diff --git a/bin/account-manager.pl.in b/bin/account-manager.pl.in
index 4a063783261f5e1383a2290a3f840ef20be46049..92a6e2943e558f6914274a8589d4c22830230c3e 100755
--- a/bin/account-manager.pl.in
+++ b/bin/account-manager.pl.in
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ sub add_account {
 
     die "Failed to save test account\n"
         unless $test_account->save(
-            accounts_validity_period => $configuration->{_}->{accounts_validity_period}
+            accounts_validity_period => $configuration->{service}->{account_validity_period}
         );
 
     printf "Account created:\n\tuserid: user%d\n\tpassword: %s\n",
diff --git a/conf/manager.conf.in b/conf/manager.conf.in
index 6f96ecc23308295f206b6e22ee30e96b9a39025f..d81efe0ed2a27773f4e9276b59e318f9402d936c 100644
--- a/conf/manager.conf.in
+++ b/conf/manager.conf.in
@@ -1,27 +1,16 @@
 
-# Validity period of test accounts, in days
-accounts_validity_period = 7
-
 # Token validity period, in hours
 tokens_validity_period = 2
 
 # Templates directory
 templates_dir = @templatesdir@
 
-# Development feature
-# hard-coded list of contactPersons
-# these email addresses will be added to the list of contacts for any SP
-dev_sp_contact = john@my.fqdn, sarah@my.fqdn
-
 # From field use by the account manager
 notice_from = edugain-access-check.fqdn
 
 # federation metadata local copy path
 federation_metadata_file = @sysconfdir@/edugain-md.xml
 
-# Valid account profiles
-account_profiles = fullset1, limitedset1, generic1, student1, student2, teacher1, teacher2, alumni1, librarywalkin1, employee1, researcher1
-
 # Path to sendmail executable
 sendmail_path = /usr/sbin/sendmail
 
@@ -47,3 +36,11 @@ scope = my.fqdn
 entityid = https://my.fqdn/simplesaml/saml2/idp/metadata.php
 displayname = eduGAIN Access Check
 accounts_file = @sysconfdir@/accounts.php
+
+[service]
+# validity period of test accounts, in days
+account_validity_period = 7
+# valid account profiles
+account_profiles = fullset1, limitedset1, generic1, student1, student2, teacher1, teacher2, alumni1, librarywalkin1, employee1, researcher1
+# override contacts defined in metadata if defined
+contacts = john@my.fqdn, sarah@my.fqdn
diff --git a/lib/IdPAccountManager/WebRequest.pm b/lib/IdPAccountManager/WebRequest.pm
index 502495d4b23f8217b274999b13e5ae3637b0bd69..e10acc64058fb7c21ce27ebfa47e5832595f2c5b 100644
--- a/lib/IdPAccountManager/WebRequest.pm
+++ b/lib/IdPAccountManager/WebRequest.pm
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ sub execute {
             SCRIPT_NAME => $ENV{SCRIPT_NAME}
         },
         conf => {
-            accounts_validity_period => $self->{configuration}->{accounts_validity_period},
+            accounts_validity_period => $self->{configuration}->{service}->{account_validity_period},
             app_name                 => $self->{configuration}->{app}->{name},
             app_url                  => $self->{configuration}->{app}->{url},
             idp_scope                => $self->{configuration}->{idp}->{scope},
@@ -258,10 +258,10 @@ sub req_select_sp {
         }
     }
 
-    if ($self->{configuration}->{_}->{dev_sp_contact}) {
+    if ($self->{configuration}->{service}->{contacts}) {
         # replace SP contacts
         $provider->contacts(
-            split(/, */, $self->{configuration}->{_}->{dev_sp_contact})
+            split(/, */, $self->{configuration}->{service}->{contacts})
         );
     }
 
@@ -299,10 +299,10 @@ sub req_generate_token {
         return;
     }
 
-    if ($self->{configuration}->{_}->{dev_sp_contact}) {
+    if ($self->{configuration}->{service}->{contacts}) {
         # replace SP contacts
         $provider->contacts(
-            split(/, */, $self->{configuration}->{_}->{dev_sp_contact})
+            split(/, */, $self->{configuration}->{service}->{contacts})
         );
     }
 
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ sub req_validate_token {
     ## create test accounts
     my @accounts;
 
-    foreach my $profile (split(/, */, $self->{configuration}->{_}->{account_profiles})) {
+    foreach my $profile (split(/, */, $self->{configuration}->{service}->{account_profiles})) {
         my $account = IdPAccountManager::TestAccount->new(
             db          => $self->{db},
             profile     => $profile,
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ sub req_validate_token {
         );
         next unless $account;
         next unless $account->save(
-            accounts_validity_period => $self->{configuration}->{_}->{accounts_validity_period}
+            accounts_validity_period => $self->{configuration}->{service}->{account_validity_period}
         );
         push @accounts, $account;
     }