diff --git a/src/etc/inc/console.inc b/src/etc/inc/console.inc
index 9c54b1665..55559e82e 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/console.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/console.inc
@@ -302,10 +302,11 @@ EOD;
     if ($lanif) {
         $new = false;
 
-        if (!is_array($config['interfaces']['lan'])) {
-            $config['interfaces']['lan'] = array();
+        if (!isset($config['interfaces']['lan'])) {
             $new = true;
         }
+
+        config_read_array('interfaces', 'lan');
         $config['interfaces']['lan']['if'] = $lanif;
         $config['interfaces']['lan']['enable'] = true;
 
@@ -319,31 +320,19 @@ EOD;
                 $config['interfaces']['lan']['subnetv6'] = '64';
             }
 
-            if (!isset($config['dhcpd']['lan'])) {
-                $config['dhcpd']['lan'] = array();
-                $config['dhcpd']['lan']['range'] = array();
-            }
+            config_read_array('dhcpd', 'lan', 'range');
             $config['dhcpd']['lan']['enable'] = true;
             $config['dhcpd']['lan']['range']['from'] = '192.168.1.100';
             $config['dhcpd']['lan']['range']['to'] = '192.168.1.199';
-            if (!is_array($config['nat'])) {
-                $config['nat'] = array();
-            }
-            if (!is_array($config['nat']['outbound'])) {
-                $config['nat']['outbound'] = array();
-            }
+
+            config_read_array('nat', 'outbound');
             $config['nat']['outbound']['mode'] = 'automatic';
         }
 
         if (match_wireless_interface($lanif)) {
-            if (is_array($config['interfaces']['lan']) &&
-                (!is_array($config['interfaces']['lan']['wireless']))) {
-                $config['interfaces']['lan']['wireless'] = array();
-            }
-        } else {
-            if (isset($config['interfaces']['lan'])) {
-                unset($config['interfaces']['lan']['wireless']);
-            }
+            config_read_array('interfaces', 'lan', 'wireless');
+        } elseif (isset($config['interfaces']['lan']['wireless'])) {
+            unset($config['interfaces']['lan']['wireless']);
         }
     } else {
         if (isset($config['interfaces']['lan']['if'])) {
@@ -364,9 +353,7 @@ EOD;
     }
 
     if ($wanif) {
-        if (!is_array($config['interfaces']['wan'])) {
-            $config['interfaces']['wan'] = array();
-        }
+        config_read_array('interfaces', 'wan');
         $config['interfaces']['wan']['if'] = $wanif;
         $config['interfaces']['wan']['enable'] = true;
         $config['interfaces']['wan']['ipaddr'] = 'dhcp';
@@ -377,14 +364,9 @@ EOD;
         }
 
         if (match_wireless_interface($wanif)) {
-            if (is_array($config['interfaces']['wan']) &&
-                (!is_array($config['interfaces']['wan']['wireless']))) {
-                $config['interfaces']['wan']['wireless'] = array();
-            }
-        } else {
-            if (isset($config['interfaces']['wan'])) {
-                unset($config['interfaces']['wan']['wireless']);
-            }
+            config_read_array('interfaces', 'wan', 'wireless');
+        } elseif (isset($config['interfaces']['wan']['wireless'])) {
+            unset($config['interfaces']['wan']['wireless']);
         }
     } else {
         if (isset($config['interfaces']['wan'])) {
@@ -393,15 +375,12 @@ EOD;
     }
 
     for ($i = 0; $i < count($optif); $i++) {
-        if (!is_array($config['interfaces']['opt' . ($i+1)]))
-            $config['interfaces']['opt' . ($i+1)] = array();
-
+        config_read_array('interfaces', 'opt' . ($i+1));
         $config['interfaces']['opt' . ($i+1)]['if'] = $optif[$i];
 
         if (match_wireless_interface($optif[$i])) {
-            if (!is_array($config['interfaces']['opt' . ($i+1)]['wireless']))
-                $config['interfaces']['opt' . ($i+1)]['wireless'] = array();
-        } else {
+            config_read_array('interfaces', 'opt' . ($i+1), 'wireless');
+        } elseif (isset($config['interfaces']['opt' . ($i+1)]['wireless'])) {
             unset($config['interfaces']['opt' . ($i+1)]['wireless']);
         }
 
@@ -474,7 +453,8 @@ EOD;
         }
     }
 
-    $config['vlans']['vlan'] = array();
+    config_read_array('vlans', 'vlan');
+
     echo "\n";
 
     $vlanif = 0;
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc b/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
index da6d50a93..338b6c651 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
@@ -4444,9 +4444,7 @@ function is_interface_wireless($interface)
     $friendly = convert_real_interface_to_friendly_interface_name($interface);
     if (!isset($config['interfaces'][$friendly]['wireless'])) {
         if (match_wireless_interface($interface)) {
-            if (isset($config['interfaces'][$friendly])) {
-                $config['interfaces'][$friendly]['wireless'] = array();
-            }
+            config_read_array('interfaces', $friendly, 'wireless');
             return true;
         }
         return false;
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc
index 709e17d98..e00ee855d 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc
@@ -148,9 +148,6 @@ function plugins_interfaces()
                     if (isset($stale_interfaces[$intf_ref])) {
                         unset($stale_interfaces[$intf_ref]);
                     }
-                    if (empty($config['interfaces'][$intf_ref])) {
-                        $config['interfaces'][$intf_ref] = array();
-                    }
                     if (isset($config['interfaces'][$intf_ref][0])) {
                         // undo stupid listags() turning our item into a new array, see src/etc/inc/xmlparse.inc
                         $intf_config = &config_read_array('interfaces', $intf_ref, 0);
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/ntpd.inc b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/ntpd.inc
index f5fa6b801..2153c611c 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/ntpd.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/ntpd.inc
@@ -174,9 +174,7 @@ function ntpd_configure_do($start_ntpd = true, $verbose = false)
 
     @mkdir($statsdir, 0755);
 
-    if (!isset($config['ntpd']) || !is_array($config['ntpd'])) {
-        $config['ntpd'] = array();
-    }
+    config_read_array('ntpd');
 
     $ntpcfg = "#\n";
     $ntpcfg .= "# Autogenerated configuration file\n";
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/openvpn/wizard.inc b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/openvpn/wizard.inc
index 43e624829..485fcb7fc 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/openvpn/wizard.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/openvpn/wizard.inc
@@ -514,11 +514,9 @@ function step12_submitphpaction()
             $auth['radius_secret'] = $pconfig['step2']['password'];
             $auth['radius_srvcs'] = "auth";
         }
-        if (!is_array($config['system']['authserver'])) {
-            $config['system']['authserver'] = array();
-        }
 
-        $config['system']['authserver'][] = $auth;
+        $a_auth = &config_read_array('system', 'authserver');
+        $a_auth[] = $auth;
     } elseif (!isset($pconfig['step2']['uselist']) && empty($pconfig['step2']['authserv'])) {
         $message = "Please choose an authentication server.";
         header(url_safe('Location: /wizard.php?xml=openvpn&stepid=1&message=%s', array($message)));
@@ -542,11 +540,9 @@ function step12_submitphpaction()
           'commonName' => $pconfig['step6']['certca']);
 
         ca_create($ca, $pconfig['step6']['keylength'], $pconfig['step6']['lifetime'], $dn, "sha256");
-        if (!is_array($config['ca'])) {
-            $config['ca'] = array();
-        }
 
-        $config['ca'][] = $ca;
+        $a_ca = &config_read_array('ca');
+        $a_ca[] = $ca;
     } elseif (!isset($pconfig['step6']['uselist']) && empty($pconfig['step6']['authcertca'])) {
         $message = "Please choose a Certificate Authority.";
         header(url_safe('Location: /wizard.php?xml=openvpn&stepid=5&message=%s', array($message)));
@@ -572,11 +568,8 @@ function step12_submitphpaction()
 
         cert_create($cert, $ca['refid'], $pconfig['step9']['keylength'], $pconfig['step9']['lifetime'], $dn, 'sha256', 'server_cert');
 
-        if (!is_array($config['cert'])) {
-            $config['cert'] = array();
-        }
-
-        $config['cert'][] = $cert;
+        $a_cert = &config_read_array('cert');
+        $a_cert[] = $cert;
     } elseif (!isset($pconfig['step9']['uselist']) && empty($pconfig['step9']['authcertname'])) {
         $message = "Please choose a Certificate.";
         header(url_safe('Location: /wizard.php?xml=openvpn&stepid=7&message=%s', array($message)));
@@ -725,11 +718,8 @@ function step12_submitphpaction()
         $config['filter']['rule'][] = $rule;
     }
 
-    if (!isset($config['openvpn']['openvpn-server'])) {
-        $config['openvpn']['openvpn-server'] = array();
-    }
-
-    $config['openvpn']['openvpn-server'][] = $server;
+    $a_server = &config_read_array('openvpn', 'openvpn-server');
+    $a_server[] = $server;
 
     write_config();
 
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/webgui.inc b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/webgui.inc
index 2b8346ec0..e628d0433 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/webgui.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/webgui.inc
@@ -61,13 +61,7 @@ function webgui_configure_do($verbose = false)
     if ($config['system']['webgui']['protocol'] == "https") {
         $cert =& lookup_cert($config['system']['webgui']['ssl-certref']);
         if(!is_array($cert) && !$cert['crt'] && !$cert['prv']) {
-            if (!is_array($config['ca'])) {
-                $config['ca'] = array();
-            }
             $a_ca = &config_read_array('ca');
-            if (!is_array($config['cert'])) {
-                $config['cert'] = array();
-            }
             $a_cert = &config_read_array('cert');
             log_error("Creating SSL certificate for this host");
             $cert = array();
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/services.inc b/src/etc/inc/services.inc
index dc1b4e1d2..56827deb3 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/services.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/services.inc
@@ -104,9 +104,7 @@ function services_radvd_configure($blacklist = array())
 
     killbypid('/var/run/radvd.pid', 'TERM', true);
 
-    if (!isset($config['dhcpdv6']) || !is_array($config['dhcpdv6'])) {
-        $config['dhcpdv6'] = array();
-    }
+    config_read_array('dhcpdv6');
 
     $radvdconf = "# Automatically Generated, do not edit\n";
 
@@ -1016,11 +1014,8 @@ function services_dhcpdv6_configure($blacklist = array(), $verbose = false)
         return;
     }
 
-    $syscfg = $config['system'];
-    if (!isset($config['dhcpdv6']) || !is_array($config['dhcpdv6'])) {
-        $config['dhcpdv6'] = array();
-    }
-    $dhcpdv6cfg = $config['dhcpdv6'];
+    $syscfg = config_read_array('system');
+    $dhcpdv6cfg = config_read_array('dhcpdv6');
     $Iflist = get_configured_interface_list();
 
     if ($verbose) {
@@ -1818,11 +1813,7 @@ function is_radvd_enabled()
 {
     global $config;
 
-    if (!isset($config['dhcpdv6']) || !is_array($config['dhcpdv6'])) {
-        $config['dhcpdv6'] = array();
-    }
-
-    $dhcpdv6cfg = $config['dhcpdv6'];
+    $dhcpdv6cfg = config_read_array('dhcpdv6');
     $Iflist = get_configured_interface_list();
 
     /* handle manually configured DHCP6 server settings first */
diff --git a/src/etc/rc.initial.password b/src/etc/rc.initial.password
index 327168590..75b8077f2 100755
--- a/src/etc/rc.initial.password
+++ b/src/etc/rc.initial.password
@@ -81,10 +81,8 @@ $admin_user = &getUserEntryByUID(0);
 if (!$admin_user) {
     $admin_user = array();
     $admin_user['uid'] = 0;
-    if (!isset($config['system']['user'])) {
-        $config['system']['user'] = array();
-    }
-    $config['system']['user'][] = $admin_user;
+    $a_users = &config_read_array('system', 'user');
+    $a_users[] = $admin_user;
     echo "\nRestored missing root user.\n";
 }
 
diff --git a/src/etc/rc.initial.setlanip b/src/etc/rc.initial.setlanip
index 38121a428..8636636da 100755
--- a/src/etc/rc.initial.setlanip
+++ b/src/etc/rc.initial.setlanip
@@ -210,10 +210,6 @@ function add_gateway_to_config($interface, $gatewayip, $inet_type, $is_in_subnet
 
     $label_IPvX = $inet_type == 'inet6' ? 'IPv6' : 'IPv4';
 
-    if (!isset($config['gateways']['gateway_item'])) {
-        $config['gateways']['gateway_item'] = array();
-    }
-
     $a_gateways =  &config_read_array('gateways', 'gateway_item');
     $is_default = true;
     $new_name = '';
diff --git a/src/wizard/system.xml b/src/wizard/system.xml
index bbd1ec5ba..8020e7498 100644
--- a/src/wizard/system.xml
+++ b/src/wizard/system.xml
@@ -434,12 +434,8 @@
 		}
 		$type = $_POST['selectedtype'];
 
-		if (!is_array($config['ppps'])) {
-			$config['ppps'] = array();
-		}
-		if (!is_array($config['ppps']['ppp'])) {
-			$config['ppps']['ppp'] = array();
-		}
+		config_read_array('ppps', 'ppp');
+
 		foreach ($config['ppps']['ppp'] as $pppid => $ppp) {
 			if ($ppp['ptpid'] == "0") {
 				if ((substr($config['interfaces']['wan']['if'],0,5) == "pppoe") || (substr($config['interfaces']['wan']['if'],0,4) == "pptp")) {
@@ -588,12 +584,7 @@
 		$config['system']['hostname'] = $config['wizardtemp']['system']['hostname'];
 		$config['system']['domain'] = $config['wizardtemp']['system']['domain'];
 		if (!empty($config['wizardtemp']['wangateway'])) {
-			if (!is_array($config['gateways'])) {
-				$config['gateways'] = array();
-			}
-			if (!isset($config['gateways']['gateway_item'])) {
-				$config['gateways']['gateway_item'] = array();
-			}
+			config_read_array('gateways', 'gateway_item');
 			$found = false;
 			$defaultgw_found = false;
 			foreach ($config['gateways']['gateway_item'] as & $gw) {