diff --git a/htroot/IndexControlRWIs_p.java b/htroot/IndexControlRWIs_p.java
index 7542c2344..98c8c317b 100644
--- a/htroot/IndexControlRWIs_p.java
+++ b/htroot/IndexControlRWIs_p.java
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ import net.yacy.cora.protocol.ClientIdentification;
 import net.yacy.cora.protocol.RequestHeader;
 import net.yacy.cora.storage.HandleSet;
 import net.yacy.cora.util.ByteBuffer;
-import net.yacy.cora.util.CommonPattern;
 import net.yacy.cora.util.ConcurrentLog;
 import net.yacy.cora.util.SpaceExceededException;
 import net.yacy.data.ListManager;
@@ -375,7 +374,7 @@ public class IndexControlRWIs_p {
                         Word.commonHashOrder,
                         urlb.size());
                 if ( post.containsKey("blacklisturls") ) {
-                    final String[] supportedBlacklistTypes = CommonPattern.COMMA.split(env.getConfig("BlackLists.types", ""));
+                    final String[] supportedBlacklistTypes = env.getConfigArray("BlackLists.types", "");
 					DigestURL url;
 					for ( final byte[] b : urlb ) {
 					    try {
diff --git a/htroot/yacysearch.java b/htroot/yacysearch.java
index 111382952..0b65c004c 100644
--- a/htroot/yacysearch.java
+++ b/htroot/yacysearch.java
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ import net.yacy.cora.protocol.Domains;
 import net.yacy.cora.protocol.HeaderFramework;
 import net.yacy.cora.protocol.RequestHeader;
 import net.yacy.cora.protocol.ResponseHeader;
-import net.yacy.cora.util.CommonPattern;
 import net.yacy.cora.util.ConcurrentLog;
 import net.yacy.data.BookmarksDB.Bookmark;
 import net.yacy.data.DidYouMean;
@@ -664,7 +663,7 @@ public class yacysearch {
                         && sb.peers.mySeed().getFlagAcceptRemoteIndex(),
                     false,
                     lat, lon, rad,
-                    CommonPattern.COMMA.split(sb.getConfig("search.navigation","")));
+                    sb.getConfigArray("search.navigation", ""));
             EventTracker.delete(EventTracker.EClass.SEARCH);
             EventTracker.update(EventTracker.EClass.SEARCH, new ProfilingGraph.EventSearch(
                 theQuery.id(true),
diff --git a/source/net/yacy/server/http/HTTPDFileHandler.java b/source/net/yacy/server/http/HTTPDFileHandler.java
index 45a38703a..5aba6243f 100644
--- a/source/net/yacy/server/http/HTTPDFileHandler.java
+++ b/source/net/yacy/server/http/HTTPDFileHandler.java
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ package net.yacy.server.http;
 import java.io.File;
 
 import net.yacy.cora.document.analysis.Classification;
-import net.yacy.cora.util.CommonPattern;
 import net.yacy.cora.util.ConcurrentLog;
 import net.yacy.search.Switchboard;
 import net.yacy.search.SwitchboardConstants;
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ public final class HTTPDFileHandler {
 
     public static final void initDefaultPath() {
         // create default files array
-        defaultFiles = CommonPattern.COMMA.split(switchboard.getConfig(SwitchboardConstants.BROWSER_DEFAULT,"index.html"));
+        defaultFiles = switchboard.getConfigArray(SwitchboardConstants.BROWSER_DEFAULT, "index.html");
         if (defaultFiles.length == 0) defaultFiles = new String[] {"index.html"};
         indexForward = switchboard.getConfig(SwitchboardConstants.INDEX_FORWARD, "");
         if (indexForward.startsWith("/")) indexForward = indexForward.substring(1);
diff --git a/source/net/yacy/server/serverSwitch.java b/source/net/yacy/server/serverSwitch.java
index 2603fdc6f..7ddfb3d74 100644
--- a/source/net/yacy/server/serverSwitch.java
+++ b/source/net/yacy/server/serverSwitch.java
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import net.yacy.cora.protocol.Domains;
 import net.yacy.cora.protocol.HeaderFramework;
 import net.yacy.cora.protocol.RequestHeader;
 import net.yacy.cora.protocol.http.HTTPClient;
+import net.yacy.cora.util.CommonPattern;
 import net.yacy.cora.util.ConcurrentLog;
 import net.yacy.http.YaCyHttpServer;
 import net.yacy.kelondro.util.FileUtils;
@@ -399,6 +400,16 @@ public class serverSwitch {
 		return Boolean.parseBoolean(getConfig(key, Boolean.toString(dflt)));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * get a configuration parameter list
+	 * @param key
+	 * @param dflt a default list
+	 * @return a list of strings which had been separated by comma in the setting
+	 */
+    public String[] getConfigArray(final String key, final String dflt) {
+        return CommonPattern.COMMA.split(this.getConfig(key, dflt));
+    }	
+
 	/**
 	 * Create a File instance for a configuration setting specifying a path.
 	 * 
@@ -614,7 +625,7 @@ public class serverSwitch {
 			final String rootPath, final File file) throws IOException,
 			FileNotFoundException {
 		if (uri.startsWith("http://") || uri.startsWith("https://")) {
-			final String[] uris = uri.split(",");
+			final String[] uris = CommonPattern.COMMA.split(uri);
 			for (String netdef : uris) {
 				netdef = netdef.trim();
 				try {