diff --git a/src/scripts/access/access-default.lua b/src/scripts/access/access-default.lua
index 3c27e90a..0fac87b7 100644
--- a/src/scripts/access/access-default.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/access/access-default.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 --
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 
 -- preprocess rules and create Interest objects
 for _, r in ipairs(config.rules or {}) do
diff --git a/src/scripts/create-item.lua b/src/scripts/create-item.lua
index ad4a6f62..f2c75623 100644
--- a/src/scripts/create-item.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/create-item.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 -- Receive script arguments from config.lua
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 
 items = {}
 
diff --git a/src/scripts/default-routes.lua b/src/scripts/default-routes.lua
index 953cba33..075f5d63 100644
--- a/src/scripts/default-routes.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/default-routes.lua
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 --
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 
 -- whether to store state on the file system
 use_persistent_storage = config["use-persistent-storage"] or false
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua
index bf4fde47..0efee345 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 -- Receive script arguments from config.lua
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 
 -- ensure config.properties is not nil
 config.properties = config.properties or {}
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua
index c917a5c8..3e8eda83 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 -- Receive script arguments from config.lua
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 
 -- ensure config.properties is not nil
 config.properties = config.properties or {}
diff --git a/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client-links.lua b/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client-links.lua
index 1a932940..eaa1c088 100644
--- a/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client-links.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client-links.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 --
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 config.roles = config.roles or {}
 config["duck.level"] = config["duck.level"] or 0.3
 
diff --git a/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client.lua b/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client.lua
index e898e35b..487d4b4a 100644
--- a/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-client.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 -- Receive script arguments from config.lua
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 config.roles = config.roles or {}
 
 local self = {}
diff --git a/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-device.lua b/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-device.lua
index b726cb3d..71f77727 100644
--- a/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-device.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/policy-endpoint-device.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 -- Receive script arguments from config.lua
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 
 -- ensure config.move and config.follow are not nil
 config.move = config.move or false
diff --git a/src/scripts/policy-node.lua b/src/scripts/policy-node.lua
index 9df50072..51a55490 100644
--- a/src/scripts/policy-node.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/policy-node.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 -- Receive script arguments from config.lua
-local config = ...
+local config = ... or {}
 
 -- ensure config.move and config.follow are not nil
 config.move = config.move or false