diff --git a/pkg/dataflatten/string_delimited.go b/pkg/dataflatten/string_delimited.go
index 118f9572ce..41b3a7d824 100644
--- a/pkg/dataflatten/string_delimited.go
+++ b/pkg/dataflatten/string_delimited.go
@@ -7,14 +7,17 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-func StringDelimited(rawdata []byte, delimiter string, opts ...FlattenOpts) ([]Row, error) {
-	return flattenStringDelimited(rawdata, delimiter, opts...)
-}
-
 type dataFunc func(data []byte, opts ...FlattenOpts) ([]Row, error)
 
 // StringDelimitedUnseparatedFunc returns a function that conforms to the
-// function expected by dataflattentable.Table's execDataFunc property
+// interface expected by dataflattentable.Table's execDataFunc property.
+// properties are grouped into a single record based on 'duplicate key'
+// strategy: If a key/value pair is encountered, and the record being built
+// already has a value for that key, then that record is considered 'complete'.
+// The record is stored in the collection, and a new record is started. This
+// strategy is only suitable if the data output does not exclude k/v pairs with
+// blank/missing values, and assumes that the properties for a single record are
+// grouped together.
 func StringDelimitedUnseparatedFunc(delimiter string) dataFunc {
 	return func(rawdata []byte, opts ...FlattenOpts) ([]Row, error) {
 		v := map[string]interface{}{}
@@ -47,36 +50,11 @@ func StringDelimitedUnseparatedFunc(delimiter string) dataFunc {
 	}
 }
 
-// StringDelimitedUnseparated will decide when to create a new record based on
-// when a duplicate key is found.
-func StringDelimitedUnseparated(rawdata []byte, delimiter string, opts ...FlattenOpts) ([]Row, error) {
-	v := map[string]interface{}{}
-	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(bytes.NewReader(rawdata))
-	row := map[string]interface{}{}
-	i := 0
-	for scanner.Scan() {
-		line := scanner.Text()
-		parts := strings.SplitN(line, delimiter, 2)
-		if len(parts) < 2 {
-			// TODO: this is potentially problematic if the output doesn't
-			// include a separator for blank values. we need to record keys even
-			// if there is no value for the 'split records by duplicate keys'
-			// strategy to work
-			// level.Debug(logger).Log("msg", "not enough parts to get a k/v pair", "line", line)
-			continue
-		}
-		key := parts[0]
-		value := strings.TrimSpace(parts[1])
-		if _, ok := row[key]; ok { // this key already exists, so we want to start a new record.
-			v[strconv.Itoa(i)] = row // record the results in the collection
-			i++
-			row = map[string]interface{}{} // reset the record
-		}
-		row[key] = value
-	}
-	v[strconv.Itoa(i)] = row // store the final result
-
-	return Flatten(v, opts...)
+// StringDelimited assumes that rawdata only holds key-value pairs for a single
+// record. Additionally, each k/v pair must be on its own line. Useful for
+// output that can be easily separated into separate records before 'flattening'
+func StringDelimited(rawdata []byte, delimiter string, opts ...FlattenOpts) ([]Row, error) {
+	return flattenStringDelimited(rawdata, delimiter, opts...)
 }
 
 func flattenStringDelimited(in []byte, delimiter string, opts ...FlattenOpts) ([]Row, error) {