diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index fdbc3554..e9c11718 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ static CONF_ELEMENTS conf_elements[] = {
     { 0, 0, CONF_T_MULTICOMMA,"plugins","plugins" },
     { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT,"daap","empty_strings" },
     { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT,"daap","supports_browse" },
+    { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT,"daap","supports_update" },
+    { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT,"scanning","process_xml" },
+    { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT,"scanning","ignore_appledouble" },
+    { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT,"scanning","ignore_dotfiles" },
+    { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT,"scanning","concat_compilations" },
     { 0, 0, CONF_T_INT, NULL, NULL }
 };
 
@@ -541,6 +546,7 @@ int conf_read(char *file) {
 
     if(conf_main_file) {
         conf_close();
+        free(conf_main_file);
     }
 
     conf_main_file = strdup(file);
@@ -1129,10 +1135,7 @@ int conf_iswritable(void) {
     if(!conf_main_file)
         return FALSE;
 
-    if((fp = fopen(conf_main_file,"r+")) != NULL) {
-        fclose(fp);
-        retval = TRUE;
-    }
+    retval = !access(conf_main_file,W_OK);
 
     _conf_unlock();
     return retval;
diff --git a/src/xml-rpc.c b/src/xml-rpc.c
index 7cf2c616..b653ef8d 100644
--- a/src/xml-rpc.c
+++ b/src/xml-rpc.c
@@ -110,12 +110,15 @@ XMLSTRUCT *xml_init(WS_CONNINFO *pwsc, int emit_header) {
 void xml_update_config(WS_CONNINFO *pwsc) {
     char *arg, *value, *duparg;
     char *ptmp;
+    char *badparms=NULL;
     void *handle;
-
+    int has_error=0;
+    int badparms_len=0;
     int err;
 
     handle = NULL;
 
+
     while((handle=ws_enum_var(pwsc,&arg,&value,handle)) != NULL) {
         /* arg will be section:value */
         duparg = strdup(arg);
@@ -123,10 +126,51 @@ void xml_update_config(WS_CONNINFO *pwsc) {
         if(ptmp) {
             *ptmp++ = '\0';
             /* this is stupidly inefficient */
+
+            err = conf_set_string(duparg,ptmp,value,TRUE);
+            if(err != CONF_E_SUCCESS) {
+                has_error = TRUE;
+                if(!badparms) {
+                    badparms_len = (int)strlen(arg) + 1;
+                    badparms = (char*)malloc(badparms_len);
+                    if(!badparms) {
+                        DPRINTF(E_FATAL,L_MISC,"xml_update_config: malloc\n");
+                    }
+                    strcpy(badparms,arg);
+                } else {
+                    badparms_len += strlen(arg) + 1;
+                    badparms = (char*)realloc(badparms,badparms_len);
+                    if(!badparms) {
+                        DPRINTF(E_FATAL,L_MISC,"xml_update_config: malloc\n");
+                    }
+                    strcat(badparms,",");
+                    strcat(badparms,arg);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        free(duparg);
+    }
+
+    if(has_error) {
+        DPRINTF(E_INF,L_MISC,"Bad parms; %s\n",badparms);
+        xml_return_error(pwsc,500,badparms);
+        free(badparms);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* now set! */
+    while((handle=ws_enum_var(pwsc,&arg,&value,handle)) != NULL) {
+        /* arg will be section:value */
+        duparg = strdup(arg);
+        ptmp = strchr(duparg,':');
+        if(ptmp) {
+            *ptmp++ = '\0';
+            /* this is stupidly inefficient */
+
             err = conf_set_string(duparg,ptmp,value,FALSE);
             if(err != CONF_E_SUCCESS) {
-                free(duparg);
-                xml_return_error(pwsc,500,"Bad values");
+                /* shouldn't happen */
+                xml_return_error(pwsc,500,arg);
                 return;
             }
         }