diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index fe3cc019d18fc022c5d6acada6aefaa658db1411..775c00699ad88cc7a46bd85c92cee0d4ddf6463a 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -75,12 +75,14 @@ std::string Settings::sanitizeString(const std::string &value)
 }
 
 
-std::string Settings::getMultiline(std::istream &is)
+std::string Settings::getMultiline(std::istream &is, size_t *num_lines)
 {
+	size_t lines = 1;
 	std::string value;
 	std::string line;
 
 	while (is.good()) {
+		lines++;
 		std::getline(is, line);
 		if (line == "\"\"\"")
 			break;
@@ -92,6 +94,9 @@ std::string Settings::getMultiline(std::istream &is)
 	if (len)
 		value.erase(len - 1);
 
+	if (num_lines)
+		*num_lines = lines;
+
 	return value;
 }
 
@@ -150,38 +155,104 @@ void Settings::writeLines(std::ostream &os, u32 tab_depth) const
 
 	for (std::map<std::string, SettingsEntry>::const_iterator
 			it = m_settings.begin();
-			it != m_settings.end(); ++it) {
-		bool is_multiline = it->second.value.find('\n') != std::string::npos;
-		printValue(os, it->first, it->second, is_multiline, tab_depth);
+			it != m_settings.end(); ++it)
+		printEntry(os, it->first, it->second, tab_depth);
+}
+
+
+bool Settings::printEntry(std::ostream &os, const std::string &name,
+	const SettingsEntry &entry, u32 tab_depth)
+{
+	bool printed = false;
+
+	if (!entry.group || entry.value != "") {
+		printValue(os, name, entry.value, tab_depth);
+		printed = true;
+	}
+
+	if (entry.group) {
+		printGroup(os, name, entry.group, tab_depth);
+		printed = true;
 	}
+
+	return printed;
 }
 
 
+
 void Settings::printValue(std::ostream &os, const std::string &name,
-	const SettingsEntry &entry, bool is_value_multiline, u32 tab_depth)
+	const std::string &value, u32 tab_depth)
 {
 	for (u32 i = 0; i != tab_depth; i++)
 		os << "\t";
 	os << name << " = ";
 
-	if (is_value_multiline)
-		os << "\"\"\"\n" << entry.value << "\n\"\"\"\n";
+	if (value.find('\n') != std::string::npos)
+		os << "\"\"\"\n" << value << "\n\"\"\"\n";
 	else
-		os << entry.value << "\n";
+		os << value << "\n";
+}
 
-	Settings *group = entry.group;
-	if (group) {
-		for (u32 i = 0; i != tab_depth; i++)
-			os << "\t";
 
-		os << name << " = {\n";
-		group->writeLines(os, tab_depth + 1);
+void Settings::printGroup(std::ostream &os, const std::string &name,
+	const Settings *group, u32 tab_depth)
+{
+	// Recursively write group contents
+	for (u32 i = 0; i != tab_depth; i++)
+		os << "\t";
+
+	os << name << " = {\n";
+	group->writeLines(os, tab_depth + 1);
 
-		for (u32 i = 0; i != tab_depth; i++)
-			os << "\t";
+	for (u32 i = 0; i != tab_depth; i++)
+		os << "\t";
 
-		os << "}\n";
+	os << "}\n";
+}
+
+
+void Settings::getNamesPresent(std::istream &is, const std::string &end,
+	std::set<std::string> &present_values, std::set<std::string> &present_groups)
+{
+	std::string name, value, line;
+	bool end_found = false;
+	int depth = 0;
+	size_t old_pos = is.tellg();
+
+	while (is.good() && !end_found) {
+		std::getline(is, line);
+		SettingsParseEvent event = parseConfigObject(line,
+			depth ? "}" : end, name, value);
+
+		switch (event) {
+		case SPE_END:
+			if (depth == 0)
+				end_found = true;
+			else
+				depth--;
+			break;
+		case SPE_MULTILINE:
+			while (is.good() && line != "\"\"\"")
+				std::getline(is, line);
+			/* FALLTHROUGH */
+		case SPE_KVPAIR:
+			if (depth == 0)
+				present_values.insert(name);
+			break;
+		case SPE_GROUP:
+			if (depth == 0)
+				present_groups.insert(name);
+			depth++;
+			break;
+		case SPE_NONE:
+		case SPE_COMMENT:
+		case SPE_INVALID:
+			break;
+		}
 	}
+
+	is.clear();
+	is.seekg(old_pos);
 }
 
 
@@ -189,10 +260,12 @@ bool Settings::updateConfigObject(std::istream &is, std::ostream &os,
 	const std::string &end, u32 tab_depth)
 {
 	std::map<std::string, SettingsEntry>::const_iterator it;
-	std::set<std::string> settings_in_config;
+	std::set<std::string> present_values, present_groups;
+	std::string line, name, value;
 	bool was_modified = false;
 	bool end_found = false;
-	std::string line, name, value;
+
+	getNamesPresent(is, end, present_values, present_groups);
 
 	// Add any settings that exist in the config file with the current value
 	// in the object if existing
@@ -202,25 +275,30 @@ bool Settings::updateConfigObject(std::istream &is, std::ostream &os,
 
 		switch (event) {
 		case SPE_END:
+			os << line << (is.eof() ? "" : "\n");
 			end_found = true;
 			break;
-		case SPE_KVPAIR:
 		case SPE_MULTILINE:
+			value = getMultiline(is);
+			/* FALLTHROUGH */
+		case SPE_KVPAIR:
 			it = m_settings.find(name);
-			if (it != m_settings.end()) {
+			if (it != m_settings.end() && value != it->second.value) {
+				if (!it->second.group || it->second.value != "")
+					printValue(os, name, it->second.value, tab_depth);
+				was_modified = true;
+			} else {
+				os << line << "\n";
 				if (event == SPE_MULTILINE)
-					value = getMultiline(is);
-
-				if (value != it->second.value) {
-					value = it->second.value;
-					was_modified = true;
-				}
+					os << value << "\n\"\"\"\n";
 			}
 
-			settings_in_config.insert(name);
-
-			printValue(os, name, SettingsEntry(value),
-				event == SPE_MULTILINE, tab_depth);
+			// If this value name has a group not in the file, print it
+			if (it != m_settings.end() && it->second.group &&
+					present_groups.find(name) == present_groups.end()) {
+				printGroup(os, name, it->second.group, tab_depth);
+				was_modified = true;
+			}
 
 			break;
 		case SPE_GROUP: {
@@ -229,20 +307,22 @@ bool Settings::updateConfigObject(std::istream &is, std::ostream &os,
 			if (it != m_settings.end())
 				group = it->second.group;
 
-			settings_in_config.insert(name);
+			// If this group name has a non-blank value not in the file, print it
+			if (it != m_settings.end() && it->second.value != "" &&
+					present_values.find(name) == present_values.end()) {
+				printValue(os, name, it->second.value, tab_depth);
+				was_modified = true;
+			}
 
-			os << name << " = {\n";
+			os << line << "\n";
 
 			if (group) {
 				was_modified |= group->updateConfigObject(is, os, "}", tab_depth + 1);
 			} else {
+				// If a group exists in the file but not memory, don't touch it
 				Settings dummy_settings;
 				dummy_settings.updateConfigObject(is, os, "}", tab_depth + 1);
 			}
-
-			for (u32 i = 0; i != tab_depth; i++)
-				os << "\t";
-			os << "}\n";
 			break;
 		}
 		default:
@@ -253,13 +333,11 @@ bool Settings::updateConfigObject(std::istream &is, std::ostream &os,
 
 	// Add any settings in the object that don't exist in the config file yet
 	for (it = m_settings.begin(); it != m_settings.end(); ++it) {
-		if (settings_in_config.find(it->first) != settings_in_config.end())
+		if (present_values.find(it->first) != present_values.end() ||
+			present_groups.find(it->first) != present_groups.end())
 			continue;
 
-		was_modified = true;
-
-		bool is_multiline = it->second.value.find('\n') != std::string::npos;
-		printValue(os, it->first, it->second, is_multiline, tab_depth);
+		was_modified |= printEntry(os, it->first, it->second, tab_depth);
 	}
 
 	return was_modified;
@@ -690,9 +768,9 @@ bool Settings::getFlagStrNoEx(const std::string &name, u32 &val,
 void Settings::set(const std::string &name, const std::string &value)
 {
 	{
-	JMutexAutoLock lock(m_mutex);
+		JMutexAutoLock lock(m_mutex);
 
-	m_settings[name].value = value;
+		m_settings[name].value = value;
 	}
 	doCallbacks(name);
 }
@@ -700,10 +778,14 @@ void Settings::set(const std::string &name, const std::string &value)
 
 void Settings::setGroup(const std::string &name, Settings *group)
 {
-	JMutexAutoLock lock(m_mutex);
+	Settings *old_group = NULL;
+	{
+		JMutexAutoLock lock(m_mutex);
 
-	delete m_settings[name].group;
-	m_settings[name].group = group;
+		old_group = m_settings[name].group;
+		m_settings[name].group = group;
+	}
+	delete old_group;
 }
 
 
@@ -717,10 +799,14 @@ void Settings::setDefault(const std::string &name, const std::string &value)
 
 void Settings::setGroupDefault(const std::string &name, Settings *group)
 {
-	JMutexAutoLock lock(m_mutex);
+	Settings *old_group = NULL;
+	{
+		JMutexAutoLock lock(m_mutex);
 
-	delete m_defaults[name].group;
-	m_defaults[name].group = group;
+		old_group = m_defaults[name].group;
+		m_defaults[name].group = group;
+	}
+	delete old_group;
 }
 
 
@@ -808,7 +894,15 @@ void Settings::setNoiseParams(const std::string &name, const NoiseParams &np)
 	group->setU16("octaves",       np.octaves);
 	group->setFloat("persistence", np.persist);
 
-	setGroup(name, group);
+	Settings *old_group;
+	{
+		JMutexAutoLock lock(m_mutex);
+
+		old_group = m_settings[name].group;
+		m_settings[name].group = group;
+		m_settings[name].value = "";
+	}
+	delete old_group;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/settings.h b/src/settings.h
index cc7ea365d463fe74e3ff67492e3a9d37031e028e..6c063e43e5fca2801ac27bc300547663cdc87b6f 100644
--- a/src/settings.h
+++ b/src/settings.h
@@ -114,13 +114,20 @@ class Settings {
 
 	SettingsParseEvent parseConfigObject(const std::string &line,
 		const std::string &end, std::string &name, std::string &value);
+	void getNamesPresent(std::istream &is, const std::string &end,
+		std::set<std::string> &present_values,
+		std::set<std::string> &present_groups);
 	bool updateConfigObject(std::istream &is, std::ostream &os,
 		const std::string &end, u32 tab_depth=0);
 
-	static std::string getMultiline(std::istream &is);
+	static std::string getMultiline(std::istream &is, size_t *num_lines=NULL);
 	static std::string sanitizeString(const std::string &value);
+	static bool printEntry(std::ostream &os, const std::string &name,
+		const SettingsEntry &entry, u32 tab_depth=0);
 	static void printValue(std::ostream &os, const std::string &name,
-		const SettingsEntry &entry, bool is_value_multiline, u32 tab_depth=0);
+		const std::string &value, u32 tab_depth=0);
+	static void printGroup(std::ostream &os, const std::string &name,
+		const Settings *group, u32 tab_depth=0);
 
 	/***********
 	 * Getters *
diff --git a/src/test.cpp b/src/test.cpp
index 932f9e7ccde97b87a92799810c7ea34aaf481a7f..a12c12c63a7040e53b16e0844898e02f97133f39 100644
--- a/src/test.cpp
+++ b/src/test.cpp
@@ -428,9 +428,9 @@ struct TestPath: public TestBase
 	"      # this is just a comment\n"        \
 	"this is an invalid line\n"               \
 	"asdf = {\n"                              \
-	"	a = 5\n"                              \
-	"	b = 2.5\n"                            \
-	"	c = \"\"\"\n"                         \
+	"	a   = 5\n"                            \
+	"	bb  = 2.5\n"                          \
+	"	ccc = \"\"\"\n"                       \
 	"testy\n"                                 \
 	"   testa   \n"                           \
 	"\"\"\"\n"                                \
@@ -440,6 +440,7 @@ struct TestPath: public TestBase
 	"some multiline text\n"                   \
 	"     with leading whitespace!\n"         \
 	"\"\"\"\n"                                \
+	"np_terrain = 5, 40, (250, 250, 250), 12345, 5, 0.7\n" \
 	"zoop = true"
 
 #define TEST_CONFIG_TEXT_AFTER                \
@@ -451,25 +452,33 @@ struct TestPath: public TestBase
 	"coord = (1, 2, 4.5)\n"                   \
 	"      # this is just a comment\n"        \
 	"this is an invalid line\n"               \
+	"asdf = sdfghj\n"                         \
 	"asdf = {\n"                              \
-	"	a = 5\n"                              \
-	"	b = 2.5\n"                            \
-	"	c = \"\"\"\n"                         \
+	"	a   = 5\n"                            \
+	"	bb  = 2.5\n"                          \
+	"	ccc = \"\"\"\n"                       \
 	"testy\n"                                 \
 	"   testa   \n"                           \
 	"\"\"\"\n"                                \
 	"\n"                                      \
 	"}\n"                                     \
-	"blarg = \"\"\"\n"                        \
+	"blarg = \"\"\" \n"                       \
 	"some multiline text\n"                   \
 	"     with leading whitespace!\n"         \
 	"\"\"\"\n"                                \
+	"np_terrain = {\n"                        \
+	"	octaves = 6\n"                        \
+	"	offset = 3.5\n"                       \
+	"	persistence = 0.7\n"                  \
+	"	scale = 40\n"                         \
+	"	seed = 12345\n"                       \
+	"	spread = (250,250,250)\n"             \
+	"}\n"                                     \
 	"zoop = true\n"                           \
 	"coord2 = (1,2,3.3)\n"                    \
 	"floaty_thing_2 = 1.2\n"                  \
-	"groupy_thing = \n"                       \
 	"groupy_thing = {\n"                      \
-	"	animals = \n"                         \
+	"	animals = cute\n"                     \
 	"	animals = {\n"                        \
 	"		cat = meow\n"                     \
 	"		dog = woof\n"                     \
@@ -478,7 +487,6 @@ struct TestPath: public TestBase
 	"	num_oranges = 53\n"                   \
 	"}\n"
 
-
 struct TestSettings: public TestBase
 {
 	void Run()
@@ -514,7 +522,9 @@ struct TestSettings: public TestBase
 		UASSERT(group != NULL);
 		UASSERT(s.getGroupNoEx("zoop", group) == false);
 		UASSERT(group->getS16("a") == 5);
-		UASSERT(fabs(group->getFloat("b") - 2.5) < 0.001);
+		UASSERT(fabs(group->getFloat("bb") - 2.5) < 0.001);
+
+		s.set("asdf", "sdfghj");
 
 		Settings *group3 = new Settings;
 		group3->set("cat", "meow");
@@ -524,14 +534,33 @@ struct TestSettings: public TestBase
 		group2->setS16("num_apples", 4);
 		group2->setS16("num_oranges", 53);
 		group2->setGroup("animals", group3);
+		group2->set("animals", "cute");
 		s.setGroup("groupy_thing", group2);
 
 		// Test multiline settings
-		UASSERT(group->get("c") == "testy\n   testa   ");
+		UASSERT(group->get("ccc") == "testy\n   testa   ");
+		s.setGroup("asdf", NULL);
+
 		UASSERT(s.get("blarg") ==
 			"some multiline text\n"
 			"     with leading whitespace!");
 
+		// Test NoiseParams
+		NoiseParams np;
+		UASSERT(s.getNoiseParams("np_terrain", np) == true);
+		UASSERT(fabs(np.offset - 5) < 0.001);
+		UASSERT(fabs(np.scale - 40) < 0.001);
+		UASSERT(fabs(np.spread.X - 250) < 0.001);
+		UASSERT(fabs(np.spread.Y - 250) < 0.001);
+		UASSERT(fabs(np.spread.Z - 250) < 0.001);
+		UASSERT(np.seed == 12345);
+		UASSERT(np.octaves == 5);
+		UASSERT(fabs(np.persist == 0.7) < 0.001);
+
+		np.offset  = 3.5;
+		np.octaves = 6;
+		s.setNoiseParams("np_terrain", np);
+
 		// Test writing
 		std::ostringstream os(std::ios_base::binary);
 		is.clear();