diff --git a/common.c b/common.c
index a72453b..d37192e 100644
--- a/common.c
+++ b/common.c
@@ -1935,61 +1935,77 @@ config_item_clone (struct config_item *self)
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
-static void
+static struct config_item *
 config_schema_initialize_item (struct config_schema *schema,
-	struct config_item *parent, void *user_data)
+	struct config_item *parent, struct error **warning, struct error **e)
 {
+	hard_assert (parent->type == CONFIG_ITEM_OBJECT);
 	struct config_item *item =
 		str_map_find (&parent->value.object, schema->name);
 
-	bool replace = true;
-	if (item)
+	struct error *error = NULL;
+	if (item && config_item_validate_by_schema (item, schema, &error))
+		goto keep_current;
+
+	if (error)
 	{
-		// FIXME: either do this silently or tell about it via a callback
-		//   or just store it in an output vector; don't print it directly
-		struct error *e = NULL;
-		replace = !config_item_validate_by_schema (item, schema, &e);
-		if (e)
-		{
-			print_error ("resetting configuration item "
-				"`%s' to default: %s", schema->name, e->message);
-			error_free (e);
-		}
+		error_set (warning, "resetting configuration item "
+			"`%s' to default: %s", schema->name, error->message);
+		error_free (error);
+		error = NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (replace)
+	if (schema->default_)
+		item = config_item_parse
+			(schema->default_, strlen (schema->default_), true, &error);
+	else
+		item = config_item_null ();
+
+	if (error || !config_item_validate_by_schema (item, schema, &error))
 	{
-		struct error *e = NULL;
-		if (schema->default_)
-			item = config_item_parse
-				(schema->default_, strlen (schema->default_), true, &e);
-		else
-			item = config_item_null ();
+		error_set (e, "invalid default for configuration item `%s': %s",
+			schema->name, error->message);
+		error_free (error);
 
-		if (e || !config_item_validate_by_schema (item, schema, &e))
-			exit_fatal ("invalid default for `%s': %s",
-				schema->name, e->message);
-
-		// This will free the old item if there was any
-		str_map_set (&parent->value.object, schema->name, item);
+		config_item_destroy (item);
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	// This will free the old item if there was any
+	str_map_set (&parent->value.object, schema->name, item);
+
+keep_current:
 	// Make sure the string subtype fits the schema
 	if (config_item_type_is_string (item->type)
 	 && config_item_type_is_string (schema->type))
 		item->type = schema->type;
 
 	item->schema = schema;
-	item->user_data = user_data;
+	return item;
 }
 
+/// Assign schemas and user_data to multiple items at once;
+/// feel free to copy over and modify to suit your particular needs
 static void
 config_schema_apply_to_object (struct config_schema *schema_array,
 	struct config_item *object, void *user_data)
 {
-	hard_assert (object->type == CONFIG_ITEM_OBJECT);
 	while (schema_array->name)
-		config_schema_initialize_item (schema_array++, object, user_data);
+	{
+		struct error *warning = NULL, *e = NULL;
+		struct config_item *item = config_schema_initialize_item
+			(schema_array++, object, &warning, &e);
+
+		if (warning)
+		{
+			print_warning ("%s", warning->message);
+			error_free (warning);
+		}
+		if (e)
+			print_fatal ("%s", e->message);
+
+		item->user_data = user_data;
+	}
 }
 
 static void