diff --git a/crashtracker/src/crash_info/metadata.rs b/crashtracker/src/crash_info/metadata.rs
index c56435ba1..a0e8d99d0 100644
--- a/crashtracker/src/crash_info/metadata.rs
+++ b/crashtracker/src/crash_info/metadata.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 use ddcommon::tag::Tag;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct CrashtrackerMetadata {
     pub library_name: String,
     pub library_version: String,
diff --git a/crashtracker/src/shared/configuration.rs b/crashtracker/src/shared/configuration.rs
index 2df937bc2..8cecce79a 100644
--- a/crashtracker/src/shared/configuration.rs
+++ b/crashtracker/src/shared/configuration.rs
@@ -9,16 +9,17 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 /// We recommend fully enabling stacktrace collection, but having an environment
 /// variable to allow downgrading the collector.
 #[repr(C)]
-#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub enum StacktraceCollection {
     /// Stacktrace collection occurs in the
-    Disabled,
+    #[default] Disabled,
     WithoutSymbols,
     EnabledWithInprocessSymbols,
     EnabledWithSymbolsInReceiver,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default)]
 pub struct CrashtrackerConfiguration {
     // Paths to any additional files to track, if any
     pub additional_files: Vec<String>,
@@ -28,7 +29,8 @@ pub struct CrashtrackerConfiguration {
     pub wait_for_receiver: bool,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default)]
 pub struct CrashtrackerReceiverConfig {
     pub args: Vec<String>,
     pub env: Vec<(String, String)>,
diff --git a/ddcommon/src/lib.rs b/ddcommon/src/lib.rs
index 089de4252..1198a05f0 100644
--- a/ddcommon/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ddcommon/src/lib.rs
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ struct SerializedUri<'a> {
     path_and_query: Option<Cow<'a, str>>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(untagged)]
+enum StringOrSerializedUri<'a> {
+    String(String),
+    SerializedUri(SerializedUri<'a>)
+}
+
 fn serialize_uri<S>(uri: &hyper::Uri, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
 where
     S: Serializer,
@@ -82,19 +89,22 @@ fn deserialize_uri<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<hyper::Uri, D::Error>
 where
     D: Deserializer<'de>,
 {
-    let uri = SerializedUri::deserialize(deserializer)?;
-    let mut builder = hyper::Uri::builder();
-    if let Some(v) = uri.authority {
-        builder = builder.authority(v.deref());
-    }
-    if let Some(v) = uri.scheme {
-        builder = builder.scheme(v.deref());
-    }
-    if let Some(v) = uri.path_and_query {
-        builder = builder.path_and_query(v.deref());
+    match StringOrSerializedUri::deserialize(deserializer)? {
+        StringOrSerializedUri::String(str) => str.parse().map_err(Error::custom),
+        StringOrSerializedUri::SerializedUri(uri) => {
+            let mut builder = hyper::Uri::builder();
+            if let Some(v) = uri.authority {
+                builder = builder.authority(v.deref());
+            }
+            if let Some(v) = uri.scheme {
+                builder = builder.scheme(v.deref());
+            }
+            if let Some(v) = uri.path_and_query {
+                builder = builder.path_and_query(v.deref());
+            }
+            builder.build().map_err(Error::custom)
+        }
     }
-
-    builder.build().map_err(Error::custom)
 }
 
 /// TODO: we should properly handle malformed urls