diff --git a/src/config.lua b/src/config.lua
index 9520ded..b5e0fdf 100644
--- a/src/config.lua
+++ b/src/config.lua
@@ -2,81 +2,58 @@
 -- See LICENSE.txt for details.
 
 
-local config = {}
+mt_irc.config = {}
+
+local function setting(stype, name, default)
+	local value
+	if stype == "bool" then
+		value = minetest.setting_getbool("irc."..name)
+	elseif stype == "string" then
+		value = minetest.setting_get("irc."..name)
+	elseif stype == "number" then
+		value = tonumber(minetest.setting_get("irc."..name))
+	end
+	if value == nil then
+		value = default
+	end
+	mt_irc.config[name] = value
+end
 
 -------------------------
 -- BASIC USER SETTINGS --
 -------------------------
 
--- Nickname (string, default "minetest-"..<server-id>)
---  (<server-id> is a random string of 6 hexidecimal numbers).
-config.nick = minetest.setting_get("irc.nick")
-
--- Server to connect on joinplayer (string, default "irc.freenode.net")
-config.server = minetest.setting_get("irc.server") or "irc.freenode.net"
-
--- Port to connect on joinplayer (number, default 6667)
-config.port = tonumber(minetest.setting_get("irc.port")) or 6667
-
--- NickServ password
-config.NSPass = minetest.setting_get("irc.NSPass")
-
--- SASL password (Blank to disable SASL authentication)
-config.SASLPass = minetest.setting_get("irc.SASLPass")
-
--- Channel to connect on joinplayer (string, default "##mt-irc-mod")
-config.channel = minetest.setting_get("irc.channel") or "##mt-irc-mod"
-
--- Key for the channel (string, default nil)
-config.key = minetest.setting_get("irc.key")
-
+setting("string", "nick") -- Nickname (default "MT-<hash>", <hash> 6 random hexidecimal characters)
+setting("string", "server", "irc.freenode.net") -- Server to connect on joinplayer
+setting("number", "port", 6667) -- Port to connect on joinplayer
+setting("string", "NSPass") -- NickServ password
+setting("string", "SASLUser", mt_irc.config.nick) -- SASL username
+setting("string", "SASLPass") -- SASL password
+setting("string", "channel", "##mt-irc-mod") -- Channel to join
+setting("string", "key") -- Key for the channel
 
 -----------------------
 -- ADVANCED SETTINGS --
 -----------------------
 
--- Server password (string, default "")
-config.password = minetest.setting_get("irc.password")
+setting("string", "password") -- Server password
+setting("bool",   "secure", false) -- Enable a TLS connection, requires LuaSEC
+setting("number", "interval", 2) -- Time between chat updates in seconds. Setting this too low can cause "Excess flood" disconnects.
+setting("number", "timeout", 60) -- Underlying socket timeout in seconds.
+setting("string", "command_prefix") -- Prefix to use for bot commands
+setting("bool",   "debug", false) -- Enable debug output
+setting("bool",   "enable_player_part", true) -- Whether to enable players joining and parting the channel
+setting("bool",   "auto_join", true) -- Whether to automatically show players in the channel when they join
+setting("bool",   "auto_connect", true) -- Whether to automatically connect to the server on mod load
 
--- SASL username
-config.SASLUser = minetest.setting_get("irc.SASLUser") or config.nick
-
--- Enable a TLS connection, requires LuaSEC (bool, default false)
-config.secure = minetest.setting_getbool("irc.secure")
-
--- Time between chat updates in seconds (number, default 2.1). Setting this too low can cause "Excess flood" disconnects.
-config.interval = tonumber(minetest.setting_get("irc.interval")) or 2.0
-
--- Underlying socket timeout in seconds (number, default 60.0).
-config.timeout = tonumber(minetest.setting_get("irc.timeout")) or 60.0
-
--- Prefix to use for bot commands (string)
-config.command_prefix = minetest.setting_get("irc.command_prefix")
-
--- Enable debug output (boolean, default false)
-config.debug = minetest.setting_getbool("irc.debug")
-
--- Whether to enable players joining and parting the channel
-config.enable_player_part = not minetest.setting_getbool("irc.disable_player_part")
-
--- Whether to automatically join the channel when player joins
---  (boolean, default true)
-config.auto_join = not minetest.setting_getbool("irc.disable_auto_join")
-
--- Whether to automatically connect to the server on mod load
---  (boolean, default true)
-config.auto_connect = not minetest.setting_getbool("irc.disable_auto_connect")
-
--- Set default server nick if not specified.
-if not config.nick then
+-- Generate a random nickname if one isn't specified.
+if not mt_irc.config.nick then
 	local pr = PseudoRandom(os.time())
 	-- Workaround for bad distribution in minetest PRNG implementation.
-	config.nick = ("MT-%02X%02X%02X"):format(
+	mt_irc.config.nick = ("MT-%02X%02X%02X"):format(
 		pr:next(0, 255),
 		pr:next(0, 255),
 		pr:next(0, 255)
 	)
 end
 
-mt_irc.config = config
-