diff --git a/src/config/wireplumber.conf b/src/config/wireplumber.conf
index d72bdbcb..ad93ffbd 100644
--- a/src/config/wireplumber.conf
+++ b/src/config/wireplumber.conf
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ wireplumber.components = [
     requires = [ api.file-monitor ]
   }
   {
-    type = virtual, provides = monitor.bluetooth.seat-monitoring,
+    type = virtual, provides = monitor.bluez.seat-monitoring,
     requires = [ support.logind ]
   }
 
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ wireplumber.components = [
                  pw.client-device,
                  pw.client-node,
                  pw.node-factory.adapter ]
-    wants = [ monitor.bluetooth.seat-monitoring ]
+    wants = [ monitor.bluez.seat-monitoring ]
   }
   {
     name = monitors/bluez-midi.lua, type = script/lua
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ wireplumber.components = [
                  pw.client-device,
                  pw.client-node,
                  pw.node-factory.spa ]
-    wants = [ monitor.bluetooth.seat-monitoring ]
+    wants = [ monitor.bluez.seat-monitoring ]
   }
   {
     name = monitors/alsa-midi.lua, type = script/lua
diff --git a/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/alsa.conf b/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/alsa.conf
index bda1657c..1f96c8eb 100644
--- a/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/alsa.conf
+++ b/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/alsa.conf
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ monitor.alsa.properties = {
   ## The properties used when constructing the 'api.alsa.enum.udev' plugin
 }
 
-monitor.alsa.midi.node-properties = {
+monitor.alsa-midi.properties = {
   ## MIDI bridge node properties
 
   ## Name set for the node with ALSA MIDI ports
diff --git a/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/bluetooth.conf b/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/bluetooth.conf
index b812531c..53cee71c 100644
--- a/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/bluetooth.conf
+++ b/src/config/wireplumber.conf.d.examples/bluetooth.conf
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ wireplumber.settings = {
   # ]
 }
 
-monitor.bluetooth.properties = {
+monitor.bluez.properties = {
   ## The properties used when constructing the 'api.bluez5.enum.dbus' plugin
 
   ## Enabled roles (default: [ a2dp_sink a2dp_source bap_sink bap_source hfp_hf hfp_ag ])
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ monitor.bluetooth.properties = {
   # bluez5.a2dp.opus.pro.bidi.frame-dms = 400
 }
 
-monitor.bluetooth-midi.properties = {
+monitor.bluez-midi.properties = {
   ## The properties used when constructing the 'api.bluez5.midi.enum' plugin
 }
 
-monitor.bluetooth-midi.servers = [
+monitor.bluez-midi.servers = [
   ## List of MIDI server node names. Each node name given will create a new instance
   ## of a BLE MIDI service. Typical BLE MIDI instruments have on service instance,
   ## so adding more than one here may confuse some clients. The node property matching
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ monitor.bluetooth-midi.servers = [
   # "bluez_midi.server"
 ]
 
-monitor.bluetooth.rules = [
+monitor.bluez.rules = [
   ## The list of monitor rules
 
   ## The following are the default rules applied if none overrides them.
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ monitor.bluetooth.rules = [
   # }
 ]
 
-monitor.bluetooth-midi.rules = [
+monitor.bluez-midi.rules = [
   ## The list of monitor MIDI rules
 
   ## This rule example allows changing properties on all Bluetooth MIDI nodes.
diff --git a/src/scripts/lib/common-utils.lua b/src/scripts/lib/common-utils.lua
index af0ee6ba..70de8e61 100644
--- a/src/scripts/lib/common-utils.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/lib/common-utils.lua
@@ -158,5 +158,28 @@ function cutils.storeAfterTimeout (state, state_table)
   end)
 end
 
+function cutils.get_application_name ()
+  return Core.get_properties()["application.name"] or "WirePlumber"
+end
+
+function cutils.get_config_section (name, defaults)
+  local section = Conf.get_section (name)
+  if not section then
+    section = defaults or {}
+  else
+    section = section:parse ()
+    for k, v in pairs (defaults) do
+      if section [k] == nil then
+        section [k] = v
+      end
+    end
+    for k, v in ipairs (defaults) do
+      if section [k] == nil then
+        section [k] = v
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  return section
+end
 
 return cutils
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua
index d3c3aa7b..7b60d4f7 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa-midi.lua
@@ -5,15 +5,12 @@
 --
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
+cutils = require ("common-utils")
 log = Log.open_topic ("s-monitors")
 
-defaults = {}
-defaults.node_properties = Json.Object {}
-
 config = {}
 config.monitoring = Core.test_feature ("monitor.alsa-midi.monitoring")
-config.node_properties = Conf.get_section (
-    "monitor.alsa.midi.node-properties", defaults.node_properties):parse ()
+config.node_properties = cutils.get_config_section ("monitor.alsa-midi.properties")
 
 SND_PATH = "/dev/snd"
 SEQ_NAME = "seq"
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua
index edc37d1a..5019131d 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/alsa.lua
@@ -8,19 +8,9 @@
 cutils = require ("common-utils")
 log = Log.open_topic ("s-monitors")
 
-defaults = {}
-defaults.reserve_priority = -20
-defaults.reserve_application_name = "WirePlumber"
-defaults.properties = Json.Object {}
-
 config = {}
 config.reserve_device = Core.test_feature ("monitor.alsa.reserve-device")
-config.reserve_priority = Conf.get_value_int ("wireplumber.settings",
-    "monitor.alsa.reserve-priority", defaults.reserve_priority)
-config.reserve_application_name = Conf.get_value_string ("wireplumber.settings",
-    "monitor.alsa.reserve-application-name", defaults.reserve_application_name)
-config.properties = Conf.get_section (
-    "monitor.alsa.properties", defaults.properties):parse ()
+config.properties = cutils.get_config_section ("monitor.alsa.properties")
 
 -- unique device/node name tables
 device_names_table = nil
@@ -33,6 +23,7 @@ end
 function applyDefaultDeviceProperties (properties)
   properties["api.alsa.use-acp"] = true
   properties["api.acp.auto-port"] = false
+  properties["api.dbus.ReserveDevice1.Priority"] = -20
 end
 
 function createNode(parent, id, obj_type, factory, properties)
@@ -280,9 +271,9 @@ function prepareDevice(parent, id, obj_type, factory, properties)
     local rd_name = "Audio" .. properties["api.alsa.card"]
     local rd = rd_plugin:call("create-reservation",
         rd_name,
-        config.reserve_application_name,
+        cutils.get_application_name (),
         properties["device.name"],
-        config.reserve_priority);
+        properties["api.dbus.ReserveDevice1.Priority"]);
 
     properties["api.dbus.ReserveDevice1"] = rd_name
 
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/bluez-midi.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/bluez-midi.lua
index 6c773e17..1d0beb57 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/bluez-midi.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/bluez-midi.lua
@@ -9,15 +9,12 @@ cutils = require ("common-utils")
 log = Log.open_topic ("s-monitors")
 
 defaults = {}
-defaults.properties = Json.Object {}
-defaults.servers = Json.Array { "bluez_midi.server" }
+defaults.servers = { "bluez_midi.server" }
 
 config = {}
-config.seat_monitoring = Core.test_feature ("monitor.bluetooth.seat-monitoring")
-config.properties = Conf.get_section (
-    "monitor.bluetooth-midi.properties", defaults.properties): parse ()
-config.servers = Conf.get_section (
-    "monitor.bluetooth-midi.servers", defaults.servers): parse ()
+config.seat_monitoring = Core.test_feature ("monitor.bluez.seat-monitoring")
+config.properties = cutils.get_config_section ("monitor.bluez-midi.properties")
+config.servers = cutils.get_config_section ("monitor.bluez-midi.servers", defaults.servers)
 
 -- unique device/node name tables
 node_names_table = nil
@@ -62,7 +59,7 @@ function createNode(parent, id, type, factory, properties)
   properties["api.glib.mainloop"] = "true"
 
   -- apply properties from bluetooth.conf
-  cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (properties, "monitor.bluetooth-midi.rules")
+  cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (properties, "monitor.bluez-midi.rules")
 
   local latency_offset = properties["node.latency-offset-msec"]
   properties["node.latency-offset-msec"] = nil
@@ -118,7 +115,7 @@ function createServers()
       ["factory.name"] = "api.bluez5.midi.node",
       ["api.glib.mainloop"] = "true",
     }
-    cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (node_props, "monitor.bluetooth-midi.rules")
+    cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (node_props, "monitor.bluez-midi.rules")
 
     local latency_offset = node_props["node.latency-offset-msec"]
     node_props["node.latency-offset-msec"] = nil
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/bluez.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/bluez.lua
index ebf41c1c..a1d24f94 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/bluez.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/bluez.lua
@@ -10,13 +10,12 @@ COMBINE_OFFSET = 64
 cutils = require ("common-utils")
 log = Log.open_topic ("s-monitors")
 
-defaults = {}
-defaults.properties = Json.Object {}
-
 config = {}
-config.seat_monitoring = Core.test_feature ("monitor.bluetooth.seat-monitoring")
-config.properties = Conf.get_section (
-    "monitor.bluetooth.properties", defaults.properties): parse ()
+config.seat_monitoring = Core.test_feature ("monitor.bluez.seat-monitoring")
+config.properties = cutils.get_config_section ("monitor.bluez.properties")
+
+-- This is not a setting, it must always be enabled
+config.properties["api.bluez5.connection-info"] = true
 
 devices_om = ObjectManager {
   Interest {
@@ -278,7 +277,7 @@ function createNode(parent, id, type, factory, properties)
   end
 
   -- apply properties from bluetooth.conf
-  cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (properties, "monitor.bluetooth.rules")
+  cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (properties, "monitor.bluez.rules")
 
   -- create the node; bluez requires "local" nodes, i.e. ones that run in
   -- the same process as the spa device, for several reasons
@@ -340,7 +339,7 @@ function createDevice(parent, id, type, factory, properties)
     properties["api.bluez5.id"] = id
 
     -- apply properties from bluetooth.conf
-    cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (properties, "monitor.bluetooth.rules")
+    cutils.evaluateRulesApplyProperties (properties, "monitor.bluez.rules")
 
     -- create the device
     device = SpaDevice(factory, properties)
@@ -367,9 +366,7 @@ function createDevice(parent, id, type, factory, properties)
 end
 
 function createMonitor()
-  local properties = config.properties
-  properties["api.bluez5.connection-info"] = true
-  local monitor = SpaDevice("api.bluez5.enum.dbus", properties)
+  local monitor = SpaDevice("api.bluez5.enum.dbus", config.properties)
   if monitor then
     monitor:connect("create-object", createDevice)
   else
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/libcamera/enumerate-device.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/libcamera/enumerate-device.lua
index c81abd11..ba91e1aa 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/libcamera/enumerate-device.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/libcamera/enumerate-device.lua
@@ -5,14 +5,11 @@
 --
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
+cutils = require ("common-utils")
 log = Log.open_topic ("s-monitors-libcamera")
 
-defaults = {}
-defaults.properties = Json.Object {}
-
 config = {}
-config.properties = Conf.get_section (
-  "monitor.libcamera.properties", defaults.properties):parse ()
+config.properties = cutils.get_config_section ("monitor.libcamera.properties")
 
 function createCamDevice (parent, id, type, factory, properties)
   source = source or Plugin.find ("standard-event-source")
diff --git a/src/scripts/monitors/v4l2/enumerate-device.lua b/src/scripts/monitors/v4l2/enumerate-device.lua
index d7ae2f03..62189121 100644
--- a/src/scripts/monitors/v4l2/enumerate-device.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/monitors/v4l2/enumerate-device.lua
@@ -5,15 +5,11 @@
 --
 -- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
+cutils = require ("common-utils")
 log = Log.open_topic ("s-monitors-v4l2")
 
-defaults = {}
-defaults.properties = Json.Object {}
-
 config = {}
-config.properties = Conf.get_section (
-  "monitor.v4l2.properties", defaults.properties):parse ()
-
+config.properties = cutils.get_config_section ("monitor.v4l2.properties")
 
 function createCamDevice (parent, id, type, factory, properties)
   source = source or Plugin.find ("standard-event-source")