diff --git a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs
index 3739939e..ba610e74 100644
--- a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs
+++ b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs
@@ -629,7 +629,9 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 		{
 			get
 			{
-				return _Xp["SubSection", "Edit"];
+				// if null - return a "Y"
+				string tmp = _Xp["SubSection", "Edit"];
+				return tmp == null || tmp == "" ? "Y" : tmp;
 			}
 			set
 			{
@@ -647,7 +649,9 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 		{
 			get
 			{
-				return _Xp["SubSection", "PH"];
+				// if null - return a "Y"
+				string tmp = _Xp["SubSection", "PH"];
+				return tmp==null||tmp==""?"Y":tmp;
 			}
 			set
 			{
@@ -665,7 +669,9 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 		{
 			get
 			{
-				return _Xp["SubSection", "AutoIndent"];
+				// if null - return a "Y"
+				string tmp = _Xp["SubSection", "AutoIndent"];
+				return tmp==null||tmp==""?"Y":tmp;
 			}
 			set
 			{
diff --git a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/StepConfig.cs b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/StepConfig.cs
index 67bfed27..a978a932 100644
--- a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/StepConfig.cs
+++ b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/StepConfig.cs
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 			{
 				string s = _Xp["Step", "CheckOffIndex"];
 
-				if (s == string.Empty) return -1;
+				if (s == string.Empty) return 0;
 
 				return int.Parse(s);
 			}