diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1d46eb2..9afc96d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,56 +50,12 @@ use({
 ```
 
 ## Configuration
-Here is an example with the default config. This is optional, and only relevant parts of the config can be included.
+[Here](./lua/mellifluous/default_config.lua) is the default config. The default config doesn't include all of the options – read below for color or highlight overrides. To set or override any of the options, use the `setup` function, e.g.:
 
 ```lua
 require("mellifluous").setup({
-    dim_inactive = false,
-    colorset = "mellifluous",
     styles = { -- see :h attr-list for options. set {} for NONE, { option = true } for option
-        main_keywords = {},
-        other_keywords = {},
-        types = {},
-        operators = {},
-        strings = {},
-        functions = {},
-        constants = {},
-        comments = { italic = true },
-        markup = {
-            headings = { bold = true },
-        },
-        folds = {},
-    },
-    transparent_background = {
-        enabled = false,
-        floating_windows = true,
-        telescope = true,
-        file_tree = true,
-        cursor_line = true,
-        status_line = false,
-    },
-    flat_background = {
-        line_numbers = false,
-        floating_windows = false,
-        file_tree = false,
-        cursor_line_number = false,
-    },
-    plugins = {
-        cmp = true,
-        gitsigns = true,
-        indent_blankline = true,
-        nvim_tree = {
-            enabled = true,
-            show_root = false,
-        },
-        neo_tree = {
-            enabled = true,
-        },
-        telescope = {
-            enabled = true,
-            nvchad_like = true,
-        },
-        startify = true,
+        main_keywords = { bold = true },
     },
 })
 ```
diff --git a/lua/mellifluous/config.lua b/lua/mellifluous/config.lua
index c040a95..0902416 100644
--- a/lua/mellifluous/config.lua
+++ b/lua/mellifluous/config.lua
@@ -2,83 +2,6 @@ local M = {}
 local config = {}
 local saved_user_config = {}
 
-local function get_default_config()
-    return {
-        colorset = "mellifluous",
-        plugins = {
-            cmp = true,
-            indent_blankline = true,
-            nvim_tree = {
-                enabled = true,
-                show_root = false,
-            },
-            neo_tree = {
-                enabled = true,
-            },
-            telescope = {
-                enabled = true,
-                nvchad_like = true,
-            },
-            startify = true,
-            gitsigns = true,
-            neorg = true,
-            nvim_notify = true,
-            aerial = true,
-            neotest = true,
-            lazy = true,
-            mason = true,
-        },
-        dim_inactive = false,
-        styles = {
-            main_keywords = {},
-            other_keywords = {},
-            types = {},
-            operators = {},
-            strings = {},
-            functions = {},
-            constants = {},
-            comments = { italic = true },
-            markup = {
-                headings = { bold = true },
-            },
-            folds = {},
-        },
-        transparent_background = {
-            enabled = false,
-            lightness = function(bg) -- used for bg shades
-                -- This method tries to keep brighter colorsets bright and
-                -- dimmer colorsets dim and still lighten the shades up so that
-                -- the colorsets have more chance to look good with transparent
-                -- background on brighter wallpapers.
-                local old_lightness = bg:get_hsl().l
-                local threshold = 20
-                local baseline = 10
-                if old_lightness < threshold then
-                    -- We will assume that the dimmest of transparent
-                    -- background over users wallpaper is at least of baseline
-                    -- lightness. Presuming old range is [0, threshold], let's
-                    -- position the lightness relatively in a new range of
-                    -- [baseline, threshold].
-                    local position = old_lightness / threshold
-                    local new_lightness = baseline + ((threshold - baseline) * position)
-                    return new_lightness
-                end
-            end,
-            floating_windows = true,
-            telescope = true,
-            file_tree = true,
-            cursor_line = true,
-            status_line = false,
-        },
-        flat_background = {
-            line_numbers = false,
-            floating_windows = false,
-            file_tree = false,
-            cursor_line_number = false,
-        },
-    }
-end
-
 local function disable_disabled()
     for _, v in pairs(config) do
         if type(v) ~= "table" or v.enabled == nil or v.enabled then
@@ -127,7 +50,8 @@ function M.setup(user_config)
 end
 
 function M.prepare()
-    config = get_default_config()
+    package.loaded["mellifluous.default_config"] = nil -- unload in case of colorscheme reload
+    config = require("mellifluous.default_config") -- config is returned by reference
     merge_colorset_defaults(vim.tbl_get(saved_user_config, "colorset") or config.colorset)
     config = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", config, saved_user_config or {})
 
diff --git a/lua/mellifluous/default_config.lua b/lua/mellifluous/default_config.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..698d0e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/mellifluous/default_config.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+return {
+    colorset = "mellifluous",
+    plugins = {
+        cmp = true,
+        indent_blankline = true,
+        nvim_tree = {
+            enabled = true,
+            show_root = false,
+        },
+        neo_tree = {
+            enabled = true,
+        },
+        telescope = {
+            enabled = true,
+            nvchad_like = true,
+        },
+        startify = true,
+        gitsigns = true,
+        neorg = true,
+        nvim_notify = true,
+        aerial = true,
+        neotest = true,
+        lazy = true,
+        mason = true,
+    },
+    dim_inactive = false,
+    styles = { -- see :h attr-list for options. set {} for NONE, { option = true } for option
+        main_keywords = {},
+        other_keywords = {},
+        types = {},
+        operators = {},
+        strings = {},
+        functions = {},
+        constants = {},
+        comments = { italic = true },
+        markup = {
+            headings = { bold = true },
+        },
+        folds = {},
+    },
+    transparent_background = {
+        enabled = false,
+        lightness = function(bg) -- used for bg shades
+            -- This method tries to keep brighter colorsets bright and
+            -- dimmer colorsets dim and still lighten the shades up so that
+            -- the colorsets have more chance to look good with transparent
+            -- background on brighter wallpapers.
+            local old_lightness = bg:get_hsl().l
+            local threshold = 20
+            local baseline = 10
+            if old_lightness < threshold then
+                -- We will assume that the dimmest of transparent
+                -- background over users wallpaper is at least of baseline
+                -- lightness. Presuming old range is [0, threshold], let's
+                -- position the lightness relatively in a new range of
+                -- [baseline, threshold].
+                local position = old_lightness / threshold
+                local new_lightness = baseline + ((threshold - baseline) * position)
+                return new_lightness
+            end
+        end,
+        floating_windows = true,
+        telescope = true,
+        file_tree = true,
+        cursor_line = true,
+        status_line = false,
+    },
+    flat_background = {
+        line_numbers = false,
+        floating_windows = false,
+        file_tree = false,
+        cursor_line_number = false,
+    },
+}