diff --git a/etc/warewulf.conf b/etc/warewulf.conf
index 7ba927e5..5526d45e 100644
--- a/etc/warewulf.conf
+++ b/etc/warewulf.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ warewulf:
   secure: false
   update interval: 60
   autobuild overlays: true
-  host overlay: false
+  host overlay: true
   syslog: false
   datastore: ""
 dhcp:
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ tftp:
   systemd name: tftp
 nfs:
   enabled: true
-  exports: []
   export paths:
   - path: /home
     export options: rw,sync
diff --git a/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go b/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go
index 66794e02..d6f3e941 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ func Dhcp() error {
 		if err != nil {
 			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "host overlay could not be built: %s\n", err)
 		}
+	} else {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.INFO, "host overlays are disabled, did not modify/create dhcpd configuration")
 	}
 	fmt.Printf("Enabling and restarting the DHCP services\n")
 	err = util.SystemdStart(controller.Dhcp.SystemdName)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go b/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go
index ef31b067..02ef3640 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ func NFS() error {
 			if err != nil {
 				wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "host overlay could not be built: %s\n", err)
 			}
+		} else {
+			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.INFO, "host overlays are disabled, did not modify exports")
 		}
 		fmt.Printf("Enabling and restarting the NFS services\n")
 		if controller.Nfs.SystemdName == "" {