diff --git a/cowrie/core/protocol.py b/cowrie/core/protocol.py
index d9c2999..5addee6 100644
--- a/cowrie/core/protocol.py
+++ b/cowrie/core/protocol.py
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ class HoneyPotBaseProtocol(insults.TerminalProtocol, TimeoutMixin):
         self.setTimeout(1800)
 
         # Source IP of client in user visible reports (can be fake or real)
-        if self.cfg.has_option('honeypot', 'fake_addr'):
+        try:
             self.clientIP = self.cfg.get('honeypot', 'fake_addr')
-        else:
+        except:
             self.clientIP = self.realClientIP
 
         if self.cfg.has_option('honeypot', 'internet_facing_ip'):
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ class LoggingServerProtocol(insults.ServerProtocol):
             log.msg(eventid='KIPP0015', format='Data upload limit reached')
             #self.loseConnection()
             self.eofReceived()
-	    return
+            return
 
         if self.stdinlog_open:
             with file(self.stdinlog_file, 'ab') as f:
diff --git a/cowrie/core/ssh.py b/cowrie/core/ssh.py
index 3f7a1fa..13acf39 100644
--- a/cowrie/core/ssh.py
+++ b/cowrie/core/ssh.py
@@ -241,12 +241,11 @@ class HoneyPotSSHFactory(factory.SSHFactory):
 
         _modulis = '/etc/ssh/moduli', '/private/etc/moduli'
 
-        # FIXME: try to mimic something real 100%
         t = HoneyPotTransport()
 
-        if self.cfg.has_option('honeypot', 'ssh_version_string'):
+	try:
             t.ourVersionString = self.cfg.get('honeypot', 'ssh_version_string')
-        else:
+        except:
             t.ourVersionString = "SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_6.0p1 Debian-4+deb7u2"
 
         t.supportedPublicKeys = self.privateKeys.keys()
@@ -460,9 +459,11 @@ class CowrieUser(avatar.ConchUser):
             self.home = '/home/' + username
 
         # sftp support enabled only when option is explicitly set
-        if self.cfg.has_option('honeypot', 'sftp_enabled'):
+        try:
             if (self.cfg.get('honeypot', 'sftp_enabled') == "true"):
                 self.subsystemLookup['sftp'] = filetransfer.FileTransferServer
+        except:
+            pass
 
     def logout(self):
         log.msg(