diff --git a/Smarty.class.php b/Smarty.class.php
index 6e19ecec..297deb5f 100644
--- a/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/Smarty.class.php
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ class Smarty
     function display($tpl_file, $cache_id = null)
     {
         $this->fetch($tpl_file, $cache_id, true);
-    }   
+    }
         
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function:   fetch()
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ class Smarty
         if ($this->show_info_header) {
             $info_header = '<!-- Smarty '.$this->_version.' '.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z").' -->'."\n\n";
         } else {
-            $info_header = "";          
+            $info_header = '';          
         }
 
         // if we just need to display the results, don't perform output
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ class Smarty
             $this->_write_file($cache_file, $results, true);
             $results = $this->_process_cached_inserts($results);
         }
-                
+ 
         if ($display) {
             if (isset($results)) { echo $results; }
             return;
@@ -570,8 +570,8 @@ class Smarty
         if (!$this->force_compile && $this->_compiled_template_exists($compile_path)) {
             if (!$this->compile_check) {
                 // no need to check if the template needs recompiled
-                return true;                
-            } else {               
+                return true;
+            } else { 
                 // get template source and timestamp
                 $this->_fetch_template_source($tpl_file, $template_source, $template_timestamp);
                 if ($template_timestamp <= $this->_fetch_compiled_template_timestamp($compile_path)) {
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ class Smarty
             $this->_write_compiled_template($compile_path, $template_compiled);
             return true;
         }
-    }    
+    }
     
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function:   _fetch_compile_path()
@@ -756,6 +756,33 @@ class Smarty
         array_shift($this->_config);
     }
         
+    
+/*======================================================================*\
+    Function: _config_load
+    Purpose:  load configuration values
+\*======================================================================*/
+    function _config_load($file, $section, $scope)
+    {
+        $this->_config[0] = array_merge($this->_config[0], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
+        if ($scope == 'parent') {
+            if (count($this->_config) > 0)
+                $this->_config[1] = array_merge($this->_config[1], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
+        } else if ($scope == 'global')
+            for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++)
+                $this->_config[$i] = array_merge($this->_config[$i], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
+
+        if (!empty($section)) {
+            $this->_config[0] = array_merge($this->_config[0], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
+            if ($scope == 'parent') {
+                if (count($this->_config) > 0)
+                    $this->_config[1] = array_merge($this->_config[1], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
+            } else if ($scope == 'global')
+                for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++)
+                    $this->_config[$i] = array_merge($this->_config[$i], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
+        }
+    }
+
+
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function: _process_cached_inserts
     Purpose:  Replace cached inserts with the actual results
diff --git a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 6922487d..e3060f63 100644
--- a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 \*======================================================================*/
     function _compile_file($tpl_file, $template_source, &$template_compiled)
     {
-        if($this->security) {
+        if ($this->security) {
             // do not allow php syntax to be executed unless specified
             if ($this->php_handling == SMARTY_PHP_ALLOW &&
                 !$this->security_settings['PHP_HANDLING']) {
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
             case 'php':
                 if ($this->security && !$this->security_settings['PHP_TAGS']) {
                     $this->_syntax_error("(secure mode) php tags not permitted", E_USER_WARNING);
-                    return;                 
+                    return;
                 }
                 list (,$php_block) = each($this->_php_blocks);
                 $this->_current_line_no += substr_count($php_block, "\n");
@@ -347,12 +347,15 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
             $this->_syntax_error("missing 'file' attribute in config_load tag");
         }
 
+        if (empty($attrs['section'])) {
+            $attrs['section'] = 'null';
+        }
+
         $scope = $this->_dequote($attrs['scope']);
         if (!empty($scope)) {
             if ($scope != 'local' &&
                 $scope != 'parent' &&
                 $scope != 'global') {
-                var_dump($scope);
                 $this->_syntax_error("invalid 'scope' attribute value");
             }
         } else {
@@ -362,27 +365,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                 $scope = 'local';
         }
 
-        $output  = "<?php\n" .
-                   "\$this->_config[0] = array_merge(\$this->_config[0], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file']."));\n";
-        if ($scope == 'parent')
-            $output .=  "if (count(\$this->_config) > 0)\n" .
-                        "   \$this->_config[1] = array_merge(\$this->_config[1], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file']."));\n";
-        else if ($scope == 'global')
-            $output .=  "for (\$this->_i = 1; \$this->_i < count(\$this->_config); \$this->_i++)\n" .
-                        "   \$this->_config[\$this->_i] = array_merge(\$this->_config[\$this->_i], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file']."));\n";
-
-        $dq_section = $this->_dequote($attrs['section']);
-        if (!empty($dq_section)) {
-            $output .=  "\$this->_config[0] = array_merge(\$this->_config[0], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file'].", ".$attrs['section']."));\n";
-            if ($scope == 'parent')
-                $output .= "if (count(\$this->_config) > 0)\n" .
-                           "    \$this->_config[1] = array_merge(\$this->_config[1], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file'].", ".$attrs['section']."));\n";
-            else if ($scope == 'global')
-                $output .=  "for (\$this->_i = 1; \$this->_i < count(\$this->_config); \$this->_i++)\n" .
-                            "   \$this->_config[\$this->_i] = array_merge(\$this->_config[\$this->_i], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file'].", ".$attrs['section']."));\n";
-        }
-
-        $output .= '?>';
+        $output  = '<?php $this->_config_load(' . $attrs['file'] . ', ' . $attrs['section'] . ", '$scope'); ?>";
 
         return $output;
     }
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 2b3278d0..9c89a9f9 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@
 * think about passing default structures to includes, i.e. {include
   default=$foo}, then using $bar in included template, instead of $foo.bar
 * support implementations of prefiltes, mods, and others as class methods.
+* possibly implement default modifiers that apply to variables upon display
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index 6e19ecec..297deb5f 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ class Smarty
     function display($tpl_file, $cache_id = null)
     {
         $this->fetch($tpl_file, $cache_id, true);
-    }   
+    }
         
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function:   fetch()
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ class Smarty
         if ($this->show_info_header) {
             $info_header = '<!-- Smarty '.$this->_version.' '.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z").' -->'."\n\n";
         } else {
-            $info_header = "";          
+            $info_header = '';          
         }
 
         // if we just need to display the results, don't perform output
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ class Smarty
             $this->_write_file($cache_file, $results, true);
             $results = $this->_process_cached_inserts($results);
         }
-                
+ 
         if ($display) {
             if (isset($results)) { echo $results; }
             return;
@@ -570,8 +570,8 @@ class Smarty
         if (!$this->force_compile && $this->_compiled_template_exists($compile_path)) {
             if (!$this->compile_check) {
                 // no need to check if the template needs recompiled
-                return true;                
-            } else {               
+                return true;
+            } else { 
                 // get template source and timestamp
                 $this->_fetch_template_source($tpl_file, $template_source, $template_timestamp);
                 if ($template_timestamp <= $this->_fetch_compiled_template_timestamp($compile_path)) {
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ class Smarty
             $this->_write_compiled_template($compile_path, $template_compiled);
             return true;
         }
-    }    
+    }
     
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function:   _fetch_compile_path()
@@ -756,6 +756,33 @@ class Smarty
         array_shift($this->_config);
     }
         
+    
+/*======================================================================*\
+    Function: _config_load
+    Purpose:  load configuration values
+\*======================================================================*/
+    function _config_load($file, $section, $scope)
+    {
+        $this->_config[0] = array_merge($this->_config[0], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
+        if ($scope == 'parent') {
+            if (count($this->_config) > 0)
+                $this->_config[1] = array_merge($this->_config[1], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
+        } else if ($scope == 'global')
+            for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++)
+                $this->_config[$i] = array_merge($this->_config[$i], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
+
+        if (!empty($section)) {
+            $this->_config[0] = array_merge($this->_config[0], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
+            if ($scope == 'parent') {
+                if (count($this->_config) > 0)
+                    $this->_config[1] = array_merge($this->_config[1], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
+            } else if ($scope == 'global')
+                for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++)
+                    $this->_config[$i] = array_merge($this->_config[$i], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
+        }
+    }
+
+
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function: _process_cached_inserts
     Purpose:  Replace cached inserts with the actual results
diff --git a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 6922487d..e3060f63 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 \*======================================================================*/
     function _compile_file($tpl_file, $template_source, &$template_compiled)
     {
-        if($this->security) {
+        if ($this->security) {
             // do not allow php syntax to be executed unless specified
             if ($this->php_handling == SMARTY_PHP_ALLOW &&
                 !$this->security_settings['PHP_HANDLING']) {
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
             case 'php':
                 if ($this->security && !$this->security_settings['PHP_TAGS']) {
                     $this->_syntax_error("(secure mode) php tags not permitted", E_USER_WARNING);
-                    return;                 
+                    return;
                 }
                 list (,$php_block) = each($this->_php_blocks);
                 $this->_current_line_no += substr_count($php_block, "\n");
@@ -347,12 +347,15 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
             $this->_syntax_error("missing 'file' attribute in config_load tag");
         }
 
+        if (empty($attrs['section'])) {
+            $attrs['section'] = 'null';
+        }
+
         $scope = $this->_dequote($attrs['scope']);
         if (!empty($scope)) {
             if ($scope != 'local' &&
                 $scope != 'parent' &&
                 $scope != 'global') {
-                var_dump($scope);
                 $this->_syntax_error("invalid 'scope' attribute value");
             }
         } else {
@@ -362,27 +365,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                 $scope = 'local';
         }
 
-        $output  = "<?php\n" .
-                   "\$this->_config[0] = array_merge(\$this->_config[0], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file']."));\n";
-        if ($scope == 'parent')
-            $output .=  "if (count(\$this->_config) > 0)\n" .
-                        "   \$this->_config[1] = array_merge(\$this->_config[1], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file']."));\n";
-        else if ($scope == 'global')
-            $output .=  "for (\$this->_i = 1; \$this->_i < count(\$this->_config); \$this->_i++)\n" .
-                        "   \$this->_config[\$this->_i] = array_merge(\$this->_config[\$this->_i], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file']."));\n";
-
-        $dq_section = $this->_dequote($attrs['section']);
-        if (!empty($dq_section)) {
-            $output .=  "\$this->_config[0] = array_merge(\$this->_config[0], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file'].", ".$attrs['section']."));\n";
-            if ($scope == 'parent')
-                $output .= "if (count(\$this->_config) > 0)\n" .
-                           "    \$this->_config[1] = array_merge(\$this->_config[1], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file'].", ".$attrs['section']."));\n";
-            else if ($scope == 'global')
-                $output .=  "for (\$this->_i = 1; \$this->_i < count(\$this->_config); \$this->_i++)\n" .
-                            "   \$this->_config[\$this->_i] = array_merge(\$this->_config[\$this->_i], \$this->_conf_obj->get(".$attrs['file'].", ".$attrs['section']."));\n";
-        }
-
-        $output .= '?>';
+        $output  = '<?php $this->_config_load(' . $attrs['file'] . ', ' . $attrs['section'] . ", '$scope'); ?>";
 
         return $output;
     }