diff --git a/lust/config.py b/lust/config.py
index 982a891..d52e222 100644
--- a/lust/config.py
+++ b/lust/config.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def load_ini_file(file_name, defaults={}):
         for key, value in config.items(section):
             results[section + '.' + key] = value
 
-    results.update(defaults)
+    defaults.update(results)
 
-    return results
+    return defaults
 
diff --git a/tests/config_tests.py b/tests/config_tests.py
index 9010d3d..4edf546 100644
--- a/tests/config_tests.py
+++ b/tests/config_tests.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ def test_load_ini_file():
 
 def test_load_ini_file_defaults():
     settings = config.load_ini_file("tests/sample.ini", defaults={'threadserver.run_dir':
-                                                                  '/var/other'})
-    assert_equal(settings['threadserver.run_dir'], '/var/other')
-
+                                                                  '/var/other',
+                                                                  'threadserver.port':
+                                                                  4227})
+    assert_equal(settings['threadserver.run_dir'], '/var/run/threadserver')  # defaults is overwritten
+    assert_equal(settings['threadserver.port'], 4227)  # defaults