diff --git a/src/common/json_util.h b/src/common/json_util.h
index 6f8b4c18f..45046a4fb 100644
--- a/src/common/json_util.h
+++ b/src/common/json_util.h
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@
 
 #pragma once 
 
-#define GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, name, type, jtype, mandatory) \
-  type field_##name; \
+#define GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, name, type, jtype, mandatory, def) \
+  type field_##name = def; \
   bool field_##name##_found = false; \
   (void)field_##name##_found; \
   do if (json.HasMember(#name)) \
diff --git a/src/simplewallet/simplewallet.cpp b/src/simplewallet/simplewallet.cpp
index 7c5e8e541..44b5b0c70 100644
--- a/src/simplewallet/simplewallet.cpp
+++ b/src/simplewallet/simplewallet.cpp
@@ -979,22 +979,22 @@ bool simple_wallet::generate_from_json(const boost::program_options::variables_m
     return false;
   }
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, version, unsigned, Uint, true);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, version, unsigned, Uint, true, 0);
   const int current_version = 1;
   if (field_version > current_version) {
     fail_msg_writer() << boost::format(tr("Version %u too new, we can only grok up to %u")) % field_version % current_version;
     return false;
   }
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, filename, std::string, String, true);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, filename, std::string, String, true, std::string());
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, scan_from_height, uint64_t, Uint64, false);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, scan_from_height, uint64_t, Uint64, false, 0);
   bool recover = field_scan_from_height_found;
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, password, std::string, String, false);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, password, std::string, String, false, std::string());
   password = field_password;
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, viewkey, std::string, String, false);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, viewkey, std::string, String, false, std::string());
   crypto::secret_key viewkey;
   if (field_viewkey_found)
   {
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ bool simple_wallet::generate_from_json(const boost::program_options::variables_m
     }
   }
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, spendkey, std::string, String, false);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, spendkey, std::string, String, false, std::string());
   crypto::secret_key spendkey;
   if (field_spendkey_found)
   {
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ bool simple_wallet::generate_from_json(const boost::program_options::variables_m
     }
   }
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, seed, std::string, String, false);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, seed, std::string, String, false, std::string());
   std::string old_language;
   if (field_seed_found)
   {
@@ -1043,7 +1043,7 @@ bool simple_wallet::generate_from_json(const boost::program_options::variables_m
     m_restore_deterministic_wallet = true;
   }
 
-  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, address, std::string, String, false);
+  GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, address, std::string, String, false, std::string());
 
   // compatibility checks
   if (!field_seed_found && !field_viewkey_found)
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp
index 0a2a5ec9d..99866dbeb 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp
@@ -1495,26 +1495,25 @@ bool wallet2::load_keys(const std::string& keys_file_name, const std::string& pa
     const char *field_key_data = json["key_data"].GetString();
     account_data = std::string(field_key_data, field_key_data + json["key_data"].GetStringLength());
 
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, seed_language, std::string, String, false);
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, seed_language, std::string, String, false, std::string());
     if (field_seed_language_found)
     {
       set_seed_language(field_seed_language);
     }
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, watch_only, int, Int, false);
-    m_watch_only = field_watch_only_found && field_watch_only;
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, always_confirm_transfers, int, Int, false);
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, watch_only, int, Int, false, false);
+    m_watch_only = field_watch_only;
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, always_confirm_transfers, int, Int, false, false);
     m_always_confirm_transfers = field_always_confirm_transfers_found && field_always_confirm_transfers;
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, store_tx_keys, int, Int, false);
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, store_tx_info, int, Int, false);
-    m_store_tx_info = (field_store_tx_keys_found && (field_store_tx_keys != 0))
-                   || (field_store_tx_info_found && (field_store_tx_info != 0));
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, default_mixin, unsigned int, Uint, false);
-    m_default_mixin = field_default_mixin_found ? field_default_mixin : 0;
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, default_fee_multiplier, unsigned int, Uint, false);
-    m_default_fee_multiplier = field_default_fee_multiplier_found ? field_default_fee_multiplier : 0;
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, auto_refresh, int, Int, false);
-    m_auto_refresh = !field_auto_refresh_found || (field_auto_refresh != 0);
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, refresh_type, int, Int, false);
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, store_tx_keys, int, Int, false, true);
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, store_tx_info, int, Int, false, true);
+    m_store_tx_info = ((field_store_tx_keys != 0) || (field_store_tx_info != 0));
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, default_mixin, unsigned int, Uint, false, 0);
+    m_default_mixin = field_default_mixin;
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, default_fee_multiplier, unsigned int, Uint, false, 0);
+    m_default_fee_multiplier = field_default_fee_multiplier;
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, auto_refresh, int, Int, false, true);
+    m_auto_refresh = field_auto_refresh;
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, refresh_type, int, Int, false, RefreshType::RefreshDefault);
     m_refresh_type = RefreshType::RefreshDefault;
     if (field_refresh_type_found)
     {
@@ -1523,7 +1522,7 @@ bool wallet2::load_keys(const std::string& keys_file_name, const std::string& pa
       else
         LOG_PRINT_L0("Unknown refresh-type value (" << field_refresh_type << "), using default");
     }
-    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, refresh_height, uint64_t, Uint64, false);
+    GET_FIELD_FROM_JSON_RETURN_ON_ERROR(json, refresh_height, uint64_t, Uint64, false, 0);
     if (field_refresh_height_found)
       m_refresh_from_block_height = field_refresh_height;
   }