diff --git a/common.c b/common.c
index 57518d9..6d73130 100644
--- a/common.c
+++ b/common.c
@@ -701,6 +701,23 @@ config_schema_accepts_type
 
 }
 
+static bool
+config_item_validate_by_schema (struct config_item_ *self,
+	struct config_item_ *source, struct config_schema *schema, struct error **e)
+{
+	// Otherwise we check the type and validate the item
+	if (!config_schema_accepts_type (schema, source->type))
+		error_set (e, "invalid type of value, expected: %s%s",
+			config_item_type_name (schema->type),
+			!schema->default_ ? " (or null)" : "");
+	else if (schema->validate && !schema->validate (self, source))
+		// XXX: perhaps "schema->validate" could provide a message for us?
+		error_set (e, "invalid value");
+	else
+		return true;
+	return false;
+}
+
 static bool
 config_item_set_from (struct config_item_ *self, struct config_item_ *source,
 	struct error **e)
@@ -713,21 +730,8 @@ config_item_set_from (struct config_item_ *self, struct config_item_ *source,
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	// Otherwise we check the type and validate the item
-	if (!config_schema_accepts_type (schema, source->type))
-	{
-		error_set (e, "invalid type of value, expected: %s%s",
-			config_item_type_name (schema->type),
-			!schema->default_ ? " (or null)" : "");
+	if (!config_item_validate_by_schema (self, source, schema, e))
 		return false;
-	}
-
-	if (schema->validate && !schema->validate (self, source))
-	{
-		// XXX: perhaps "schema->validate" could provide a message for us?
-		error_set (e, "invalid value");
-		return false;
-	}
 
 	// Make sure the string subtype fits the schema
 	if (config_item_type_is_string (self->type)
@@ -883,16 +887,6 @@ config_item_write (struct config_item_ *value,
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
-static void
-config_schema_apply_to_object
-	(struct config_schema *schema_array, struct config_item_ *object)
-{
-	hard_assert (object->type == CONFIG_ITEM_OBJECT);
-	// TODO
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
 enum config_token
 {
 	CONFIG_T_ABORT,                     ///< EOF or error
@@ -1421,6 +1415,52 @@ end:
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
+static void
+config_schema_apply_to_object
+	(struct config_schema *schema_array, struct config_item_ *object)
+{
+	hard_assert (object->type == CONFIG_ITEM_OBJECT);
+	while (schema_array->name)
+	{
+		struct config_schema *schema = schema_array++;
+		struct config_item_ *item =
+			str_map_find (&object->value.object, schema->name);
+
+		bool make_new = true;
+		if (item)
+		{
+			struct error *e = NULL;
+			make_new = !config_item_validate_by_schema
+				(NULL, item, schema, &e);
+			if (e)
+			{
+				print_error ("resetting configuration item "
+					"`%s' to defaults: %s", schema->name, e->message);
+				error_free (e);
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (make_new)
+		{
+			struct error *e = NULL;
+			struct config_item_ *default_ = config_item_parse
+				(schema->default_, strlen (schema->default_), true, &e);
+			if (e)
+				exit_fatal ("invalid default: %s", e->message);
+
+			config_item_move (item, default_);
+		}
+
+		item->type = schema->type;
+		item->schema = schema;
+
+		if (schema->on_changed)
+			schema->on_changed (item);
+	}
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+
 // XXX: this doesn't necessarily have to be well designed at all
 
 typedef void (*config_module_load_fn)