diff --git a/doc/configuration.txt b/doc/configuration.txt
index 8a2cc1c..94d7861 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.txt
+++ b/doc/configuration.txt
@@ -637,9 +637,11 @@
 limited set of section types. Some of them are marked as "deprecated" because
 they are inherited from an old syntax which may be confusing or functionally
 limited, and there are new recommended keywords to replace them. Keywords
-listed with [no] can be optionally inverted using the "no" prefix, ex. "no
+listed with [no] can be optionally inverted using the "no" prefix, eg. "no
 option contstats". This makes sense when the option has been enabled by default
-and must be disabled for a specific instance.
+and must be disabled for a specific instance. Such options may also be prefixed
+with "default" in order to restore default settings regardless of what has been
+specified in a previous "defaults" section.
 
 
 keyword                 defaults   frontend   listen    backend
diff --git a/src/cfgparse.c b/src/cfgparse.c
index 2e079c7..af9af07 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse.c
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@
 	"\x00"                /* Compression Type    : 0x00 = NULL compression   */
 };
 
+/* various keyword modifiers */
+enum kw_mod {
+	KWM_STD = 0,  /* normal */
+	KWM_NO,       /* "no" prefixed before the keyword */
+	KWM_DEF,      /* "default" prefixed before the keyword */
+};
+
 /* some of the most common options which are also the easiest to handle */
 struct cfg_opt {
 	const char *name;
@@ -371,7 +378,7 @@
 /*
  * parse a line in a <global> section. Returns 0 if OK, -1 if error.
  */
-int cfg_parse_global(const char *file, int linenum, char **args, int inv)
+int cfg_parse_global(const char *file, int linenum, char **args, int kwm)
 {
 
 	if (!strcmp(args[0], "global")) {  /* new section */
@@ -683,7 +690,7 @@
  * Parse a line in a <listen>, <frontend>, <backend> or <ruleset> section.
  * Returns 0 if OK, -1 if error.
  */
-int cfg_parse_listen(const char *file, int linenum, char **args, int inv)
+int cfg_parse_listen(const char *file, int linenum, char **args, int kwm)
 {
 	static struct proxy *curproxy = NULL;
 	struct server *newsrv = NULL;
@@ -1596,12 +1603,18 @@
 				if (warnifnotcap(curproxy, cfg_opts[optnum].cap, file, linenum, args[1], NULL))
 					return 0;
 
-				if (!inv) {
-					curproxy->no_options &= ~cfg_opts[optnum].val;
-					curproxy->options    |=  cfg_opts[optnum].val;
-				} else {
-					curproxy->options    &= ~cfg_opts[optnum].val;
-					curproxy->no_options |=  cfg_opts[optnum].val;
+				curproxy->no_options &= ~cfg_opts[optnum].val;
+				curproxy->options    &= ~cfg_opts[optnum].val;
+
+				switch (kwm) {
+				case KWM_STD:
+					curproxy->options |= cfg_opts[optnum].val;
+					break;
+				case KWM_NO:
+					curproxy->no_options |= cfg_opts[optnum].val;
+					break;
+				case KWM_DEF: /* already cleared */
+					break;
 				}
 
 				return 0;
@@ -1613,19 +1626,25 @@
 				if (warnifnotcap(curproxy, cfg_opts2[optnum].cap, file, linenum, args[1], NULL))
 					return 0;
 
-				if (!inv) {
-					curproxy->no_options2 &= ~cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
-					curproxy->options2    |=  cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
-				} else {
-					curproxy->options2    &= ~cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
-					curproxy->no_options2 |=  cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
+				curproxy->no_options2 &= ~cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
+				curproxy->options2    &= ~cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
+
+				switch (kwm) {
+				case KWM_STD:
+					curproxy->options2 |= cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
+					break;
+				case KWM_NO:
+					curproxy->no_options2 |= cfg_opts2[optnum].val;
+					break;
+				case KWM_DEF: /* already cleared */
+					break;
 				}
 				return 0;
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (inv) {
-			Alert("parsing [%s:%d]: negation is not supported for option '%s'.\n",
+		if (kwm != KWM_STD) {
+			Alert("parsing [%s:%d]: negation/default is not supported for option '%s'.\n",
 				file, linenum, args[1]);
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -3182,7 +3201,7 @@
 	init_default_instance();
 
 	while (fgets(thisline, sizeof(thisline), f) != NULL) {
-		int arg, inv = 0 ;
+		int arg, kwm = KWM_STD;
 		char *end;
 		char *args[MAX_LINE_ARGS + 1];
 		char *line = thisline;
@@ -3278,14 +3297,20 @@
 			args[arg] = line;
 		}
 
+		/* check for keyword modifiers "no" and "default" */
 		if (!strcmp(args[0], "no")) {
-			inv = 1;
+			kwm = KWM_NO;
 			for (arg=0; *args[arg+1]; arg++)
 				args[arg] = args[arg+1];		// shift args after inversion
 		}
+		else if (!strcmp(args[0], "default")) {
+			kwm = KWM_DEF;
+			for (arg=0; *args[arg+1]; arg++)
+				args[arg] = args[arg+1];		// shift args after inversion
+		}
 
-		if (inv && strcmp(args[0], "option")) {
-			Alert("parsing [%s:%d]: negation currently supported only for options.\n", file, linenum);
+		if (kwm != KWM_STD && strcmp(args[0], "option") != 0) {
+			Alert("parsing [%s:%d]: negation/default currently supported only for options.\n", file, linenum);
 			goto err;
 		}
 
@@ -3307,11 +3332,11 @@
 
 		switch (confsect) {
 		case CFG_LISTEN:
-			if (cfg_parse_listen(file, linenum, args, inv) < 0)
+			if (cfg_parse_listen(file, linenum, args, kwm) < 0)
 				goto err;
 			break;
 		case CFG_GLOBAL:
-			if (cfg_parse_global(file, linenum, args, inv) < 0)
+			if (cfg_parse_global(file, linenum, args, kwm) < 0)
 				goto err;
 			break;
 		default: