diff --git a/apps/opencs/editor.cpp b/apps/opencs/editor.cpp
index 25e65b7eea..bdc61a5fe3 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/editor.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/editor.cpp
@@ -314,20 +314,37 @@ std::auto_ptr<sh::Factory> CS::Editor::setupGraphics()
 
     factory->loadAllFiles();
 
-    sh::Factory::getInstance().setGlobalSetting ("fog",
-        mUserSettings.settingValue("shader/fog").toStdString());
+    std::string fog("true"); // default if setting does not exist
+    if(mUserSettings.hasSettingDefinitions("Shader/fog"))
+        fog = mUserSettings.settingValue("Shader/fog").toStdString();
+    else
+        mUserSettings.setDefinitions("Shader/fog", (QStringList() << QString(fog.c_str())));
+    sh::Factory::getInstance().setGlobalSetting ("fog", fog);
 
-    sh::Factory::getInstance().setGlobalSetting ("shadows",
-        mUserSettings.settingValue("shader/shadows").toStdString());
+    std::string shadows("false");
+    if(mUserSettings.hasSettingDefinitions("Shader/shadows"))
+        shadows = mUserSettings.settingValue("Shader/shadows").toStdString();
+    else
+        mUserSettings.setDefinitions("Shader/shadows", (QStringList() << QString(shadows.c_str())));
+    sh::Factory::getInstance().setGlobalSetting ("shadows", shadows);
 
-    sh::Factory::getInstance().setGlobalSetting ("shadows_pssm",
-        mUserSettings.settingValue("shader/shadows_pssm").toStdString());
+    std::string shadows_pssm("false");
+    if(mUserSettings.hasSettingDefinitions("Shader/shadows_pssm"))
+        shadows_pssm = mUserSettings.settingValue("Shader/shadows_pssm").toStdString();
+    else
+        mUserSettings.setDefinitions("Shader/shadows_pssm", (QStringList() << QString(shadows_pssm.c_str())));
+    sh::Factory::getInstance().setGlobalSetting ("shadows_pssm", shadows_pssm);
 
-    sh::Factory::getInstance ().setGlobalSetting ("render_refraction",
-        mUserSettings.settingValue("shader/render_refraction").toStdString());
 
-    sh::Factory::getInstance ().setGlobalSetting ("viewproj_fix",
-        mUserSettings.settingValue("shader/viewproj_fix").toStdString());
+    std::string render_refraction("false");
+    if(mUserSettings.hasSettingDefinitions("Shader/render_refraction"))
+        render_refraction = mUserSettings.settingValue("Shader/render_refraction").toStdString();
+    else
+        mUserSettings.setDefinitions("Shader/render_refraction", (QStringList() << QString(render_refraction.c_str())));
+    sh::Factory::getInstance ().setGlobalSetting ("render_refraction", render_refraction);
+
+    // internal setting - may be switched on or off by the use of shader configurations
+    sh::Factory::getInstance ().setGlobalSetting ("viewproj_fix", "false");
 
     sh::Factory::getInstance ().setGlobalSetting ("num_lights",
         mUserSettings.settingValue("shader/num_lights").toStdString());
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/settings/usersettings.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/settings/usersettings.cpp
index e4cbac3c3f..95da7d1507 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/settings/usersettings.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/settings/usersettings.cpp
@@ -59,36 +59,6 @@ void UserSettings::buildSettingModelDefaults()
     {
         QString section = "Group1";
 
-        Setting *fog = createSetting (Type_CheckBox, page, "fog");
-        fog->setDeclaredValues(QStringList() << "true" << "false");
-        fog->setDefaultValue("true");
-        fog->setEditorSetting(true);
-        fog->setSpecialValueText("Enable Fog");
-        fog->setWidgetWidth(15);
-        fog->setColumnSpan (2);
-        fog->setStyleSheet ("QGroupBox { border: 0px; spacing: 5; }");
-        fog->setViewLocation(1, 1);
-
-        Setting *shadows = createSetting (Type_CheckBox, page, "shadows");
-        shadows->setDeclaredValues(QStringList() << "true" << "false");
-        shadows->setDefaultValue("false");
-        shadows->setEditorSetting(true);
-        shadows->setSpecialValueText("Enable Shadows");
-        shadows->setWidgetWidth(15);
-        shadows->setColumnSpan (2);
-        shadows->setStyleSheet ("QGroupBox { border: 0px; }");
-        shadows->setViewLocation(2, 1);
-
-        Setting *shadows_pssm = createSetting (Type_CheckBox, page, "shadows_pssm");
-        shadows_pssm->setDeclaredValues(QStringList() << "true" << "false");
-        shadows_pssm->setDefaultValue("false");
-        shadows_pssm->setEditorSetting(true);
-        shadows_pssm->setSpecialValueText("Enable PSSM Shadows");
-        shadows_pssm->setWidgetWidth(15);
-        shadows_pssm->setColumnSpan (2);
-        shadows_pssm->setStyleSheet ("QGroupBox { border: 0px; spacing: 5; }");
-        shadows_pssm->setViewLocation(3, 1);
-
         Setting *numLights = createSetting (Type_SpinBox, page, "num lights");
         numLights->setDefaultValue(8);
         numLights->setEditorSetting(true);
@@ -97,34 +67,15 @@ void UserSettings::buildSettingModelDefaults()
         numLights->setMaximum (100); // FIXME: not sure what the max value should be
         numLights->setWidgetWidth (10);
         numLights->setSpecialValueText ("Nothing!"); // text to display when value is 0
-        numLights->setViewLocation(4, 2);
+        numLights->setViewLocation(1, 2);
         Setting *nlText = createSetting (Type_Undefined, page, "nlText");
         nlText->setSpecialValueText("Num Lights"); // hack to place text labels
         nlText->setEditorSetting(false);
         nlText->setSerializable (false);
         nlText->setColumnSpan (1);
         nlText->setWidgetWidth (10);
-        nlText->setViewLocation(4, 1);
+        nlText->setViewLocation(1, 1);
 
-        Setting *renderRefraction = createSetting (Type_CheckBox, page, "renderRefraction");
-        renderRefraction->setDeclaredValues(QStringList() << "true" << "false");
-        renderRefraction->setDefaultValue("false");
-        renderRefraction->setEditorSetting(true);
-        renderRefraction->setSpecialValueText("Enable Render Refraction");
-        renderRefraction->setWidgetWidth(20);
-        renderRefraction->setColumnSpan (2);
-        renderRefraction->setStyleSheet ("QGroupBox { border: 0px; }");
-        renderRefraction->setViewLocation(5, 1);
-
-        Setting *viewproj_fix = createSetting (Type_CheckBox, page, "viewproj_fix");
-        viewproj_fix->setDeclaredValues(QStringList() << "true" << "false");
-        viewproj_fix->setDefaultValue("false");
-        viewproj_fix->setEditorSetting(true);
-        viewproj_fix->setSpecialValueText("View Proj Fix");
-        viewproj_fix->setWidgetWidth(20);
-        viewproj_fix->setColumnSpan (2);
-        viewproj_fix->setStyleSheet ("QGroupBox { border: 0px; }");
-        viewproj_fix->setViewLocation(6, 1);
 
         Setting *simpleWater = createSetting (Type_CheckBox, page, "simple_water");
         simpleWater->setDeclaredValues(QStringList() << "true" << "false");
diff --git a/apps/opencs/view/settings/spinbox.cpp b/apps/opencs/view/settings/spinbox.cpp
index 4b1447f8f8..c70fc36d12 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/view/settings/spinbox.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/view/settings/spinbox.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ QString CSVSettings::SpinBox::textFromValue(int val) const
 int CSVSettings::SpinBox::valueFromText(const QString &text) const
 {
     if (mValueList.isEmpty())
-        return -1;
+        return text.toInt(); // TODO: assumed integer, untested error handling for alpha types
 
     if (mValueList.contains (text))
         return mValueList.indexOf(text);