diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 69b1e5240a7..8350649134b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ Use the [autoconfigure tool][autoconfigure] to sync an uploader to your config.
 
 #### Core
 
-  * `DISPLAY_UNITS` (`mg/dl`) - Choices: `mg/dl` and `mmol`.  Setting to `mmol` puts the entire server into `mmol` mode by default, no further settings needed.
+  * `DEFAULTS` - `Key=Value` pairs that can be used to set system options.  Currently supported: `"display-units=mg/dl|mmol time-format=12|24"`
   * `MONGO_COLLECTION` (`entries`) - The collection used to store SGV, MBG, and CAL records from your CGM device
   * `MONGO_TREATMENTS_COLLECTION` (`treatments`) -The collection used to store treatments entered in the Care Portal, see the `ENABLE` env var above
   * `MONGO_DEVICESTATUS_COLLECTION`(`devicestatus`) - The collection used to store device status information such as uploader battery
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@ Use the [autoconfigure tool][autoconfigure] to sync an uploader to your config.
   * `SSL_CERT` - Path to your ssl cert file, so that ssl(https) can be enabled directly in node.js
   * `SSL_CA` - Path to your ssl ca file, so that ssl(https) can be enabled directly in node.js
 
+#### Deprecated
+  * `DISPLAY_UNITS` (`mg/dl`) - **[Use `DEFAULTS` instead.]** Choices: `mg/dl` and `mmol`.  Setting to `mmol` puts the entire server into `mmol` mode by default, no further settings needed.
+
+
 ## Setting environment variables
 Easy to emulate on the commandline:
 
diff --git a/env.js b/env.js
index 0218d69632a..9cd0c0132d8 100644
--- a/env.js
+++ b/env.js
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ function config ( ) {
   env.version = software.version;
   env.name = software.name;
 
-  env.DISPLAY_UNITS = readENV('DISPLAY_UNITS', 'mg/dl');
   env.PORT = readENV('PORT', 1337);
   env.mongo = readENV('MONGO_CONNECTION') || readENV('MONGO') || readENV('MONGOLAB_URI');
   env.mongo_collection = readENV('MONGO_COLLECTION', 'entries');
@@ -44,7 +43,12 @@ function config ( ) {
   env.devicestatus_collection = readENV('MONGO_DEVICESTATUS_COLLECTION', 'devicestatus');
 
   env.enable = readENV('ENABLE');
-  env.SSL_KEY = readENV('SSL_KEY');
+
+  //TODO: parse defaults here, expect format `key1=value1 key2=value2` split on space, ignore commas
+  // results should be an object something like env.defaults = {"DISPLAY_UNITS": "mg/dl", "TIME_FORMAT": "12"};
+  env.defaults = readENV('DEFAULTS');
+
+    env.SSL_KEY = readENV('SSL_KEY');
   env.SSL_CERT = readENV('SSL_CERT');
   env.SSL_CA = readENV('SSL_CA');
   env.ssl = false;
@@ -58,6 +62,9 @@ function config ( ) {
     }
   }
 
+  //TODO: check if set by `ENABLE`, if not check old env
+  env.DISPLAY_UNITS = readENV('DISPLAY_UNITS', 'mg/dl');
+
   var shasum = crypto.createHash('sha1');
 
   /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/lib/api/index.js b/lib/api/index.js
index 13ccb4c57ce..d3695e03d09 100644
--- a/lib/api/index.js
+++ b/lib/api/index.js
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ function create (env, entries, settings, treatments, devicestatus) {
     });
   }
 
+  app.defaults = env.defaults || '';
+
   app.set('title', [app.get('name'),  'API', app.get('version')].join(' '));
 
   app.thresholds = env.thresholds;
diff --git a/lib/api/status.js b/lib/api/status.js
index d1c038ad2d5..ec0b4452a3a 100644
--- a/lib/api/status.js
+++ b/lib/api/status.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ function configure (app, wares) {
           , apiEnabled: app.enabled('api')
           , careportalEnabled: app.enabled('api') && app.enabled('careportal')
           , enabledOptions: app.enabledOptions
+          , defaults: app.defaults
           , units: app.get('units')
           , head: wares.get_head( )
           , version: app.get('version')