diff --git a/common/configopts.c b/common/configopts.c
index b7611deed..4510a6153 100644
--- a/common/configopts.c
+++ b/common/configopts.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ cfg_opt_t style_opts[] =
     /** Shadow color. */
     CFG_STR((char *) "shadow", NULL, CFGF_NONE),
     /** Shadow offset in pixel. */
-    CFG_INT((char *) "shadow_offset", 0, CFGF_NONE),
+    CFG_INT((char *) "shadow_offset", 0xffffffff, CFGF_NONE),
     /** Font being used */
     CFG_STR((char *) "font", NULL, CFGF_NONE),
     CFG_AWESOME_END()
diff --git a/common/draw.c b/common/draw.c
index c338cdb00..162d0ae14 100644
--- a/common/draw.c
+++ b/common/draw.c
@@ -844,6 +844,7 @@ draw_style_init(Display *disp, int phys_screen, cfg_t *cfg,
                 style_t *c, style_t *m)
 {
     char *buf;
+    int shadow;
 
     if(m)
         *c = *m;
@@ -866,7 +867,8 @@ draw_style_init(Display *disp, int phys_screen, cfg_t *cfg,
     draw_color_new(disp, phys_screen,
                    cfg_getstr(cfg, "shadow"), &c->shadow);
 
-    c->shadow_offset = cfg_getint(cfg, "shadow_offset");
+    if((shadow = cfg_getint(cfg, "shadow_offset")) != (int) 0xffffffff)
+        c->shadow_offset = shadow;
 }
 
 /** Remove a area from a list of them,