diff --git a/src/scconf/parse.c b/src/scconf/parse.c
index 8913b152..afb0d17f 100644
--- a/src/scconf/parse.c
+++ b/src/scconf/parse.c
@@ -127,8 +127,12 @@ scconf_item *scconf_item_add(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scco
 	scconf_parser parser;
 	scconf_block *dst = NULL;
 
-	memset(&parser, 0, sizeof(scconf_parser));
+	if (!config && !block)
+		return NULL;
+	if (!data)
+		return NULL;
 
+	memset(&parser, 0, sizeof(scconf_parser));
 	parser.config = config ? config : NULL;
 	parser.key = key ? strdup(key) : NULL;
 	parser.block = block ? block : config->root;
@@ -141,20 +145,18 @@ scconf_item *scconf_item_add(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scco
 		scconf_list_copy(dst->name, &parser.name);
 	}
 	scconf_item_add_internal(&parser, type);
-	if (data) {
-		switch (parser.current_item->type) {
-		case SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_COMMENT:
-			parser.current_item->value.comment = strdup((char *) data);
-			break;
-		case SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_BLOCK:
-			dst->parent = parser.block;
-			parser.current_item->value.block = dst;
-			scconf_list_destroy(parser.name);
-			break;
-		case SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_VALUE:
-			scconf_list_copy((const scconf_list *) data, &parser.current_item->value.list);
-			break;
-		}
+	switch (parser.current_item->type) {
+	case SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_COMMENT:
+		parser.current_item->value.comment = strdup((char *) data);
+		break;
+	case SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_BLOCK:
+		dst->parent = parser.block;
+		parser.current_item->value.block = dst;
+		scconf_list_destroy(parser.name);
+		break;
+	case SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_VALUE:
+		scconf_list_copy((const scconf_list *) data, &parser.current_item->value.list);
+		break;
 	}
 	return parser.current_item;
 }
@@ -189,7 +191,6 @@ scconf_block *scconf_block_add(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, co
 	scconf_parser parser;
 
 	memset(&parser, 0, sizeof(scconf_parser));
-
 	parser.config = config ? config : NULL;
 	parser.key = key ? strdup(key) : NULL;
 	parser.block = block ? block : config->root;
diff --git a/src/scconf/scconf.c b/src/scconf/scconf.c
index 577008cc..cdc89b63 100644
--- a/src/scconf/scconf.c
+++ b/src/scconf/scconf.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ const scconf_block *scconf_find_block(const scconf_context * config, const sccon
 			return item->value.block;
 		}
 	}
-	return block;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 scconf_block **scconf_find_blocks(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, const char *item_name, const char *key)
@@ -160,6 +160,40 @@ int scconf_get_bool(const scconf_block * block, const char *option, int def)
 	return toupper((int) *list->data) == 'T' || toupper((int) *list->data) == 'Y';
 }
 
+const char *scconf_put_str(scconf_block * block, const char *option, const char *value)
+{
+	scconf_list *list = NULL;
+	scconf_item *item;
+
+	scconf_list_add(&list, value);
+	item = scconf_item_add(NULL, block, NULL, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_VALUE, option, list);
+	scconf_list_destroy(list);
+	return value;
+}
+
+int scconf_put_int(scconf_block * block, const char *option, int value)
+{
+	const char *ret;
+	char *str;
+
+	str = (char *) malloc(64);
+	if (!str) {
+		return value;
+	}
+	snprintf(str, 64, "%i", value);
+	ret = scconf_put_str(block, option, str);
+	free(str);
+	return value;
+}
+
+int scconf_put_bool(scconf_block * block, const char *option, int value)
+{
+	const char *ret;
+
+	ret = scconf_put_str(block, option, !value ? "false" : "true");
+	return value;
+}
+
 scconf_item *scconf_item_copy(const scconf_item * src, scconf_item ** dst)
 {
 	scconf_item *ptr, *_dst = NULL, *next = NULL;
@@ -361,14 +395,42 @@ char *scconf_list_strdup(const scconf_list * list, const char *filler)
 	return buf;
 }
 
-static int parse_entries(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth);
+static scconf_block **getblocks(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry)
+{
+	scconf_block **blocks = NULL;
 
-static int parse_type(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
+	blocks = scconf_find_blocks(config, block, entry->name, NULL);
+	if (blocks) {
+		if (blocks[0] != NULL) {
+			if (config->debug) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "block found (%s)\n", entry->name);
+			}
+			return blocks;
+		}
+		free(blocks);
+		blocks = NULL;
+	}
+	if (scconf_find_list(block, entry->name) != NULL) {
+		if (config->debug) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "list found (%s)\n", entry->name);
+		}
+		blocks = (scconf_block **) realloc(blocks, sizeof(scconf_block *) * 2);
+		if (!blocks)
+			return NULL;
+		blocks[0] = (scconf_block *) block;
+		blocks[1] = NULL;
+	}
+	return blocks;
+}
+
+static int parse_entries(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth);
+
+static int parse_type(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
 {
 	void *parm = entry->parm;
-	int (*callback_func) (scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth) =
-	(int (*)(scconf_context *, const scconf_block *, scconf_entry *, int)) parm;
 	size_t *len = (size_t *) entry->arg;
+	int (*callback_func) (const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth) =
+	(int (*)(const scconf_context *, const scconf_block *, scconf_entry *, int)) parm;
 	int r = 0;
 
 	if (config->debug) {
@@ -429,7 +491,7 @@ static int parse_type(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, sccon
 		break;
 	case SCCONF_INTEGER:
 		{
-			int val = scconf_get_int(block, entry->name, 42);
+			int val = scconf_get_int(block, entry->name, 0);
 
 			if (parm) {
 				*((int *) parm) = val;
@@ -480,35 +542,7 @@ static int parse_type(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, sccon
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static scconf_block **getblocks(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry)
-{
-	scconf_block **blocks = NULL;
-
-	blocks = scconf_find_blocks(config, block, entry->name, NULL);
-	if (blocks) {
-		if (blocks[0] != NULL) {
-			if (config->debug) {
-				fprintf(stderr, "block found (%s)\n", entry->name);
-			}
-			return blocks;
-		}
-		free(blocks);
-		blocks = NULL;
-	}
-	if (scconf_find_list(block, entry->name) != NULL) {
-		if (config->debug) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "list found (%s)\n", entry->name);
-		}
-		blocks = (scconf_block **) realloc(blocks, sizeof(scconf_block *) * 2);
-		if (!blocks)
-			return NULL;
-		blocks[0] = (scconf_block *) block;
-		blocks[1] = NULL;
-	}
-	return blocks;
-}
-
-static int parse_entries(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
+static int parse_entries(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
 {
 	int r, i, idx;
 	scconf_entry *e;
@@ -545,7 +579,7 @@ static int parse_entries(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, sc
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int scconf_parse_entries(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry)
+int scconf_parse_entries(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry)
 {
 	if (!entry)
 		return 1;
@@ -553,3 +587,112 @@ int scconf_parse_entries(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, sc
 		block = config->root;
 	return parse_entries(config, block, entry, 0);
 }
+
+static int write_entries(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth);
+
+static int write_type(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
+{
+	void *parm = entry->parm;
+	void *arg = entry->arg;
+	int (*callback_func) (scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth) =
+	(int (*)(scconf_context *, scconf_block *, scconf_entry *, int)) parm;
+	int r = 0;
+
+	if (config->debug) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "encoding '%s'\n", entry->name);
+	}
+	switch (entry->type) {
+	case SCCONF_CALLBACK:
+		if (parm) {
+			r = callback_func(config, block, entry, depth);
+		}
+		break;
+	case SCCONF_BLOCK:
+		if (parm) {
+			scconf_block *subblock;
+			const scconf_list *name = (const scconf_list *) arg;
+
+			subblock = scconf_block_add(config, block, entry->name, name);
+			r = write_entries(config, subblock, (scconf_entry *) parm, depth + 1);
+		}
+		break;
+	case SCCONF_LIST:
+		if (parm) {
+			const scconf_list *val = (const scconf_list *) parm;
+
+			scconf_item_add(config, block, NULL, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_VALUE, entry->name, val);
+			if (entry->flags & SCCONF_VERBOSE) {
+				char *buf = scconf_list_strdup(val, ", ");
+				printf("%s = %s\n", entry->name, buf);
+				free(buf);
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+	case SCCONF_BOOLEAN:
+		if (parm) {
+			const int val = parm ? (int) parm : 0;
+
+			scconf_put_bool(block, entry->name, val);
+			if (entry->flags & SCCONF_VERBOSE) {
+				printf("%s = %s\n", entry->name, val == 0 ? "false" : "true");
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+	case SCCONF_INTEGER:
+		if (parm) {
+			const int val = parm ? (int) parm : 0;
+
+			scconf_put_int(block, entry->name, val);
+			if (entry->flags & SCCONF_VERBOSE) {
+				printf("%s = %i\n", entry->name, val);
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+	case SCCONF_STRING:
+		if (parm) {
+			const char *val = parm ? (const char *) parm : "";
+
+			scconf_put_str(block, entry->name, val);
+			if (entry->flags & SCCONF_VERBOSE) {
+				printf("%s = %s\n", entry->name, val);
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+	default:
+		fprintf(stderr, "invalid configuration type: %d\n", entry->type);
+	}
+	if (r) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "encoding of configuration entry '%s' failed.\n", entry->name);
+		return r;
+	}
+	entry->flags |= SCCONF_PRESENT;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int write_entries(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
+{
+	int r, idx;
+	scconf_entry *e;
+
+	if (config->debug) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "write_entries called, depth %d\n", depth);
+	}
+	for (idx = 0; entry[idx].name; idx++) {
+		e = &entry[idx];
+		r = 0;
+		r = write_type(config, block, e, depth);
+		if (r) {
+			return r;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int scconf_write_entries(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry)
+{
+	if (!entry)
+		return 1;
+	if (!block)
+		block = config->root;
+	return write_entries(config, block, entry, 0);
+}
diff --git a/src/scconf/scconf.h b/src/scconf/scconf.h
index dd9b7be0..e7f878ef 100644
--- a/src/scconf/scconf.h
+++ b/src/scconf/scconf.h
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ extern int scconf_parse(scconf_context * config);
 
 /* Parse entries
  */
-int scconf_parse_entries(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry);
+extern int scconf_parse_entries(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry);
 
 /* Write config to a file
  * If the filename is NULL, use the config->filename
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ int scconf_parse_entries(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, sc
  */
 extern int scconf_write(scconf_context * config, const char *filename);
 
+/* Write configuration entries to block
+ */
+extern int scconf_write_entries(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry);
+
 /* Find a block by the item_name
  * If the block is NULL, the root block is used
  */
@@ -140,6 +144,18 @@ extern int scconf_get_int(const scconf_block * block, const char *option, int de
  */
 extern int scconf_get_bool(const scconf_block * block, const char *option, int def);
 
+/* Write value to a block as a string
+ */
+extern const char *scconf_put_str(scconf_block * block, const char *option, const char *value);
+
+/* Write value to a block as an integer
+ */
+extern int scconf_put_int(scconf_block * block, const char *option, int value);
+
+/* Write value to a block as a boolean
+ */
+extern int scconf_put_bool(scconf_block * block, const char *option, int value);
+
 /* Add block structure
  * If the block is NULL, the root block is used
  */
diff --git a/src/scconf/test-conf.c b/src/scconf/test-conf.c
index 62fa9b82..dfd1625e 100644
--- a/src/scconf/test-conf.c
+++ b/src/scconf/test-conf.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 #define ADD_TEST
 
-static int ldap_cb(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
+static int ldap_cb(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
 {
 	scconf_entry ldap_entry[] =
 	{
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ static int ldap_cb(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_e
 	return 0;		/* 0 for ok, 1 for error */
 }
 
-static int card_cb(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
+static int card_cb(const scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
 {
 	char *str = scconf_list_strdup(block->name, " ");
 	scconf_entry card_entry[] =
@@ -79,12 +79,39 @@ static int card_cb(scconf_context * config, const scconf_block * block, scconf_e
 	return 0;		/* 0 for ok, 1 for error */
 }
 
+static int write_cb(scconf_context * config, scconf_block * block, scconf_entry * entry, int depth)
+{
+	scconf_put_str(block, entry->name, "inside write_cb();");
+	scconf_item_add(config, block, NULL, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_COMMENT, NULL, "# commentN");
+	return 0;		/* 0 for ok, 1 for error */
+}
+
+int write_entries(scconf_context *conf, scconf_list *list)
+{
+	scconf_entry subblock[] =
+	{
+		{"stringIT", SCCONF_STRING, SCCONF_VERBOSE, (void *) "sexy"},
+		{"callback_str", SCCONF_CALLBACK, SCCONF_VERBOSE, (void *) write_cb},
+		{NULL}
+	};
+	scconf_entry wentry[] =
+	{
+		{"string", SCCONF_STRING, SCCONF_VERBOSE, (void *) "value1"},
+		{"integer", SCCONF_INTEGER, SCCONF_VERBOSE, (void *) 42},
+		{"sucks", SCCONF_BOOLEAN, SCCONF_VERBOSE, (void *) 1},
+		{"listN", SCCONF_LIST, SCCONF_VERBOSE, (void *) list},
+		{"blockN", SCCONF_BLOCK, SCCONF_VERBOSE, (void *) subblock, (void *) list},
+		{NULL}
+	};
+	return scconf_write_entries(conf, NULL, wentry);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 #ifdef ADD_TEST
 	scconf_block *foo_block = NULL;
-	scconf_list *foo_list = NULL;
 	scconf_item *foo_item = NULL;
+	scconf_list *foo_list = NULL;
 #endif
 	scconf_context *conf = NULL;
 	scconf_entry entry[] =
@@ -130,12 +157,18 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	scconf_list_add(&foo_list, "value3");
 
-	foo_item = scconf_item_add(conf, foo_block, foo_item, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_COMMENT, "key", "# comment1");
+	foo_item = scconf_item_add(conf, foo_block, foo_item, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_COMMENT, NULL, "# comment1");
 	foo_item = scconf_item_add(conf, foo_block, foo_item, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_VALUE, "list1", foo_list);
 	foo_block = NULL;
 	foo_item = scconf_item_add(conf, foo_block, foo_item, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_BLOCK, "block3", (void *) scconf_find_block(conf, NULL, "foo"));
 	foo_item = scconf_item_add(conf, foo_block, foo_item, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_VALUE, "list2", foo_list);
-	foo_item = scconf_item_add(conf, foo_block, foo_item, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_COMMENT, "key", "# comment2");
+	foo_item = scconf_item_add(conf, foo_block, foo_item, SCCONF_ITEM_TYPE_COMMENT, NULL, "# comment2");
+
+	if (write_entries(conf, foo_list) != 0) {
+		printf("scconf_write_entries failed\n");
+		scconf_free(conf);
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	scconf_list_destroy(foo_list);
 #endif