diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 27667354..1262a976 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 /wwctl
 /bash_completion
 /man_page
+/config_defaults
 
 # other created files
 /man_pages
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a7421035..704337b1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export GOPROXY
 # built tags needed for wwbuild binary
 WW_GO_BUILD_TAGS := containers_image_openpgp containers_image_ostree
 
-all: config vendor wwctl wwclient bash_completion.d man_pages
+all: config vendor wwctl wwclient bash_completion.d man_pages config_defaults
 
 build: lint test-it vet all
 
@@ -225,6 +225,14 @@ man_pages: man_page
 	./man_page ./man_pages
 	cd man_pages; for i in wwctl*1; do echo "Compressing manpage: $$i"; gzip --force $$i; done
 
+config_defaults:
+	cd cmd/config_defaults && go build -ldflags="-X 'github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/warewulfconf.ConfigFile=./etc/warewulf.conf'\
+	 -X 'github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/node.ConfigFile=./etc/nodes.conf'"\
+	 -mod vendor -tags "$(WW_GO_BUILD_TAGS)" -o ../../config_defaults
+
+warewulfconf: config_defaults
+	./config_defaults
+
 dist: vendor config
 	rm -rf .dist/$(WAREWULF)-$(VERSION)
 	mkdir -p .dist/$(WAREWULF)-$(VERSION)
@@ -246,6 +254,7 @@ clean:
 	rm -f config
 	rm -f Defaults.mk
 	rm -rf $(TOOLS_DIR)
+	rm -f config_defaults
 
 install: files install_wwclient
 
diff --git a/etc/warewulf.conf b/etc/warewulf.conf
index ffd9aa5c..7ba927e5 100644
--- a/etc/warewulf.conf
+++ b/etc/warewulf.conf
@@ -1,28 +1,36 @@
 WW_INTERNAL: 43
 ipaddr: 192.168.200.1
 netmask: 255.255.255.0
+network: 192.168.200.0
 warewulf:
   port: 9873
   secure: false
-  autobuild overlays: true
   update interval: 60
+  autobuild overlays: true
+  host overlay: false
   syslog: false
+  datastore: ""
 dhcp:
   enabled: true
+  template: default
   range start: 192.168.200.50
   range end: 192.168.200.99
-  template: default
   systemd name: dhcpd
 tftp:
   enabled: true
+  tftproot: ""
   systemd name: tftp
 nfs:
-  systemd name: nfs-server
+  enabled: true
+  exports: []
   export paths:
-    - path: /home
-      export options: rw,sync
-      mount options: defaults
-      mount: true
-    - path: /opt
-      export options: ro,sync,no_root_squash
-      mount: false
+  - path: /home
+    export options: rw,sync
+    mount options: defaults
+    mount: true
+  - path: /opt
+    export options: ro,sync,no_root_squash
+    mount options: ""
+    mount: false
+  systemd name: nfs-server
+
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/constructors.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/constructors.go
index b3d91d1f..57afeff9 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/constructors.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/constructors.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"path"
 
 	"github.com/brotherpowers/ipsubnet"
+	"github.com/creasty/defaults"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/buildconfig"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/wwlog"
 
@@ -25,15 +26,26 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func New() (ControllerConf, error) {
-	var ret ControllerConf = *defaultConfig()
-
+	var ret ControllerConf
+	var warewulfconf WarewulfConf
+	var dhpdconf DhcpConf
+	var tftpconf TftpConf
+	var nfsConf NfsConf
+	ret.Warewulf = &warewulfconf
+	ret.Dhcp = &dhpdconf
+	ret.Tftp = &tftpconf
+	ret.Nfs = &nfsConf
+	err := defaults.Set(&ret)
+	if err != nil {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Coult initialize default variables\n")
+		return ret, err
+	}
 	// Check if cached config is old before re-reading config file
 	if !cachedConf.current {
 		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.DEBUG, "Opening Warewulf configuration file: %s\n", ConfigFile)
 		data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(ConfigFile)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("Error reading Warewulf configuration file\n")
-			return ret, err
+			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "Error reading Warewulf configuration file\n")
 		}
 
 		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.DEBUG, "Unmarshaling the Warewulf configuration\n")
@@ -42,16 +54,22 @@ func New() (ControllerConf, error) {
 			return ret, err
 		}
 
-		// TODO: Need to add comprehensive config file validator
-		// TODO: Change function to guess default IP address and/or mask from local system
-		if ret.Ipaddr == "" {
-			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "IP address is not configured in warewulfd.conf\n")
-			return ret, errors.New("no IP Address")
-		}
-
-		if ret.Netmask == "" {
-			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Netmask is not configured in warewulfd.conf\n")
-			return ret, errors.New("no netmask")
+		if ret.Ipaddr == "" || ret.Netmask == "" {
+			conn, error := net.Dial("udp", "8.8.8.8:80")
+			if error != nil {
+				return ret, err
+			}
+			defer conn.Close()
+			localIp := conn.LocalAddr().(*net.UDPAddr)
+			if ret.Ipaddr == "" {
+				ret.Ipaddr = localIp.IP.String()
+				wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "IP address is not configured in warewulfd.conf, using %s\n", ret.Ipaddr)
+			}
+			if ret.Netmask == "" {
+				mask := localIp.IP.DefaultMask()
+				ret.Netmask = fmt.Sprintf("%d.%d.%d.%d", mask[0], mask[1], mask[2], mask[3])
+				wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "Netmask address is not configured in warewulfd.conf, using %s\n", ret.Netmask)
+			}
 		}
 
 		if ret.Network == "" {
@@ -74,9 +92,6 @@ func New() (ControllerConf, error) {
 				return ret, errors.New("invalid ipv6 network size")
 			}
 		}
-		if ret.Warewulf.Port == 0 {
-			ret.Warewulf.Port = defaultPort
-		}
 
 		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.DEBUG, "Returning warewulf config object\n")
 		cachedConf = ret
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/datastructure.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/datastructure.go
index a87bd78e..887d11ef 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/datastructure.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/datastructure.go
@@ -23,52 +23,46 @@ type ControllerConf struct {
 }
 
 type WarewulfConf struct {
-	Port              int    `yaml:"port"`
-	Secure            bool   `yaml:"secure"`
-	UpdateInterval    int    `yaml:"update interval"`
-	AutobuildOverlays bool   `yaml:"autobuild overlays"`
-	EnableHostOverlay bool   `yaml:"host overlay"`
-	Syslog            bool   `yaml:"syslog"`
-	DataStore         string `yaml:"datastore"`
+	Port              int    `yaml:"port" default:"9983"`
+	Secure            bool   `yaml:"secure" default:"true"`
+	UpdateInterval    int    `yaml:"update interval" default:"60"`
+	AutobuildOverlays bool   `yaml:"autobuild overlays" default:"true"`
+	EnableHostOverlay bool   `yaml:"host overlay" default:"true"`
+	Syslog            bool   `yaml:"syslog" default:"false"`
+	DataStore         string `yaml:"datastore" default:"/var/lib/warewulf"`
 }
 
 type DhcpConf struct {
-	Enabled     bool   `yaml:"enabled"`
-	Template    string `yaml:"template"`
-	RangeStart  string `yaml:"range start"`
-	RangeEnd    string `yaml:"range end"`
-	SystemdName string `yaml:"systemd name"`
+	Enabled     bool   `yaml:"enabled" default:"true"`
+	Template    string `yaml:"template" default:"default"`
+	RangeStart  string `yaml:"range start" default:"192.168.200.50"`
+	RangeEnd    string `yaml:"range end" default:"192.168.200.99"`
+	SystemdName string `yaml:"systemd name" default:"dhcpd"`
 }
 
 type TftpConf struct {
-	Enabled     bool   `yaml:"enabled"`
-	TftpRoot    string `yaml:"tftproot"`
-	SystemdName string `yaml:"systemd name"`
+	Enabled     bool   `yaml:"enabled" default:"true"`
+	TftpRoot    string `yaml:"tftproot" default:"/var/lib/tftpboot"`
+	SystemdName string `yaml:"systemd name" default:"tftp"`
 }
 
 type NfsConf struct {
-	Enabled         bool             `default:"true" yaml:"enabled"`
-	ExportsExtended []*NfsExportConf `yaml:"export paths"`
-	SystemdName     string           `yaml:"systemd name"`
+	Enabled         bool             `yaml:"enabled" default:"true"`
+	ExportsExtended []*NfsExportConf `yaml:"export paths" default:"[{\"Path\": \"home\"}]"`
+	SystemdName     string           `yaml:"systemd name" default:"nfsd"`
 }
 
 type NfsExportConf struct {
-	Path          string `yaml:"path"`
+	Path          string `yaml:"path" default:"/home"`
 	ExportOptions string `default:"rw,sync,no_subtree_check" yaml:"export options"`
 	MountOptions  string `default:"defaults" yaml:"mount options"`
 	Mount         bool   `default:"true" yaml:"mount"`
 }
 
-func (s *NfsConf) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
+func (s *NfsConf) Unmarshal(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	if err := defaults.Set(s); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
-	type plain NfsConf
-	if err := unmarshal((*plain)(s)); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/defaults.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/defaults.go
deleted file mode 100644
index e3a89296..00000000
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfconf/defaults.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-package warewulfconf
-
-import "github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/buildconfig"
-
-const defaultPort int = 9983
-
-func defaultConfig() *ControllerConf {
-	Warewulf := &WarewulfConf{
-		Port:              defaultPort,
-		Secure:            true,
-		UpdateInterval:    60,
-		AutobuildOverlays: true,
-		EnableHostOverlay: true,
-		Syslog:            false,
-		DataStore:         buildconfig.LOCALSTATEDIR(),
-	}
-	Dhcp := &DhcpConf{
-		Enabled:     true,
-		Template:    "default",
-		RangeStart:  "192.168.200.50",
-		RangeEnd:    "192.168.200.99",
-		SystemdName: "dhcpd",
-	}
-	Tftp := &TftpConf{
-		Enabled:     true,
-		TftpRoot:    buildconfig.TFTPDIR(),
-		SystemdName: "tftp",
-	}
-
-	return &ControllerConf{
-		WWInternal: buildconfig.WWVer,
-		Warewulf:   Warewulf,
-		Dhcp:       Dhcp,
-		Tftp:       Tftp,
-		current:    false,
-	}
-}