diff --git a/tailbone/subscribers.py b/tailbone/subscribers.py
index 6677cf33..bce94a98 100644
--- a/tailbone/subscribers.py
+++ b/tailbone/subscribers.py
@@ -164,9 +164,9 @@ def before_render(event):
             # values here are "quite conservative" as of this writing,
             # perhaps too much so, but at least they should work fine.
             renderer_globals['vue_version'] = request.rattail_config.get(
-                'tailbone', 'vue_version', default='2.6.10')
+                'tailbone', 'vue_version') or '2.6.10'
             renderer_globals['buefy_version'] = request.rattail_config.get(
-                'tailbone', 'buefy_version', default='0.8.6')
+                'tailbone', 'buefy_version') or '0.8.6'
 
             # maybe set custom stylesheet
             css = None