diff --git a/src/command/cmd_defs.c b/src/command/cmd_defs.c
index 7b4068ff..e6fdf202 100644
--- a/src/command/cmd_defs.c
+++ b/src/command/cmd_defs.c
@@ -2472,15 +2472,15 @@ static struct cmd_t command_defs[] =
             CMD_TAG_DISCOVERY)
         CMD_SYN(
             "/executable avatar <cmd>",
-            "/executable urlopen <fileType> <require_save> <cmd>",
-            "/executable urlsave <protocol> <cmd>")
+            "/executable urlopen (<fileType>|*) <require_save> <cmd>",
+            "/executable urlsave (<protocol>|*) <cmd>")
         CMD_DESC(
             "Configure executable that should be called upon a certain command."
             "Default is xdg-open.")
         CMD_ARGS(
             { "avatar", "Set executable that is run in /avatar open. Use your favourite image viewer." },
-            { "urlopen", "Set executable that is run in /url open for a given file type. It may be your favorite browser or a specific viewer." },
-            { "urlsave", "Set executable that is run in /url save for a given protocol. Use your favourite downloader."})
+            { "urlopen", "Set executable that is run in /url open for a given file type. It may be your favorite browser or a specific viewer. Use * to set default command for undefined file type." },
+            { "urlsave", "Set executable that is run in /url save for a given protocol. Use your favourite downloader. Use * to set default command for undefined protocol."})
         CMD_EXAMPLES(
             "/executable avatar xdg-open",
             "/executable urlopen html false \"firefox %u\"",
diff --git a/src/config/preferences.c b/src/config/preferences.c
index 721ead46..088e91f8 100644
--- a/src/config/preferences.c
+++ b/src/config/preferences.c
@@ -537,18 +537,23 @@ prefs_get_string_list_with_option(preference_t pref, gchar *option)
     char **def = _get_default_string_list(pref);
 
     gchar **result = g_key_file_get_locale_string_list(prefs, group, key, option, NULL, NULL);
-
-    if (result == NULL) {
-        if (def) {
-            return def;
-        } else {
-            g_strfreev(def);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-    } else {
+    if (result) {
         g_strfreev(def);
         return result;
     }
+
+    result = g_key_file_get_string_list(prefs, group, key, NULL, NULL);
+    if (result) {
+        g_strfreev(def);
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    if (def) {
+        return def;
+    } else {
+        g_strfreev(def);
+        return NULL;
+    }
 }
 
 void
@@ -587,13 +592,21 @@ prefs_set_string_list_with_option(preference_t pref, char *option, const gchar*
     const char *group = _get_group(pref);
     const char *key = _get_key(pref);
     if (values == NULL || *values == NULL){
-        g_key_file_set_locale_string_list(prefs, group, key, option, NULL, 0);
+        if (g_strcmp0(option, "*") == 0) {
+            g_key_file_set_string_list(prefs, group, key, NULL, 0);
+        } else {
+            g_key_file_set_locale_string_list(prefs, group, key, option, NULL, 0);
+        }
     } else {
         guint num_values = 0;
         while(values[num_values]) {
-          num_values++;
+            num_values++;
+        }
+        if (g_strcmp0(option, "*") == 0) {
+            g_key_file_set_string_list(prefs, group, key, values, num_values);
+        } else {
+            g_key_file_set_locale_string_list(prefs, group, key, option, values, num_values);
         }
-        g_key_file_set_locale_string_list(prefs, group, key, option, values, num_values);
     }
 }