                        git_pillar.GitPillar(
+                            br,
+                            loc,
+                            self.opts
+                        )
+                    )
 
         # Clear remote fileserver backend env cache so it gets recreated during
         # the first loop_interval