diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all b/ansible/group_vars/all
index fd039c6f86b..a39968e62d0 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ whisk:
   version:
     date: "{{ansible_date_time.iso8601}}"
   feature_flags:
-    require_api_key_annotation: "{{ require_api_key_annotation | default(true) }}"
+    require_api_key_annotation: "{{ require_api_key_annotation | default(true) | lower  }}"
 
 ##
 # configuration parameters related to support runtimes (see org.apache.openwhisk.core.entity.ExecManifest for schema of the manifest).
@@ -388,4 +388,4 @@ metrics:
     host: "{{ metrics_kamon_statsd_host | default('') }}"
     port: "{{ metrics_kamon_statsd_port | default('8125') }}"
 
-user_events: "{{ user_events_enabled | default(false) }}"
+user_events: "{{ user_events_enabled | default(false) | lower }}"
diff --git a/common/scala/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/entity/ParameterEncryption.scala b/common/scala/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/entity/ParameterEncryption.scala
index b73cb05aad2..df0d65b42a6 100644
--- a/common/scala/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/entity/ParameterEncryption.scala
+++ b/common/scala/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/entity/ParameterEncryption.scala
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import org.apache.openwhisk.core.ConfigKeys
 import pureconfig.loadConfig
 import spray.json.DefaultJsonProtocol._
 import spray.json.{JsNull, JsString}
+import pureconfig.generic.auto._
 
 private trait encrypter {
   def encrypt(p: ParameterValue): ParameterValue
diff --git a/tests/src/test/resources/application.conf.j2 b/tests/src/test/resources/application.conf.j2
index e6a10df04e7..3a03e0f7820 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/resources/application.conf.j2
+++ b/tests/src/test/resources/application.conf.j2
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ whisk {
             url = "{{ user_images_registry | default('') }}"
         }
     }
+
+    parameter-storage {
+        key = ""
+    }
 }
 
 #test-only overrides so that tests can override defaults in application.conf (todo: move all defaults to reference.conf)