diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index 59073131..bf296686 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ static int _conf_existdir(char *path);
 static int _conf_split(char *s, char *delimiters, char ***argvp);
 static void _conf_dispose_split(char **argv);
 static int _conf_xml_dump(XMLSTRUCT *pxml,LL *pll,int sublevel,char *parent);
+static int _conf_verify_element(char *section, char *key, char *value);
 
 static CONF_ELEMENTS conf_elements[] = {
     { 1, 0, CONF_T_STRING,"general","runas" },
@@ -303,7 +304,7 @@ int _conf_verify_element(char *section, char *key, char *value) {
         return CONF_E_BADELEMENT;
     }
 
-    switch(pce->conf_elements) {
+    switch(pce->type) {
     case CONF_T_MULTICOMMA: /* can't really check these */
     case CONF_T_STRING:
         return CONF_E_SUCCESS;
@@ -857,11 +858,11 @@ char *conf_alloc_string(char *section, char *key, char *dflt) {
  * @param value value to set it to
  * @returns E_CONF_SUCCESS on success, error code otherwise
  */
-int conf_set_int(char *section, char *key, int value) {
+int conf_set_int(char *section, char *key, int value, int verify) {
     char buffer[40]; /* ?? */
     snprintf(buffer,sizeof(buffer),"%d",value);
 
-    return conf_set_string(section, key, buffer);
+    return conf_set_string(section, key, buffer, verify);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -872,7 +873,7 @@ int conf_set_int(char *section, char *key, int value) {
  * @param value value to set it to
  * @returns E_CONF_SUCCESS on success, error code otherwise
  */
-int conf_set_string(char *section, char *key, char *value) {
+int conf_set_string(char *section, char *key, char *value, int verify) {
     LL_ITEM *pitem;
     LL_ITEM *psection;
     LL *section_ll;
@@ -886,6 +887,16 @@ int conf_set_string(char *section, char *key, char *value) {
     _conf_lock();
 
     /* verify the item */
+    err=_conf_verify_element(section,key,value);
+    if(err != CONF_E_SUCCESS) {
+        _conf_unlock();
+        return err;
+    }
+
+    if(verify) {
+        _conf_unlock();
+        return CONF_E_SUCCESS;
+    }
 
     pce = _conf_get_keyinfo(section,key);
     if(pce)
diff --git a/src/conf.h b/src/conf.h
index 95e508fe..dfdeefcd 100644
--- a/src/conf.h
+++ b/src/conf.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-o/*
+/*
  * $Id$
  * Functions for reading and writing the config file
  *
@@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ o/*
  * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
  */
 
-#ifndef _CONFIG_H_
-#define _CONFIG_H_
+#ifndef _CONF_H_
+#define _CONF_H_
 
-#define CONF_E_SUCCESS     0
-#define CONF_E_FOPEN       1
-#define CONF_E_UNKNOWN     2
-#define CONF_E_BADHEADER   3
-#define CONF_E_PARSE       4
-#define CONF_E_OVERFLOW    5  /** <Buffer passed too small */
-#define CONF_E_NOCONF      6  /** <No open config file */
-#define CONF_E_NOTFOUND    7
-#define CONF_E_NOTWRITABLE 8
-#define CONF_E_BADELEMENT  9
+#define CONF_E_SUCCESS      0
+#define CONF_E_FOPEN        1
+#define CONF_E_UNKNOWN      2
+#define CONF_E_BADHEADER    3
+#define CONF_E_PARSE        4
+#define CONF_E_OVERFLOW     5  /** <Buffer passed too small */
+#define CONF_E_NOCONF       6  /** <No open config file */
+#define CONF_E_NOTFOUND     7
+#define CONF_E_NOTWRITABLE  8
+#define CONF_E_BADELEMENT   9
 #define CONF_E_PATHEXPECTED 10
 #define CONF_E_INTEXPECTED  11
 
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ extern int conf_get_int(char *section, char *key, int dflt);
 extern int conf_get_string(char *section, char *key, char *dflt,
                              char *out, int *size);
 extern char *conf_alloc_string(char *section, char *key, char *dflt);
-extern int conf_set_int(char *section, char *key, int value);
-extern int conf_set_string(char *section, char *key, char *value);
+extern int conf_set_int(char *section, char *key, int value, int verify);
+extern int conf_set_string(char *section, char *key, char *value, int verify);
 
 extern int conf_isset(char *section, char *key);
 extern int conf_iswritable(void);
@@ -58,6 +58,5 @@ extern char *conf_get_filename(void);
 /* FIXME: get enum functions and move to xml-rpc */
 #include "webserver.h"
 extern int conf_xml_dump(WS_CONNINFO *pwsc);
-extern int conf_verify_element(char *section, char *key, char *value);
 
-#endif /* _CONFIG_H_ */
+#endif /* _CONF_H_ */
diff --git a/src/xml-rpc.c b/src/xml-rpc.c
index 7423fbf9..e6b79cf4 100644
--- a/src/xml-rpc.c
+++ b/src/xml-rpc.c
@@ -114,18 +114,25 @@ void xml_set_config(WS_CONNINFO *pwsc) {
     char *section;
     char *key;
     char *value;
+    int verify_only;
     int err;
 
     section = ws_getvar(pwsc,"section");
     key = ws_getvar(pwsc,"key");
     value = ws_getvar(pwsc,"value");
 
+    verify_only=0;
+    if(ws_getvar(pwsc,"verify_only")) {
+        verify_only = 1;
+    }
+
+
     if((!section) || (!key) || (!value)) {
         xml_return_error(pwsc,500,"Missing section, key, or value");
         return;
     }
 
-    if((err=conf_set_string(section,key,value) != CONF_E_SUCCESS)) {
+    if((err=conf_set_string(section,key,value,verify_only)!=CONF_E_SUCCESS)) {
         /* should return text error from conf_ */
         xml_return_error(pwsc,500,"conf_set_string: error");
         return;