diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4e31e50..2fdaba1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ Then choose from the list what document type you want to render and press `enter
 
 ## **Setting additional pandoc options**
 
-1. choose 'Preference -> UserSettings'
-1. Find: pandoc in Default Settings
-1. Copy and paste
-1. to settings.json
+1. Choose 'File -> Preference -> Settings'
+2. Open `settings.json` (button with three dots in the top right corner on the Settings screen)
+3. Find `pandoc` in Default User Settings
+4. Copy and paste to `settings.json`
 
-example:
+Example:
 
 ```json
 //-------- Pandoc Option Configuration --------
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index a26423a..c8accea 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -12,18 +12,33 @@ function setStatusBarText(what, docType){
 
 function getPandocOptions(quickPickLabel) {
     var pandocOptions;
-    
+    var pandocConfiguration = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('pandoc');
     switch (quickPickLabel) {
         case 'pdf':
-            pandocOptions = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('pandoc').get('pdfOptString');
+            if (pandocConfiguration.has('pdfOptString')) {
+                pandocOptions = pandocConfiguration.get('pdfOptString');
+            }
+            else {
+                pandocOptions = '';
+            }
             console.log('pdocOptstring = ' + pandocOptions);
             break;
         case 'docx':
-            pandocOptions = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('pandoc').get('docxOptString');
+            if (pandocConfiguration.has('docxOptString')) {
+                pandocOptions = pandocConfiguration.get('docxOptString');
+            }
+            else {
+                pandocOptions = '';
+            }
             console.log('pdocOptstring = ' + pandocOptions);
             break;
         case 'html':
-            pandocOptions = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('pandoc').get('htmlOptString');
+            if (pandocConfiguration.has('htmlOptString')) {
+                pandocOptions = pandocConfiguration.get('htmlOptString');
+            }
+            else {
+                pandocOptions = '';
+            }
             console.log('pdocOptstring = ' + pandocOptions);
             break;
     }
@@ -59,6 +74,9 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
             setStatusBarText('Generating', qpSelection.label);
             
             var pandocOptions = getPandocOptions(qpSelection.label);
+
+            if (pandocOptions === undefined)
+                pandocOptions = ''
             
             // debug
             console.log('debug: outFile = ' + inFile);