diff --git a/src/jail.c b/src/jail.c
index 92f6cce..34959bb 100644
--- a/src/jail.c
+++ b/src/jail.c
@@ -1,5 +1,60 @@
+#include "common.h"
 #include "jail.h"
 
+#define DEFAULT_BANTIME 3600 /* in seconds, 1 hour */
+#define DEFAULT_TRIES   5
+
+static f2b_jail_t defaults = {
+  .enabled  = true,
+  .bantime  = DEFAULT_BANTIME,
+  .tries    = DEFAULT_TRIES,
+};
+
+void
+f2b_jail_apply_config(f2b_jail_t *jail, f2b_config_section_t *config) {
+  f2b_config_param_t *param = NULL;
+
+  assert(jail != NULL);
+  assert(config != NULL);
+  assert(config->type != t_jail);
+
+  param = config->param;
+  for (; param != NULL; param = param->next) {
+    if (strcmp(param->name, "enabled") == 0) {
+      if (strcmp(param->value, "yes") == 0)
+        jail->enabled = true;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (strcmp(param->name, "bantime") == 0) {
+      jail->bantime = atoi(param->value);
+      if (jail->bantime <= 0)
+        jail->bantime = DEFAULT_BANTIME;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (strcmp(param->name, "tries") == 0) {
+      jail->bantime = atoi(param->value);
+      if (jail->tries <= 0)
+        jail->tries = DEFAULT_TRIES;
+      continue;
+    }
+    f2b_log_msg(log_warn, "unrecognized param in section [defaults]: %s", param->name);
+  }
+
+  return;
+}
+
+void
+f2b_jail_set_defaults(f2b_config_section_t *config) {
+  assert(config != NULL);
+  assert(config->type == t_defaults);
+
+  config->type = t_jail;
+  f2b_jail_apply_config(&defaults, config);
+  config->type = t_defaults;
+
+  return;
+}
+
 /*
 size_t
 f2b_jail_poll(const jail_t *jail) {