diff --git a/pkg/cwplugin/backend.go b/pkg/cwplugin/backend.go
index 043321f57..b30ded037 100644
--- a/pkg/cwplugin/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/cwplugin/backend.go
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@ type BackendManager struct {
 	backendPlugins map[string]BackendPlugin
 }
 
-var defaultMaxRecords = "1000"
-var defaultMaxRecordsAge = "30d"
-var defaultDbDebug = "false"
-
 func NewBackendPlugin(outputConfig map[string]string) (*BackendManager, error) {
 	var files []string
 	var backendManager = &BackendManager{}
@@ -102,10 +98,6 @@ func NewBackendPlugin(outputConfig map[string]string) (*BackendManager, error) {
 
 		// Add the interface and Init()
 		newPlugin.funcs = bInterface
-		newPlugin.Config["debug"] = defaultDbDebug
-		newPlugin.Config["max_records"] = defaultMaxRecords
-		newPlugin.Config["max_records_age"] = defaultMaxRecordsAge
-
 		// Merge backend config from main config file
 		if v, ok := outputConfig["debug"]; ok {
 			newPlugin.Config["debug"] = v
@@ -119,6 +111,10 @@ func NewBackendPlugin(outputConfig map[string]string) (*BackendManager, error) {
 			newPlugin.Config["max_records_age"] = v
 		}
 
+		if v, ok := outputConfig["flush"]; ok {
+			newPlugin.Config["flush"] = v
+		}
+
 		err = newPlugin.funcs.Init(newPlugin.Config)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin '%s' init error : %s", newPlugin.Name, err)
diff --git a/pkg/outputs/ouputs.go b/pkg/outputs/ouputs.go
index e824fba7e..4a5c6b4dc 100644
--- a/pkg/outputs/ouputs.go
+++ b/pkg/outputs/ouputs.go
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ import (
 
 //OutputFactory is part of the main yaml configuration file, and holds generic backend config
 type OutputFactory struct {
-	BackendFolder string `yaml:"backend"`
+	BackendFolder string `yaml:"backend,omitempty"`
 	//For the db GC : how many records can we keep at most
-	MaxRecords string `yaml:"max_records"`
+	MaxRecords string `yaml:"max_records,omitempty"`
 	//For the db GC what is the oldest records we tolerate
-	MaxRecordsAge string `yaml:"max_records_age"`
+	MaxRecordsAge string `yaml:"max_records_age,omitempty"`
 	//Should we automatically flush expired bans
 	Flush bool
 	Debug bool `yaml:"debug"`
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/sqlite.go b/pkg/sqlite/sqlite.go
index 7cdad2ee2..9e9f0a85a 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/sqlite.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/sqlite.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/crowdsecurity/crowdsec/pkg/types"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
 	"github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
@@ -63,7 +64,10 @@ func NewSQLite(cfg map[string]string) (*Context, error) {
 		c.Db.LogMode(true)
 	}
 
-	c.flush, _ = strconv.ParseBool(cfg["flush"])
+	c.flush, err = strconv.ParseBool(cfg["flush"])
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Unable to parse 'flush' flag")
+	}
 	// Migrate the schema
 	c.Db.AutoMigrate(&types.EventSequence{}, &types.SignalOccurence{}, &types.BanApplication{})
 	c.Db.Model(&types.SignalOccurence{}).Related(&types.EventSequence{})