diff --git a/src/config.scm b/src/config.scm
index 0454d4a..c82d3ff 100644
--- a/src/config.scm
+++ b/src/config.scm
@@ -76,36 +76,34 @@
 (define (load-configuration dpy)
   (let ((filename (config-filename dpy)))
     (if (file-exists? filename)
-	(begin
-	  ;; exceptions ??
-	  (for-each (lambda (exp)
-		      (eval exp (interaction-environment)))
-		    `( (define root-options '())
-		       (define split-options '())
-		       (define switch-options '())
-		       (define move-options '())
-		       (define-syntax define-option
-			 (syntax-rules
-			  ()
-			  ((define-option list name value)
-			   (set! list (cons (cons (quote name) value)
-					    list)))))
-		       (define-syntax define-options
-			 (syntax-rules
-			  ()
-			  ((define-options l (name value) ...)
-			   (set! l (append (list (cons (quote name) value)
-						 ...)
-					   l)))))
-		       ;; define-options ...
-		       (load ,filename)
-		       (set! root-options
-			     (append (list (cons 'default-split-options
-						 split-options)
-					   (cons 'default-switch-options
-						 switch-options)
-					   (cons 'default-move-options
-						 move-options))
-				     root-options)) ))
-	  (eval 'root-options (interaction-environment)))
+	(call-with-current-continuation
+	 (lambda (return)
+	   (with-handler
+	    (lambda (condition punt)
+	      (mdisplay "error loading configuration file " filename ".\n")
+	      (mdisplay "problem is: " condition "\n")
+	      (mdisplay "ignoring it...\n")
+	      (return '()))
+	    (lambda ()
+	      (load-config-file filename)
+	      (let ((config-file (reify-structure 'config-file)))
+		(load-structure config-file)
+		(let ((get (lambda (n) (rt-structure-binding config-file n))))
+		  (append (list (cons 'default-split-options
+				      (get 'split-options))
+				(cons 'default-switch-options
+				      (get 'switch-options))
+				(cons 'default-move-options
+				      (get 'move-options)))
+			  (get 'root-options))))))))
+	;; TODO: maybe create a file with default-config-file in it
 	'())))
+
+(define default-config-file
+  '(
+    (define-structure config-file config-file-interface
+      (open scheme xlib config-file-utils)
+      (begin
+	;; your options here
+	))
+    ))
diff --git a/src/packages.scm b/src/packages.scm
index 11e98ed..5b85cc8 100644
--- a/src/packages.scm
+++ b/src/packages.scm
@@ -150,6 +150,40 @@
 	utils key-grab)
   (files switch-wm))
 
+;; *** user's config-file utils **************************************
+
+(define-interface config-file-interface
+  (export root-options
+	  split-options
+	  switch-options
+	  move-options))
+
+(define-structure config-file-utils
+  (export root-options
+	  split-options
+	  switch-options
+	  move-options
+	  ((define-option define-options) :syntax))
+  (open scheme)
+  (begin
+    (define root-options '())
+    (define split-options '())
+    (define switch-options '())
+    (define move-options '())
+    (define-syntax define-option
+      (syntax-rules
+       ()
+       ((define-option list name value)
+	(set! list (cons (cons (quote name) value)
+			 list)))))
+    (define-syntax define-options
+      (syntax-rules
+       ()
+       ((define-options l (name value) ...)
+	(set! l (append (list (cons (quote name) value)
+			      ...)
+			l)))))))
+
 ;; *** main package **************************************************
 
 (define-structure scsh-things
@@ -160,8 +194,8 @@
   (export backup-layout
 	  restore-layout
 	  load-configuration)
-  (open scheme list-lib
-	scsh xlib
+  (open scheme list-lib handle
+	scsh xlib rt-modules
 	utils manager root-manager)
   (files config))