diff --git a/common/parse.c b/common/parse.c
index 38dea858..e0535935 100644
--- a/common/parse.c
+++ b/common/parse.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #ifndef lint
 static char copyright[] =
-"$Id: parse.c,v 1.61 2000/02/01 03:19:39 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
+"$Id: parse.c,v 1.62 2000/02/02 17:10:38 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
 #endif /* not lint */
 
 #include "dhcpd.h"
@@ -1451,6 +1451,17 @@ int parse_executable_statement (result, cfile, lose, case_context)
 		break;
 
 	      default:
+		if (config_universe && is_identifier (token)) {
+			option = ((struct option *)
+				  hash_lookup (config_universe -> hash,
+					       (const unsigned char *)val, 0));
+			if (option) {
+				token = next_token (&val, cfile);
+				return parse_option_statement
+					(result, cfile, 1, option,
+					 supersede_option_statement);
+			}
+		}
 		*lose = 0;
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/common/tables.c b/common/tables.c
index e70bf087..965ebb76 100644
--- a/common/tables.c
+++ b/common/tables.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #ifndef lint
 static char copyright[] =
-"$Id: tables.c,v 1.35 2000/01/26 14:55:34 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
+"$Id: tables.c,v 1.36 2000/02/02 17:10:39 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
 #endif /* not lint */
 
 #include "dhcpd.h"
@@ -829,6 +829,12 @@ struct hash_table universe_hash;
 struct universe **universes;
 int universe_count, universe_max;
 
+/* Universe containing names of configuration options, which, rather than
+   writing "option universe-name.option-name ...;", can be set by writing
+   "option-name ...;". */
+
+struct universe *config_universe;
+
 void initialize_common_option_spaces()
 {
 	int i;
diff --git a/includes/dhcpd.h b/includes/dhcpd.h
index f105e90f..56575281 100644
--- a/includes/dhcpd.h
+++ b/includes/dhcpd.h
@@ -1422,6 +1422,7 @@ int universe_count, universe_max;
 struct universe **universes;
 extern struct hash_table universe_hash;
 void initialize_common_option_spaces PROTO ((void));
+struct universe *config_universe;
 
 /* stables.c */
 #if defined (FAILOVER_PROTOCOL)
diff --git a/server/confpars.c b/server/confpars.c
index 0bd2effb..cc530640 100644
--- a/server/confpars.c
+++ b/server/confpars.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #ifndef lint
 static char copyright[] =
-"$Id: confpars.c,v 1.100 2000/02/01 03:19:56 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
+"$Id: confpars.c,v 1.101 2000/02/02 17:10:43 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
 #endif /* not lint */
 
 #include "dhcpd.h"
@@ -491,39 +491,19 @@ int parse_statement (cfile, group, type, host_decl, declaration)
 
 	      default:
 		et = (struct executable_statement *)0;
-		if (is_identifier (token)) {
-			option = ((struct option *)
-				  hash_lookup (server_universe.hash,
-					       (const unsigned char *)val, 0));
-			if (option) {
-				token = next_token (&val, cfile);
-				if (!parse_option_statement
-					(&et, cfile, 1, option,
-					 supersede_option_statement))
-					return declaration;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if (!et) {
-			lose = 0;
-			if (!parse_executable_statement (&et, cfile, &lose,
-							 context_any)) {
-				if (!lose) {
-				    if (declaration)
+		lose = 0;
+		if (!parse_executable_statement (&et, cfile, &lose,
+						 context_any)) {
+			if (!lose) {
+				if (declaration)
 					parse_warn (cfile,
 						    "expecting a declaration");
-				    else
+				else
 					parse_warn (cfile,
 						    "expecting a parameter %s",
 						    "or declaration");
-					skip_to_semi (cfile);
-				}
-				return declaration;
+				skip_to_semi (cfile);
 			}
-		}
-		if (!et) {
-			parse_warn (cfile, "expecting a %sdeclaration",
-				    declaration ? "" :  "parameter or ");
 			return declaration;
 		}
 	      insert_statement:
diff --git a/server/stables.c b/server/stables.c
index b429892e..42f3f27d 100644
--- a/server/stables.c
+++ b/server/stables.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #ifndef lint
 static char copyright[] =
-"$Id: stables.c,v 1.5 2000/01/25 01:45:00 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
+"$Id: stables.c,v 1.6 2000/02/02 17:10:43 mellon Exp $ Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 The Internet Software Consortium.  All rights reserved.\n";
 #endif /* not lint */
 
 #include "dhcpd.h"
@@ -733,4 +733,7 @@ void initialize_server_option_spaces()
 	add_hash (&universe_hash,
 		  (const unsigned char *)server_universe.name, 0,
 		  (unsigned char *)&server_universe);
+
+	/* Make the server universe the configuration option universe. */
+	config_universe = &server_universe;
 }