diff --git a/archiva-modules/archiva-base/archiva-repository-admin/archiva-repository-admin-default/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/admin/repository/runtime/DefaultArchivaRuntimeConfigurationAdmin.java b/archiva-modules/archiva-base/archiva-repository-admin/archiva-repository-admin-default/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/admin/repository/runtime/DefaultArchivaRuntimeConfigurationAdmin.java
index ddd504cec..4817c6b75 100644
--- a/archiva-modules/archiva-base/archiva-repository-admin/archiva-repository-admin-default/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/admin/repository/runtime/DefaultArchivaRuntimeConfigurationAdmin.java
+++ b/archiva-modules/archiva-base/archiva-repository-admin/archiva-repository-admin-default/src/main/java/org/apache/archiva/admin/repository/runtime/DefaultArchivaRuntimeConfigurationAdmin.java
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ public class DefaultArchivaRuntimeConfigurationAdmin
             return Boolean.valueOf( conf.getConfigurationProperties().get( key ) );
         }
 
-        boolean value = userConfiguration.getBoolean( key );
+        boolean value = userConfiguration.getBoolean( key, defaultValue );
 
         conf.getConfigurationProperties().put( key, Boolean.toString( value ) );
         try