diff --git a/mods/auth_rx/helpers.lua b/mods/auth_rx/helpers.lua
index 226b20b..7598837 100644
--- a/mods/auth_rx/helpers.lua
+++ b/mods/auth_rx/helpers.lua
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ else
 end
 
 function convert_ipv4( str )
+	if not str then str = "127.0.0.1" end
 	local ref = string.split( str, ".", false )
 	return tonumber( ref[ 1 ] ) * 16777216 + tonumber( ref[ 2 ] ) * 65536 + tonumber( ref[ 3 ] ) * 256 + tonumber( ref[ 4 ] )
 end
@@ -29,7 +30,8 @@ end
 
 function get_default_privs( )
 	local default_privs = { }
-	for _, p in pairs( string.split( get_minetest_config( "default_privs" ), "," ) ) do
+	local config_privs = get_minetest_config( "default_privs" ) or "interact, shout, fast, home"
+	for _, p in pairs( string.split( config_privs, "," ) ) do
 		table.insert( default_privs, string.trim( p ) )
 	end
 	return default_privs