diff --git a/redback-authentication/redback-authentication-providers/redback-authentication-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/authentication/ldap/LdapBindAuthenticator.java b/redback-authentication/redback-authentication-providers/redback-authentication-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/authentication/ldap/LdapBindAuthenticator.java
index b8b05705..fa50c465 100644
--- a/redback-authentication/redback-authentication-providers/redback-authentication-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/authentication/ldap/LdapBindAuthenticator.java
+++ b/redback-authentication/redback-authentication-providers/redback-authentication-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/authentication/ldap/LdapBindAuthenticator.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.common.ldap.UserMapper;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.common.ldap.connection.LdapConnectionFactory;
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.authentication.AuthenticationDataSource;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.authentication.AuthenticationException;
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class LdapBindAuthenticator
 
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "userConfiguration" )
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     @Inject
     private LdapCacheService ldapCacheService;
diff --git a/redback-common/redback-common-jdo/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/jdo/UserConfigurableJdoFactory.java b/redback-common/redback-common-jdo/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/jdo/UserConfigurableJdoFactory.java
index 2d3caf68..eeb1cf68 100644
--- a/redback-common/redback-common-jdo/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/jdo/UserConfigurableJdoFactory.java
+++ b/redback-common/redback-common-jdo/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/jdo/UserConfigurableJdoFactory.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
  */
 
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.components.jdo.DefaultConfigurableJdoFactory;
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.codehaus.plexus.interpolation.InterpolationException;
 import org.codehaus.plexus.interpolation.PropertiesBasedValueSource;
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public class UserConfigurableJdoFactory
 
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "userConfiguration" )
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     private String getConfigString( String key, String currentValue, String defaultValue )
     {
@@ -116,12 +116,12 @@ public void initialize()
         super.initialize();
     }
 
-    public DefaultUserConfiguration getConfig()
+    public UserConfiguration getConfig()
     {
         return config;
     }
 
-    public void setConfig( DefaultUserConfiguration config )
+    public void setConfig( UserConfiguration config )
     {
         this.config = config;
     }
diff --git a/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/LdapUserMapper.java b/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/LdapUserMapper.java
index 5e65658b..3add782a 100644
--- a/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/LdapUserMapper.java
+++ b/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/LdapUserMapper.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.users.User;
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public class LdapUserMapper
 
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "userConfiguration" )
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration userConf;
+    private UserConfiguration userConf;
 
     @PostConstruct
     public void initialize()
@@ -301,12 +301,12 @@ public String[] getReturningAttributes()
             getPasswordAttribute() };
     }
 
-    public DefaultUserConfiguration getUserConf()
+    public UserConfiguration getUserConf()
     {
         return userConf;
     }
 
-    public void setUserConf( DefaultUserConfiguration userConf )
+    public void setUserConf( UserConfiguration userConf )
     {
         this.userConf = userConf;
     }
diff --git a/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/connection/ConfigurableLdapConnectionFactory.java b/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/connection/ConfigurableLdapConnectionFactory.java
index ff740334..2d6861f6 100644
--- a/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/connection/ConfigurableLdapConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/redback-common/redback-common-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/common/ldap/connection/ConfigurableLdapConnectionFactory.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
 import javax.annotation.PostConstruct;
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public class ConfigurableLdapConnectionFactory
 
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "userConfiguration" )
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration userConf;
+    private UserConfiguration userConf;
 
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Component Lifecycle
@@ -267,12 +267,12 @@ public void setExtraProperties( Properties extraProperties )
         this.extraProperties = extraProperties;
     }
 
-    public DefaultUserConfiguration getUserConf()
+    public UserConfiguration getUserConf()
     {
         return userConf;
     }
 
-    public void setUserConf( DefaultUserConfiguration userConf )
+    public void setUserConf( UserConfiguration userConf )
     {
         this.userConf = userConf;
     }
diff --git a/redback-configuration/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfiguration.java b/redback-configuration/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfiguration.java
index bf1c43d5..b461f681 100644
--- a/redback-configuration/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfiguration.java
+++ b/redback-configuration/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfiguration.java
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
  */
 @Service( "userConfiguration" )
 public class DefaultUserConfiguration
+    implements UserConfiguration
 {
     private static final String DEFAULT_CONFIG_RESOURCE = "org/apache/archiva/redback/config-defaults.properties";
 
diff --git a/redback-configuration/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/UserConfiguration.java b/redback-configuration/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/UserConfiguration.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..754f2269
--- /dev/null
+++ b/redback-configuration/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/UserConfiguration.java
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration;
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.components.registry.RegistryException;
+
+import javax.annotation.PostConstruct;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * @author Olivier Lamy
+ */
+public interface UserConfiguration
+{
+    @PostConstruct
+    void initialize()
+        throws RegistryException;
+
+    String getString( String key );
+
+    String getString( String key, String defaultValue );
+
+    int getInt( String key );
+
+    int getInt( String key, int defaultValue );
+
+    boolean getBoolean( String key );
+
+    boolean getBoolean( String key, boolean defaultValue );
+
+    @SuppressWarnings( "unchecked" )
+    List<String> getList( String key );
+
+    String getConcatenatedList( String key, String defaultValue );
+}
diff --git a/redback-configuration/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfigurationTest.java b/redback-configuration/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfigurationTest.java
index d87b5287..2293ea5b 100644
--- a/redback-configuration/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfigurationTest.java
+++ b/redback-configuration/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/configuration/DefaultUserConfigurationTest.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class DefaultUserConfigurationTest
 {
 
     @Inject  @Named(value = "test")
-    DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    UserConfiguration config;
 
     private void assertEmpty( String str )
     {
diff --git a/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/checks/security/AdminAutoCreateCheck.java b/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/checks/security/AdminAutoCreateCheck.java
index 64c7ebb5..fce83a1b 100644
--- a/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/checks/security/AdminAutoCreateCheck.java
+++ b/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/checks/security/AdminAutoCreateCheck.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
  */
 
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.authentication.PasswordBasedAuthenticationDataSource;
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.rbac.RBACManager;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.role.RoleManager;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.role.RoleManagerException;
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public class AdminAutoCreateCheck
     private UserManager userManager;
 
     @Inject
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     @Inject
     protected SecuritySystem securitySystem;
diff --git a/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/MailerImpl.java b/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/MailerImpl.java
index d5c8a448..efba805a 100644
--- a/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/MailerImpl.java
+++ b/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/MailerImpl.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 import javax.mail.internet.InternetAddress;
 import javax.mail.internet.MimeMessage;
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.keys.AuthenticationKey;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.policy.UserSecurityPolicy;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.policy.UserValidationSettings;
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public class MailerImpl
     private SecuritySystem securitySystem;
 
     @Inject  @Named(value="userConfiguration")
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     public void sendAccountValidationEmail( Collection<String> recipients, AuthenticationKey authkey, String baseUrl )
     {
diff --git a/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/VelocityMailGenerator.java b/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/VelocityMailGenerator.java
index d2e626f0..ce97cc45 100644
--- a/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/VelocityMailGenerator.java
+++ b/redback-integrations/redback-common-integrations/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/integration/mail/VelocityMailGenerator.java
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.keys.AuthenticationKey;
 import org.apache.velocity.VelocityContext;
 import org.apache.velocity.app.VelocityEngine;
 import org.apache.velocity.exception.MethodInvocationException;
 import org.apache.velocity.exception.ParseErrorException;
 import org.apache.velocity.exception.ResourceNotFoundException;
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public class VelocityMailGenerator
 
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "userConfiguration" )
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     // FIXME use the spring directly 
     @Inject
@@ -130,12 +130,12 @@ private VelocityContext createVelocityContext( AuthenticationKey authkey, String
     }
 
 
-    public DefaultUserConfiguration getConfig()
+    public UserConfiguration getConfig()
     {
         return config;
     }
 
-    public void setConfig( DefaultUserConfiguration config )
+    public void setConfig( UserConfiguration config )
     {
         this.config = config;
     }
diff --git a/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/DefaultUserService.java b/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/DefaultUserService.java
index 3daca92e..0f156313 100644
--- a/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/DefaultUserService.java
+++ b/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/DefaultUserService.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.authentication.AuthenticationException;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.authentication.TokenBasedAuthenticationDataSource;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.components.cache.Cache;
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.integration.filter.authentication.HttpAuthenticator;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.integration.mail.Mailer;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.integration.security.role.RedbackRoleConstants;
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public class DefaultUserService
     private SecuritySystem securitySystem;
 
     @Inject
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     @Inject
     private RoleManager roleManager;
diff --git a/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/FakeCreateAdminServiceImpl.java b/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/FakeCreateAdminServiceImpl.java
index 0807c437..057faff6 100644
--- a/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/FakeCreateAdminServiceImpl.java
+++ b/redback-integrations/redback-rest/redback-rest-services/src/test/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/rest/services/FakeCreateAdminServiceImpl.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.rbac.RBACManager;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.users.UserManager;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.role.RoleManager;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public class FakeCreateAdminServiceImpl
     private UserManager userManager;
 
     @Inject
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     @Inject
     private RoleManager roleManager;
diff --git a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/AbstractCookieSettings.java b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/AbstractCookieSettings.java
index ab0f46bc..87b23844 100644
--- a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/AbstractCookieSettings.java
+++ b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/AbstractCookieSettings.java
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 import javax.inject.Named;
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 
 /**
  * Base class for cookie settings. These will only differ by their configuration keys.
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractCookieSettings
     implements CookieSettings
 {
     @Inject @Named(value="userConfiguration")
-    protected DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    protected UserConfiguration config;
 
     /**
      * Timeout (in minutes) for the sign on cookie.
diff --git a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserSecurityPolicy.java b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserSecurityPolicy.java
index cc7d4cc3..b393a766 100644
--- a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserSecurityPolicy.java
+++ b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserSecurityPolicy.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.users.User;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.policy.rules.MustHavePasswordRule;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class DefaultUserSecurityPolicy
 
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "userConfiguration" )
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "passwordEncoder#sha256" )
@@ -402,12 +402,12 @@ public CookieSettings getSignonCookieSettings()
         return signonCookieSettings;
     }
 
-    public DefaultUserConfiguration getConfig()
+    public UserConfiguration getConfig()
     {
         return config;
     }
 
-    public void setConfig( DefaultUserConfiguration config )
+    public void setConfig( UserConfiguration config )
     {
         this.config = config;
     }
diff --git a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserValidationSettings.java b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserValidationSettings.java
index b86f532e..9b913fc8 100644
--- a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserValidationSettings.java
+++ b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/DefaultUserValidationSettings.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
 import javax.annotation.PostConstruct;
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class DefaultUserValidationSettings
     implements UserValidationSettings
 {
     @Resource (name="userConfiguration")
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     private boolean emailValidationRequired;
 
diff --git a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/rules/AbstractPasswordRule.java b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/rules/AbstractPasswordRule.java
index ec965e89..73183e0e 100644
--- a/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/rules/AbstractPasswordRule.java
+++ b/redback-policy/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/policy/rules/AbstractPasswordRule.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.policy.PasswordRule;
 
 import javax.inject.Inject;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractPasswordRule
     protected boolean enabled = true;
 
     @Inject @Named (value="userConfiguration")
-    protected DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    protected UserConfiguration config;
 
     public boolean isEnabled()
     {
diff --git a/redback-users/redback-users-providers/redback-users-configurable/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/users/configurable/ConfigurableUserManager.java b/redback-users/redback-users-providers/redback-users-configurable/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/users/configurable/ConfigurableUserManager.java
index f263eb1a..b1d09f0a 100644
--- a/redback-users/redback-users-providers/redback-users-configurable/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/users/configurable/ConfigurableUserManager.java
+++ b/redback-users/redback-users-providers/redback-users-configurable/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/redback/users/configurable/ConfigurableUserManager.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.DefaultUserConfiguration;
+import org.apache.archiva.redback.configuration.UserConfiguration;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.users.AbstractUserManager;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.users.User;
 import org.apache.archiva.redback.users.UserManager;
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class ConfigurableUserManager
 {
     @Inject
     @Named( value = "userConfiguration" )
-    private DefaultUserConfiguration config;
+    private UserConfiguration config;
 
     @Inject
     private ApplicationContext applicationContext;