diff --git a/example/kiwi.yml b/example/kiwi.yml
index 1eb6293..e40d97d 100644
--- a/example/kiwi.yml
+++ b/example/kiwi.yml
@@ -2,17 +2,17 @@
 # kiwi-scp instance configuration #
 ###################################
 
-version: '0.1.7'
+version: '0.2.0'
 
-runtime:
-  storage: /tmp/kiwi
-  shells:
+shells:
   - /bin/bash
-  env: null
 
-markers:
-  project: .project
-  disabled: .disabled
+projects:
+  - name: hello-world.project
+    enabled: true
+
+storage:
+  directory: /var/local/kiwi
 
 network:
   name: kiwi_hub
diff --git a/kiwi_scp/_constants.py b/kiwi_scp/_constants.py
index 62a46f9..54b9607 100644
--- a/kiwi_scp/_constants.py
+++ b/kiwi_scp/_constants.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ _RE_NUMBER: str = r"[0-9]|[1-9][0-9]*"
 RE_SEMVER = rf"^{_RE_NUMBER}(?:\.{_RE_NUMBER}(?:\.{_RE_NUMBER})?)?$"
 
 # regex for a lowercase variable name
-RE_VARNAME = r"^[A-Za-z](?:[A-Za-z0-9_-]*[A-Za-z0-9])$"
+RE_VARNAME = r"^[A-Za-z](?:[A-Za-z0-9\._-]*[A-Za-z0-9])$"
 
 #############
 # ENVIRONMENT
diff --git a/kiwi_scp/config.py b/kiwi_scp/config.py
index 9efe0e2..792fd4c 100644
--- a/kiwi_scp/config.py
+++ b/kiwi_scp/config.py
@@ -49,29 +49,35 @@ class _Project(BaseModel):
 class _Network(BaseModel):
     """a network subsection"""
 
-    name: constr(
-        to_lower=True,
-        regex=RE_VARNAME
-    )
+    name: constr(to_lower=True, regex=RE_VARNAME)
     cidr: IPv4Network
 
 
 class Config(BaseModel):
     """represents a kiwi.yml"""
 
-    version: constr(
-        regex=RE_SEMVER
-    )
-    shells: Optional[List[str]]
-    environment: Optional[Dict[str, Optional[str]]]
+    version: constr(regex=RE_SEMVER) = "0.2.0"
+
+    shells: Optional[List[str]] = [
+        "/bin/bash",
+    ]
+
+    environment: Dict[str, Optional[str]] = {}
 
     projects: Optional[List[_Project]]
-    storage: _Storage
-    network: _Network
+
+    storage: _Storage = _Storage.parse_obj({
+        "directory": "/var/local/kiwi",
+    })
+
+    network: _Network = _Network.parse_obj({
+        "name": "kiwi_hub",
+        "cidr": "10.22.46.0/24",
+    })
 
     @validator("environment", pre=True)
     @classmethod
-    def unify_environment(cls, value) -> Optional[Dict[str, Optional[str]]]:
+    def unify_environment(cls, value) -> Dict[str, Optional[str]]:
         """parse different environment notations"""
 
         def parse_str(var_val: str) -> (str, Optional[str]):
@@ -87,7 +93,7 @@ class Config(BaseModel):
 
         if value is None:
             # empty environment
-            return None
+            return {}
 
         elif isinstance(value, dict):
             # native dict format
diff --git a/kiwi_scp/data/etc/kiwi_default.yml b/kiwi_scp/data/etc/kiwi_default.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index bb8335f..0000000
--- a/kiwi_scp/data/etc/kiwi_default.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-version: 0.2.0
-shells:
-  - /bin/bash
-projects:
-  - name: admin
-    enabled: true
-  - Test:
-  - test2: false
-storage:
-  directory: /var/local/kiwi
-network:
-  name: kiwi_hub
-  cidr: 10.22.46.0/24
diff --git a/kiwi_scp/scripts/kiwi_next.py b/kiwi_scp/scripts/kiwi_next.py
index 22bb8a2..3650070 100644
--- a/kiwi_scp/scripts/kiwi_next.py
+++ b/kiwi_scp/scripts/kiwi_next.py
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ import yaml
 
 
 def main():
-    with open("./kiwi_scp/data/etc/kiwi_default.yml") as kc:
+    with open("./example/kiwi.yml") as kc:
         yml = yaml.safe_load(kc)
         kiwi = Config(**yml)
 
         print(repr(kiwi))
 
+    kiwi = Config()
+    print(repr(kiwi))
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()