diff --git a/llarp/config/definition.hpp b/llarp/config/definition.hpp
index 8f9225c28..6cacd3180 100644
--- a/llarp/config/definition.hpp
+++ b/llarp/config/definition.hpp
@@ -202,6 +202,16 @@ namespace llarp
     OptionDefinition(std::string section_, std::string name_, Options&&... opts)
         : OptionDefinitionBase(section_, name_, opts...)
     {
+      constexpr bool has_default =
+          ((config::is_default_array<Options> || config::is_default<Options>) || ...);
+      constexpr bool has_required =
+          (std::is_same_v<config::remove_cvref_t<Options>, config::Required_t> || ...);
+      constexpr bool has_hidden =
+          (std::is_same_v<config::remove_cvref_t<Options>, config::Hidden_t> || ...);
+      static_assert(
+          not(has_default and has_required), "Default{...} and Required are mutually exclusive");
+      static_assert(not(has_hidden and has_required), "Hidden and Required are mutually exclusive");
+
       (extractDefault(std::forward<Options>(opts)), ...);
       (extractAcceptor(std::forward<Options>(opts)), ...);
       (extractComments(std::forward<Options>(opts)), ...);
diff --git a/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp b/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
index e3edec29c..80005d58c 100644
--- a/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
+++ b/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ TEST_CASE("OptionDefinition acceptor throws test", "[config]")
 TEST_CASE("OptionDefinition tryAccept missing option test", "[config]")
 {
   int unset = -1;
-  llarp::OptionDefinition<int> def("foo", "bar", Required, Default{1}, [&](int arg) {
+  llarp::OptionDefinition<int> def("foo", "bar", Required, [&](int arg) {
     (void)arg;
     unset = 0; // should never be called
   });
@@ -170,7 +170,6 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition required test", "[config]")
   config.defineOption(std::make_unique<llarp::OptionDefinition<int>>(
             "router",
             "threads",
-            Default{1},
             Required));
 
   CHECK_THROWS(config.validateRequiredFields());
@@ -186,13 +185,13 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition section test", "[config]")
   config.defineOption(std::make_unique<llarp::OptionDefinition<int>>(
             "foo",
             "bar",
-            Required,
-            Default{1}));
+            Required
+            ));
   config.defineOption(std::make_unique<llarp::OptionDefinition<int>>(
             "goo",
             "bar",
-            Required,
-            Default{1}));
+            Required
+            ));
 
   CHECK_THROWS(config.validateRequiredFields());
 
diff --git a/test/config/test_llarp_config_output.cpp b/test/config/test_llarp_config_output.cpp
index 13eb64c72..5ba47bf21 100644
--- a/test/config/test_llarp_config_output.cpp
+++ b/test/config/test_llarp_config_output.cpp
@@ -8,37 +8,37 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition simple generate test", "[config]")
 {
   llarp::ConfigDefinition config{true};
 
-  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Required, Default{1});
+  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Required);
   config.defineOption<int>("foo", "baz", Default{2});
-  config.defineOption(std::make_unique<llarp::OptionDefinition<std::string>>(
-            "foo", "quux", Required, Default{"hello"}));
+  config.defineOption(
+      std::make_unique<llarp::OptionDefinition<std::string>>("foo", "quux", Default{"hello"}));
 
-  config.defineOption<int>("argle", "bar", RelayOnly, Required, Default{3});
+  config.defineOption<int>("argle", "bar", RelayOnly, Required);
   config.defineOption<int>("argle", "baz", Default{4});
-  config.defineOption<std::string>("argle", "quux", Required, Default{"the quick brown fox"});
+  config.defineOption<std::string>("argle", "quux", Default{"the quick brown fox"});
 
-  config.defineOption<int>("not", "for-routers", ClientOnly, Required, Default{1});
+  config.defineOption<int>("not", "for-routers", ClientOnly, Default{1});
 
   std::string output = config.generateINIConfig();
 
   CHECK(output == R"raw([foo]
 
 
-bar=1
+#bar=
 
 #baz=2
 
-quux=hello
+#quux=hello
 
 
 [argle]
 
 
-bar=3
+#bar=
 
 #baz=4
 
-quux=the quick brown fox
+#quux=the quick brown fox
 )raw");
 }
 
@@ -46,16 +46,24 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition useValue test", "[config]")
 {
   llarp::ConfigDefinition config{true};
 
-  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Required, Default{1});
+  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Default{1});
 
-  constexpr auto expected = "[foo]\n\n\nbar=1\n";
+  constexpr auto expected = R"raw([foo]
+
+
+#bar=1
+)raw";
 
   CHECK(config.generateINIConfig(false) == expected);
   CHECK(config.generateINIConfig(true) == expected);
 
   config.addConfigValue("foo", "bar", "2");
 
-  constexpr auto expectedWhenValueProvided = "[foo]\n\n\nbar=2\n";
+  constexpr auto expectedWhenValueProvided = R"raw([foo]
+
+
+bar=2
+)raw";
 
   CHECK(config.generateINIConfig(false) == expected);
   CHECK(config.generateINIConfig(true) == expectedWhenValueProvided);
@@ -67,8 +75,7 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition section comments test")
 
   config.addSectionComments("foo", {"test comment"});
   config.addSectionComments("foo", {"test comment 2"});
-  config.defineOption(std::make_unique<llarp::OptionDefinition<int>>(
-            "foo", "bar", Required, Default{1}));
+  config.defineOption(std::make_unique<llarp::OptionDefinition<int>>("foo", "bar", Default{1}));
 
   std::string output = config.generateINIConfig();
 
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition section comments test")
 # test comment 2
 
 
-bar=1
+#bar=1
 )raw");
 }
 
@@ -87,18 +94,21 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition option comments test")
 
   config.addOptionComments("foo", "bar", {"test comment 1"});
   config.addOptionComments("foo", "bar", {"test comment 2"});
-  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Required, Default{1});
+  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Default{1});
 
-  config.defineOption<std::string>("foo", "far", Default{"abc"},
+  config.defineOption<std::string>(
+      "foo",
+      "far",
+      Default{"abc"},
       Comment{
-        "Fill in the missing values:",
-        "___defg",
+          "Fill in the missing values:",
+          "___defg",
       });
 
   config.defineOption<int>("client", "omg", ClientOnly, Default{1}, Comment{"hi"});
   config.defineOption<int>("relay", "ftw", RelayOnly, Default{1}, Comment{"bye"});
 
-  // has comment, so still gets shown.
+  // has comment, but is hidden: we show only the comment but not the value/default.
   config.defineOption<int>("foo", "old-bar", Hidden, Default{456});
   config.addOptionComments("foo", "old-bar", {"old bar option"});
 
@@ -112,14 +122,13 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition option comments test")
 
 # test comment 1
 # test comment 2
-bar=1
+#bar=1
 
 # Fill in the missing values:
 # ___defg
 #far=abc
 
 # old bar option
-#old-bar=456
 
 
 [relay]
@@ -139,7 +148,7 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition empty comments test")
 
   config.addOptionComments("foo", "bar", {"option comment"});
   config.addOptionComments("foo", "bar", {""});
-  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Required, Default{1});
+  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Default{1});
 
   std::string output = config.generateINIConfig();
 
@@ -150,7 +159,7 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition empty comments test")
 
 # option comment
 # 
-bar=1
+#bar=1
 )raw");
 }
 
@@ -161,10 +170,10 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition multi option comments")
   config.addSectionComments("foo", {"foo section comment"});
 
   config.addOptionComments("foo", "bar", {"foo bar option comment"});
-  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Required, Default{1});
+  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "bar", Default{1});
 
   config.addOptionComments("foo", "baz", {"foo baz option comment"});
-  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "baz", Required, Default{1});
+  config.defineOption<int>("foo", "baz", Default{1});
 
   std::string output = config.generateINIConfig();
 
@@ -173,10 +182,9 @@ TEST_CASE("ConfigDefinition multi option comments")
 
 
 # foo bar option comment
-bar=1
+#bar=1
 
 # foo baz option comment
-baz=1
+#baz=1
 )raw");
 }
-