diff --git a/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl b/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl
index 5dc8987..feabb1d 100644
--- a/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl
+++ b/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 %%% Copyright (c) 2007- Facebook
 %%% Distributed under the Thrift Software License
-%%%
+%%% 
 %%% See accompanying file LICENSE or visit the Thrift site at:
 %%% http://developers.facebook.com/thrift/
 
 -module(thrift).
 
--export([start/0, stop/0, config/1, config/2]).
+-export([start/2, shutdown/0, stop/1]).
+-behaviour(application).
 
 -include("thrift.hrl").
 
@@ -14,56 +15,11 @@
 %%% behavior definition
 %%%
 
-start() ->
-    application:start(thrift).
+start(Type, StartArgs) ->
+    ok.
 
-stop() ->
-    application:stop(thrift).
+shutdown() ->
+    application:stop(?MODULE).
 
-%%%
-%%% configuration
-%%%
-
-%% go to the global file by default
-config(Path) ->
-    config(Path, {file, ?CONFIG_FILE}).
-
-config(Path, Source) ->
-    case config1(Path, Source) of
-	{error, file_error, R} ->
-	    ?ERROR("error opening config ~p: ~p", [Source, R]),
-	    false;
-	{error, bad_item, Tuple} ->
-	    ?ERROR("malformed config item ~p found at ~p in ~p", [Tuple, Path, Source]),
-	    false;
-	{error, not_found} ->
-	    ?ERROR("config item ~p not found in ~p", [Path, Source]),
-	    false;
-	{value, V} ->
-	    {value, V}
-    end.
-
-%% go to a file
-config1(Path, {file, File}) ->
-    case file:consult(File) of
-	{error, R={_,_,_}} ->
-	    {error, file_error, file:format_error(R)};
-	{error, Posix} ->
-	    {error, file_error, Posix};
-	{ok, List} when is_list(List) ->
-	    config1(Path, List)
-    end;
-
-%% go through a list from a file or a sublist
-config1([P|Ps], List) when is_list(List) ->
-    case lists:keysearch(P, 1, List) of
-	{value, Tuple} when size(Tuple) == 2 ->
-	    List1 = element(2, Tuple), %% either another list or, if Ps is [], the item itself
-	    config1(Ps, List1);
-	{value, Tuple} ->
-	    {error, bad_item, Tuple};
-	false ->
-	    {error, not_found}
-    end;
-config1([], Item)     -> {value, Item};
-config1(Item, Source) -> config1([Item], Source).
+stop(_State) ->
+    ok.