diff --git a/app/app.py b/app/app.py
index 4bd09ce..1c2910e 100644
--- a/app/app.py
+++ b/app/app.py
@@ -51,49 +51,51 @@ class Server(db.Model):
 def parse_infrastructure_conf():
     servers = []
     current_group = None
-    current_host = None  # track the last top-level host for nesting
+    current_host = None  # track the last host for nesting
     try:
         with open(INFRA_CONF_PATH) as f:
             for line in f:
                 line = line.rstrip('\n')
-                if not line.strip() or line.strip().startswith('#'):
+                stripped = line.strip()
+                if not stripped or stripped.startswith('#'):
                     continue
+                # Group header: no leading whitespace
                 if line[0] not in (' ', '\t'):
-                    current_group = line.strip()
+                    current_group = stripped
                     current_host = None
+                    continue
+                # Detect prefix: -- child VM, - host
+                if stripped.startswith('--'):
+                    is_child = True
+                    rest = stripped[2:].strip()
+                elif stripped.startswith('-'):
+                    is_child = False
+                    rest = stripped[1:].strip()
                 else:
-                    # Detect indent level: double indent = child VM
-                    # Normalize: count leading whitespace treating tab as 4 spaces
-                    raw_indent = 0
-                    for ch in line:
-                        if ch == '\t':
-                            raw_indent += 4
-                        elif ch == ' ':
-                            raw_indent += 1
-                        else:
-                            break
-                    is_child = raw_indent >= 8
+                    # Legacy: no dash prefix, treat as host
+                    is_child = False
+                    rest = stripped
 
-                    parts = line.strip().split(None, 1)
-                    entry = parts[0] if parts else ''
-                    url = parts[1] if len(parts) > 1 else ''
-                    if '@' in entry:
-                        user, host = entry.split('@', 1)
+                parts = rest.split(None, 1)
+                entry = parts[0] if parts else ''
+                url = parts[1] if len(parts) > 1 else ''
+                if '@' in entry:
+                    user, host = entry.split('@', 1)
+                else:
+                    user, host = 'infmap', entry
+                if host:
+                    parent = ''
+                    if is_child and current_host:
+                        parent = current_host
                     else:
-                        user, host = 'infmap', entry
-                    if host:
-                        parent = ''
-                        if is_child and current_host:
-                            parent = current_host
-                        else:
-                            current_host = host.strip()
-                        servers.append({
-                            'group': current_group or 'Default',
-                            'username': user.strip(),
-                            'hostname': host.strip(),
-                            'url': url.strip(),
-                            'parent_hostname': parent,
-                        })
+                        current_host = host.strip()
+                    servers.append({
+                        'group': current_group or 'Default',
+                        'username': user.strip(),
+                        'hostname': host.strip(),
+                        'url': url.strip(),
+                        'parent_hostname': parent,
+                    })
     except FileNotFoundError:
         logger.error("infrastructure.conf not found at %s", INFRA_CONF_PATH)
     return servers
@@ -284,7 +286,15 @@ def index():
     for hostname in children_map:
         children_map[hostname].sort(key=lambda s: _ip_sort_key(s.primary_ip))
 
-    # Group parents
+    # Get group order from config file
+    config_entries = parse_infrastructure_conf()
+    group_order = []
+    for e in config_entries:
+        g = e['group']
+        if g not in group_order:
+            group_order.append(g)
+
+    # Group parents, preserving config order
     groups = {}
     for s in parents:
         g = s.group_name or 'Default'
@@ -292,6 +302,16 @@ def index():
             groups[g] = []
         groups[g].append(s)
 
+    # Re-order groups to match config
+    ordered_groups = {}
+    for g in group_order:
+        if g in groups:
+            ordered_groups[g] = groups.pop(g)
+    # Append any remaining groups not in config
+    for g in groups:
+        ordered_groups[g] = groups[g]
+    groups = ordered_groups
+
     # Sort servers within each group by IP (numerically)
     for g in groups:
         groups[g].sort(key=lambda s: _ip_sort_key(s.primary_ip))