diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/ConfigRegistry.java b/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/ConfigRegistry.java
index 003d38f0f..f6e06757a 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/ConfigRegistry.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/ConfigRegistry.java
@@ -272,6 +272,10 @@ public abstract class ConfigRegistry
                     boolean defval = field.getBoolean(object);
                     field.setBoolean(object, getValue(key, defval));
 
+                } else if (type.equals(Byte.TYPE)) {
+                    byte defval = field.getByte(object);
+                    field.setByte(object, getValue(key, defval));
+
                 } else if (type.equals(Short.TYPE)) {
                     short defval = field.getShort(object);
                     field.setShort(object, getValue(key, defval));
@@ -391,6 +395,7 @@ public abstract class ConfigRegistry
         }
 
         protected abstract boolean getValue (String field, boolean defval);
+        protected abstract byte getValue (String field, byte defval);
         protected abstract short getValue (String field, short defval);
         protected abstract int getValue (String field, int defval);
         protected abstract long getValue (String field, long defval);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/DatabaseConfigRegistry.java b/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/DatabaseConfigRegistry.java
index 205796f79..4b855013e 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/DatabaseConfigRegistry.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/DatabaseConfigRegistry.java
@@ -141,6 +141,19 @@ public class DatabaseConfigRegistry extends ConfigRegistry
             super.init();
         }
 
+        @Override
+        protected byte getValue (String field, byte defval) {
+            String value = _data.get(field);
+            try {
+                if (value != null) {
+                    return Byte.parseByte(value);
+                }
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                // ignore bogus values and return the default
+            }
+            return defval;
+        }
+
         @Override
         protected boolean getValue (String field, boolean defval) {
             String value = _data.get(field);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/PrefsConfigRegistry.java b/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/PrefsConfigRegistry.java
index 6d3278d4d..b7348b2d4 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/PrefsConfigRegistry.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/admin/server/PrefsConfigRegistry.java
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ public class PrefsConfigRegistry extends ConfigRegistry
             return config.getValue(field, defval);
         }
         @Override
+        protected byte getValue (String field, byte defval) {
+            return (byte)config.getValue(field, defval);
+        }
+        @Override
         protected short getValue (String field, short defval) {
             return (short)config.getValue(field, defval);
         }