diff --git a/llarp/config/definition.hpp b/llarp/config/definition.hpp
index 79f82a6d7..4d6351159 100644
--- a/llarp/config/definition.hpp
+++ b/llarp/config/definition.hpp
@@ -69,10 +69,11 @@ namespace llarp
     std::string
     defaultValueAsString()
     {
-      if (defaultValue)
-        return std::to_string(defaultValue.value());
-      else
-        return "";
+      std::ostringstream oss;
+      if (defaultValue.has_value())
+        oss << defaultValue.value();
+
+      return oss.str();
     }
 
     void
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ namespace llarp
       iss >> t;
       if (iss.fail())
       {
-        throw std::invalid_argument(stringify(input, " is not a valid" , typeid(T).name()));
+        throw std::invalid_argument(stringify(input, " is not a valid ", typeid(T).name()));
       }
       else
       {
@@ -102,12 +103,13 @@ namespace llarp
     std::string
     writeValue(bool useDefault)
     {
-      if (parsedValue)
-        return std::to_string(parsedValue.value());
+      std::ostringstream oss;
+      if (parsedValue.has_value())
+        oss << parsedValue.value();
       else if (useDefault and defaultValue.has_value())
-        return std::to_string(defaultValue.value());
-      else
-        return {};
+        oss << defaultValue.value();
+
+      return oss.str();
     }
 
     nonstd::optional<T> defaultValue;
diff --git a/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp b/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
index 7e1c7d6d9..d47bf5844 100644
--- a/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
+++ b/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <catch2/catch.hpp>
 
-TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition parse test", "[config]")
+TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition int parse test", "[config]")
 {
   llarp::ConfigDefinition<int> def("foo", "bar", false, false, 42);
 
@@ -18,6 +18,18 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition parse test", "[config]")
   CHECK(def.defaultValueAsString() == "42");
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition string parse test", "[config]")
+{
+  llarp::ConfigDefinition<std::string> def("foo", "bar", false, false, "test");
+
+  CHECK(def.getValue() == "test");
+  CHECK(def.defaultValueAsString() == "test");
+
+  CHECK_NOTHROW(def.parseValue("foo"));
+  CHECK(def.getValue() == "foo");
+  CHECK(def.numFound == 1);
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition multiple parses test", "[config]")
 {
   {
@@ -67,6 +79,22 @@ TEST_CASE("Configuration basic add/get test", "[config]")
   CHECK(config.getConfigValue<int>("router", "threads") == 5);
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("Configuration missing def test", "[config]")
+{
+  llarp::Configuration config;
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.addConfigValue("foo", "bar", "5"));
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.getConfigValue<int>("foo", "bar") == 5);
+
+  config.addDefinition(std::make_unique<llarp::ConfigDefinition<int>>(
+            "quux",
+            "bar",
+            false,
+            false,
+            4));
+
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.addConfigValue("foo", "bar", "5"));
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("Configuration required test", "[config]")
 {
   llarp::Configuration config;
@@ -83,3 +111,31 @@ TEST_CASE("Configuration required test", "[config]")
 
   CHECK_NOTHROW(config.validate());
 }
+
+TEST_CASE("Configuration section test", "[config]")
+{
+  llarp::Configuration config;
+  config.addDefinition(std::make_unique<llarp::ConfigDefinition<int>>(
+            "foo",
+            "bar",
+            true,
+            false,
+            1));
+  config.addDefinition(std::make_unique<llarp::ConfigDefinition<int>>(
+            "goo",
+            "bar",
+            true,
+            false,
+            1));
+
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.validate());
+
+  config.addConfigValue("foo", "bar", "5");
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.validate());
+
+  CHECK_NOTHROW(config.addConfigValue("goo", "bar", "6"));
+  CHECK_NOTHROW(config.validate());
+
+  CHECK(config.getConfigValue<int>("foo", "bar") == 5);
+  CHECK(config.getConfigValue<int>("goo", "bar") == 6);
+}