diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ContentScriptEditorElement.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ContentScriptEditorElement.cs
index 0d14609caa..f60e964a04 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ContentScriptEditorElement.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ContentScriptEditorElement.cs
@@ -3,42 +3,24 @@ using System.Configuration;
 
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
 {
-    internal class ContentScriptEditorElement : ConfigurationElement
+    internal class ContentScriptEditorElement : UmbracoConfigurationElement
     {
         [ConfigurationProperty("scriptFolderPath")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> ScriptFolderPath
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<string>(
-                       (InnerTextConfigurationElement<string>)this["scriptFolderPath"],
-                    //set the default
-                       "/scripts");
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("scriptFolderPath", "/scripts"); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("scriptFileTypes")]
         internal OptionalCommaDelimitedConfigurationElement ScriptFileTypes
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalCommaDelimitedConfigurationElement(
-                       (OptionalCommaDelimitedConfigurationElement)this["scriptFileTypes"],
-                    //set the default
-                       new[] { "js", "xml" });                
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalDelimitedElement("scriptFileTypes", new[] {"js", "xml"}); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("scriptDisableEditor")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> ScriptEditorDisable
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>) this["scriptDisableEditor"],
-                    //set the default
-                    false);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("scriptDisableEditor", false); }
         }
 
     }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ImagingAutoFillUploadFieldElement.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ImagingAutoFillUploadFieldElement.cs
index 0dfc4afc00..eafe43817d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ImagingAutoFillUploadFieldElement.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/ImagingAutoFillUploadFieldElement.cs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
 {
-    internal class ImagingAutoFillUploadFieldElement : ConfigurationElement, IImagingAutoFillUploadField
+    internal class ImagingAutoFillUploadFieldElement : UmbracoConfigurationElement, IImagingAutoFillUploadField
     {
         /// <summary>
         /// Allow setting internally so we can create a default
@@ -17,49 +17,25 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
         [ConfigurationProperty("widthFieldAlias")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> WidthFieldAlias
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<string>(
-                       (InnerTextConfigurationElement<string>)this["widthFieldAlias"],
-                    //set the default
-                       "umbracoWidth");
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("widthFieldAlias", "umbracoWidth"); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("heightFieldAlias")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> HeightFieldAlias
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<string>(
-                       (InnerTextConfigurationElement<string>)this["heightFieldAlias"],
-                    //set the default
-                       "umbracoHeight");
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("heightFieldAlias", "umbracoHeight"); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("lengthFieldAlias")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> LengthFieldAlias
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<string>(
-                       (InnerTextConfigurationElement<string>)this["lengthFieldAlias"],
-                    //set the default
-                       "umbracoBytes");
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("lengthFieldAlias", "umbracoBytes"); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("extensionFieldAlias")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> ExtensionFieldAlias
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<string>(
-                       (InnerTextConfigurationElement<string>)this["extensionFieldAlias"],
-                    //set the default
-                       "umbracoExtension");
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("extensionFieldAlias", "umbracoExtension"); }
         }
 
         string IImagingAutoFillUploadField.Alias
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/LoggingElement.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/LoggingElement.cs
index f95a9c7e76..39e6327b3a 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/LoggingElement.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/LoggingElement.cs
@@ -3,67 +3,37 @@ using System.Configuration;
 
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
 {
-    internal class LoggingElement : ConfigurationElement, ILoggingSection
+    internal class LoggingElement : UmbracoConfigurationElement, ILoggingSection
     {
         
         [ConfigurationProperty("autoCleanLogs")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> AutoCleanLogs
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["autoCleanLogs"],
-                    //set the default
-                    false);            
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("autoCleanLogs", false); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("enableLogging")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> EnableLogging
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["enableLogging"],
-                    //set the default
-                    true);            
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("enableLogging", true); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("enableAsyncLogging")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> EnableAsyncLogging
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["enableAsyncLogging"],
-                    //set the default
-                    true);           
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("enableAsyncLogging", true); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("cleaningMiliseconds")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<int> CleaningMiliseconds
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<int>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<int>)this["cleaningMiliseconds"],
-                    //set the default
-                    -1);                      
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("cleaningMiliseconds", -1); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("maxLogAge")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<int> MaxLogAge
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<int>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<int>)this["maxLogAge"],
-                    //set the default
-                    -1);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("maxLogAge", -1); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationCollection(typeof(DisabledLogTypesCollection), AddItemName = "logTypeAlias")]
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/NotificationsElement.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/NotificationsElement.cs
index 16eb943887..89e3f447ee 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/NotificationsElement.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/NotificationsElement.cs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
 {
-    internal class NotificationsElement : ConfigurationElement
+    internal class NotificationsElement : UmbracoConfigurationElement
     {
         [ConfigurationProperty("email")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> NotificationEmailAddress
@@ -13,13 +13,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
         [ConfigurationProperty("disableHtmlEmail")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> DisableHtmlEmail
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>) this["disableHtmlEmail"], 
-                    //set the default
-                    false);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("disableHtmlEmail", false); }
         }
 
     }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/RequestHandlerElement.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/RequestHandlerElement.cs
index 9dc4a94824..779d33c8b8 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/RequestHandlerElement.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/RequestHandlerElement.cs
@@ -5,30 +5,18 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
 {
-    internal class RequestHandlerElement : ConfigurationElement, IRequestHandlerSection
+    internal class RequestHandlerElement : UmbracoConfigurationElement, IRequestHandlerSection
     {
         [ConfigurationProperty("useDomainPrefixes")]
         public InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> UseDomainPrefixes
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["useDomainPrefixes"],
-                    //set the default
-                    false);  
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("useDomainPrefixes", false); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("addTrailingSlash")]
         public InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> AddTrailingSlash
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["addTrailingSlash"],
-                    //set the default
-                    true);  
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("addTrailingSlash", true); }
         }
 
         private UrlReplacingElement _defaultUrlReplacing;
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/SecurityElement.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/SecurityElement.cs
index f280b3e20c..ddb168ddbd 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/SecurityElement.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/SecurityElement.cs
@@ -2,66 +2,36 @@
 
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
 {
-    internal class SecurityElement : ConfigurationElement, ISecuritySection
+    internal class SecurityElement : UmbracoConfigurationElement, ISecuritySection
     {
         [ConfigurationProperty("keepUserLoggedIn")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> KeepUserLoggedIn
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["keepUserLoggedIn"],
-                    //set the default
-                    true);   
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("keepUserLoggedIn", true); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("hideDisabledUsersInBackoffice")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> HideDisabledUsersInBackoffice
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["hideDisabledUsersInBackoffice"],
-                    //set the default
-                    false);                          
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("hideDisabledUsersInBackoffice", false); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("allowPasswordReset")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> AllowPasswordReset
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["allowPasswordReset"],
-                    //set the default
-                    true);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("allowPasswordReset", true); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("authCookieName")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> AuthCookieName
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<string>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<string>)this["authCookieName"],
-                    //set the default
-                    Constants.Web.AuthCookieName);                
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("authCookieName", Constants.Web.AuthCookieName); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("authCookieDomain")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<string> AuthCookieDomain
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<string>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<string>)this["authCookieDomain"],
-                    //set the default
-                    null);                    
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement<string>("authCookieDomain", null); }
         }
 
         bool ISecuritySection.KeepUserLoggedIn
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/TemplatesElement.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/TemplatesElement.cs
index c7eb659766..4e249df3a2 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/TemplatesElement.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoSettings/TemplatesElement.cs
@@ -3,55 +3,31 @@ using System.Configuration;
 
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings
 {
-    internal class TemplatesElement : ConfigurationElement, ITemplatesSection
+    internal class TemplatesElement : UmbracoConfigurationElement, ITemplatesSection
     {
         [ConfigurationProperty("useAspNetMasterPages")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> UseAspNetMasterPages
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["useAspNetMasterPages"],
-                    //set the default
-                    true);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("useAspNetMasterPages", true); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("enableSkinSupport")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> EnableSkinSupport
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["enableSkinSupport"],
-                    //set the default
-                    true);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("enableSkinSupport", true); }
         }
 
         [ConfigurationProperty("defaultRenderingEngine", IsRequired = true)]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<RenderingEngine> DefaultRenderingEngine
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<RenderingEngine>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<RenderingEngine>)this["defaultRenderingEngine"],
-                    //set the default
-                    RenderingEngine.Mvc);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("defaultRenderingEngine", RenderingEngine.Mvc); }
         }
 
         [Obsolete("This has no affect and will be removed in future versions")]
         [ConfigurationProperty("enableTemplateFolders")]
         internal InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool> EnableTemplateFolders
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return new OptionalInnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>(
-                    (InnerTextConfigurationElement<bool>)this["enableTemplateFolders"],
-                    //set the default
-                    false);
-            }
+            get { return GetOptionalTextElement("enableTemplateFolders", false); }
         }
 
         bool ITemplatesSection.UseAspNetMasterPages