diff --git a/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl b/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl
index feabb1d..5dc8987 100644
--- a/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl
+++ b/lib/erl/src/thrift.erl
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 %%% 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/2, shutdown/0, stop/1]).
--behaviour(application).
+-export([start/0, stop/0, config/1, config/2]).
 
 -include("thrift.hrl").
 
@@ -15,11 +14,56 @@
 %%% behavior definition
 %%%
 
-start(Type, StartArgs) ->
-    ok.
+start() ->
+    application:start(thrift).
 
-shutdown() ->
-    application:stop(?MODULE).
+stop() ->
+    application:stop(thrift).
 
-stop(_State) ->
-    ok.
+%%%
+%%% 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).