diff --git a/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/core/config/AppConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/core/config/AppConfiguration.java
index 463dbcfd..339da3b2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/core/config/AppConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/core/config/AppConfiguration.java
@@ -29,14 +29,14 @@ public AppConfiguration(
             @JsonProperty(value = "simultaneousSeed", required = true) final int simultaneousSeed,
             @JsonProperty(value = "client", required = true) final String client,
             @JsonProperty(value = "keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers", required = true) final boolean keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers,
-            @JsonProperty(value = "uploadRatioTarget", defaultValue = "-1.0", required = false) final float uploadRatioTarget
+            @JsonProperty(value = "uploadRatioTarget", required = false) final Float uploadRatioTarget
     ) {
         this.minUploadRate = minUploadRate;
         this.maxUploadRate = maxUploadRate;
         this.simultaneousSeed = simultaneousSeed;
         this.client = client;
         this.keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers = keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers;
-        this.uploadRatioTarget = uploadRatioTarget;
+        this.uploadRatioTarget = uploadRatioTarget == null ? -1.0f : uploadRatioTarget;
 
         validate();
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/web/messages/incoming/config/ConfigIncomingMessage.java b/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/web/messages/incoming/config/ConfigIncomingMessage.java
index 12ba7a33..b8c10c26 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/web/messages/incoming/config/ConfigIncomingMessage.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/araymond/joal/web/messages/incoming/config/ConfigIncomingMessage.java
@@ -27,14 +27,14 @@ public class ConfigIncomingMessage {
             @JsonProperty(value = "simultaneousSeed", required = true) final Integer simultaneousSeed,
             @JsonProperty(value = "client", required = true) final String client,
             @JsonProperty(value = "keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers", required = true) final boolean keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers,
-            @JsonProperty(value = "uploadRatioTarget", defaultValue = "-1.0", required = false) final Float uploadRatioTarget
+            @JsonProperty(value = "uploadRatioTarget", required = false) final Float uploadRatioTarget
     ) {
         this.minUploadRate = minUploadRate;
         this.maxUploadRate = maxUploadRate;
         this.simultaneousSeed = simultaneousSeed;
         this.client = client;
         this.keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers = keepTorrentWithZeroLeechers;
-        this.uploadRatioTarget = uploadRatioTarget;
+        this.uploadRatioTarget = uploadRatioTarget == null ? -1.0f : uploadRatioTarget;
     }
 
     public AppConfiguration toAppConfiguration() throws AppConfigurationIntegrityException {