diff --git a/src/options.cpp b/src/options.cpp
index 1f8b66784a535..6fe480165a5e8 100644
--- a/src/options.cpp
+++ b/src/options.cpp
@@ -147,14 +147,32 @@ void options_manager::add_external( const std::string &sNameIn, const std::strin
     thisOpt.sMenuText = sMenuTextIn;
     thisOpt.sTooltip = sTooltipIn;
     thisOpt.sType = sType;
+    thisOpt.verbose = false;
 
     thisOpt.eType = get_value_type( thisOpt.sType );
 
-    thisOpt.iMin = INT_MIN;
-    thisOpt.iMax = INT_MAX;
-
-    thisOpt.fMin = INT_MIN;
-    thisOpt.fMax = INT_MAX;
+    switch( thisOpt.eType ) {
+        case cOpt::CVT_BOOL:
+            thisOpt.bSet = false;
+            thisOpt.bDefault = false;
+            break;
+        case cOpt::CVT_INT:
+            thisOpt.iMin = INT_MIN;
+            thisOpt.iMax = INT_MAX;
+            thisOpt.iDefault = 0;
+            thisOpt.iSet = 0;
+            break;
+        case cOpt::CVT_FLOAT:
+            thisOpt.fMin = INT_MIN;
+            thisOpt.fMax = INT_MAX;
+            thisOpt.fDefault = 0;
+            thisOpt.fSet = 0;
+            thisOpt.fStep = 1;
+            break;
+        default:
+            // all other type-specific values have default constructors
+            break;
+    }
 
     thisOpt.hide = COPT_ALWAYS_HIDE;
     thisOpt.setSortPos( sPageIn );