diff --git a/bffhd/capnp/user.rs b/bffhd/capnp/user.rs
index 72d540e..991c68f 100644
--- a/bffhd/capnp/user.rs
+++ b/bffhd/capnp/user.rs
@@ -371,13 +371,13 @@ impl card_d_e_s_fire_e_v2::Server for User {
         let _span = tracing::trace_span!(target: TARGET, "get_space_info").entered();
         tracing::trace!("method call");
 
-        let space = if let Some(space) = CONFIG.get().and_then(|c| c.spacename.as_ref()) {
+        let space = if let Some(space) = CONFIG.get().map(|c| c.spacename.as_str()) {
             space
         } else {
             return Promise::err(Error::failed("No space name configured".to_string()));
         };
 
-        let url = if let Some(url) = CONFIG.get().and_then(|c| c.instanceurl.as_ref()) {
+        let url = if let Some(url) = CONFIG.get().map(|c| c.instanceurl.as_str()) {
             url
         } else {
             return Promise::err(Error::failed("No instance url configured".to_string()));
diff --git a/bffhd/config/dhall.rs b/bffhd/config/dhall.rs
index 8fb3bd9..8f04d04 100644
--- a/bffhd/config/dhall.rs
+++ b/bffhd/config/dhall.rs
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ impl Default for Config {
             tlskeylog: None,
             verbosity: 0,
             logging: LogConfig::default(),
-            instanceurl: None,
-            spacename: None,
+            instanceurl: "".into(),
+            spacename: "".into(),
         }
     }
 }