diff --git a/src/settings.c b/src/settings.c
index d4bcba2..2f6a7b5 100644
--- a/src/settings.c
+++ b/src/settings.c
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
         {
                 char *c = option_get_string(
                         "global",
-                        "alignment", "-align/-alignment", "",
+                        "alignment", "-align/-alignment", NULL,
                         "Text alignment left/center/right"
                 );