diff --git a/src/httplib_config_options.c b/src/httplib_config_options.c
index 35601ca6..c0c2397b 100644
--- a/src/httplib_config_options.c
+++ b/src/httplib_config_options.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 struct httplib_option XX_httplib_config_options[] = {
 	{ "cgi_pattern",                 CONFIG_TYPE_EXT_PATTERN, "**.cgi$|**.pl$|**.php$"                                           },
 	{ "ssi_pattern",                 CONFIG_TYPE_EXT_PATTERN, "**.shtml$|**.shtm$"                                               },
-	{ "document_root",               CONFIG_TYPE_DIRECTORY,   NULL                                                               },
 	{ "hide_files_patterns",         CONFIG_TYPE_EXT_PATTERN, NULL                                                               },
 	{ "ssl_ca_path",                 CONFIG_TYPE_DIRECTORY,   NULL                                                               },
 	{ "websocket_root",              CONFIG_TYPE_DIRECTORY,   NULL                                                               },
diff --git a/src/httplib_delete_file.c b/src/httplib_delete_file.c
index 6234b119..5aede70f 100644
--- a/src/httplib_delete_file.c
+++ b/src/httplib_delete_file.c
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ void XX_httplib_delete_file( struct httplib_connection *conn, const char *path )
 	struct de de;
 	char error_string[ERROR_STRING_LEN];
 
-	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL   ) return;
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) {
+	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root == NULL ) {
 
 		XX_httplib_send_http_error( conn, 405, "Error: File delete operations are not supported" );
 		return;
diff --git a/src/httplib_free_context.c b/src/httplib_free_context.c
index c9eff3f4..d7539e0a 100644
--- a/src/httplib_free_context.c
+++ b/src/httplib_free_context.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ void XX_httplib_free_context( struct httplib_context *ctx ) {
 	ctx->authentication_domain       = httplib_free( ctx->authentication_domain       );
 	ctx->cgi_environment             = httplib_free( ctx->cgi_environment             );
 	ctx->cgi_interpreter             = httplib_free( ctx->cgi_interpreter             );
+	ctx->document_root               = httplib_free( ctx->document_root               );
 	ctx->error_log_file              = httplib_free( ctx->error_log_file              );
 	ctx->extra_mime_types            = httplib_free( ctx->extra_mime_types            );
 	ctx->global_auth_file            = httplib_free( ctx->global_auth_file            );
diff --git a/src/httplib_handle_propfind.c b/src/httplib_handle_propfind.c
index 2e195d3e..7dddba70 100644
--- a/src/httplib_handle_propfind.c
+++ b/src/httplib_handle_propfind.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ void XX_httplib_handle_propfind( struct httplib_connection *conn, const char *pa
 	time_t curtime;
 
 	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL  ||  path == NULL  ||  filep == NULL ) return;
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root == NULL ) return;
 
 	depth   = httplib_get_header( conn, "Depth" );
 	curtime = time( NULL );
diff --git a/src/httplib_handle_request.c b/src/httplib_handle_request.c
index 34a8ab22..a6b65025 100644
--- a/src/httplib_handle_request.c
+++ b/src/httplib_handle_request.c
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ no_callback_resource:
  * 6.2.1. thus, the server must have real files
  */
 
-		if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) {
+		if ( conn->ctx->document_root == NULL ) {
 
 			/*
 			 * This server does not have any real files, thus the
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ no_callback_resource:
 	 * by a script file. Thus, a DOCUMENT_ROOT must exist.
 	 */
 
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) {
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root == NULL ) {
 
 		XX_httplib_send_http_error( conn, 404, "%s", "Not Found" );
 		return;
diff --git a/src/httplib_interpret_uri.c b/src/httplib_interpret_uri.c
index d7fa3d8c..1168fc2c 100644
--- a/src/httplib_interpret_uri.c
+++ b/src/httplib_interpret_uri.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ void XX_httplib_interpret_uri( struct httplib_connection *conn, char *filename,
 	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL  ||  filep == NULL ) return;
 
 	uri  = conn->request_info.local_uri;
-	root = conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT];
+	root = conn->ctx->document_root;
 
 	memset( filep, 0, sizeof(*filep) );
 
diff --git a/src/httplib_is_authorized_for_put.c b/src/httplib_is_authorized_for_put.c
index 8725ea88..e67fb567 100644
--- a/src/httplib_is_authorized_for_put.c
+++ b/src/httplib_is_authorized_for_put.c
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ bool XX_httplib_is_authorized_for_put( struct httplib_connection *conn ) {
 	const char *passfile;
 	bool ret;
 
-	if ( conn == NULL   ||   conn->ctx == NULL ) return false;
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) return false;
+	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL ) return false;
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root    == NULL ) return false;
 
 	passfile = conn->ctx->put_delete_auth_file;
 
diff --git a/src/httplib_main.h b/src/httplib_main.h
index 8f6e8423..38462046 100644
--- a/src/httplib_main.h
+++ b/src/httplib_main.h
@@ -393,7 +393,6 @@ union usa {
 enum {
 	CGI_EXTENSIONS,
 	SSI_EXTENSIONS,
-	DOCUMENT_ROOT,
 	HIDE_FILES,
 	SSL_CA_PATH,
 	WEBSOCKET_ROOT,
@@ -583,6 +582,7 @@ struct httplib_context {
 	char *	authentication_domain;
 	char *	cgi_environment;
 	char *	cgi_interpreter;
+	char *	document_root;
 	char *	error_log_file;
 	char *	extra_mime_types;
 	char *	global_auth_file;
diff --git a/src/httplib_mkcol.c b/src/httplib_mkcol.c
index 63dcefe7..ccc0519b 100644
--- a/src/httplib_mkcol.c
+++ b/src/httplib_mkcol.c
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ void XX_httplib_mkcol( struct httplib_connection *conn, const char *path ) {
 	time_t curtime;
 	char error_string[ERROR_STRING_LEN];
 
-	if ( conn == NULL   ||   conn->ctx == NULL ) return;
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root    == NULL ) return;
 
 	curtime = time( NULL );
 
diff --git a/src/httplib_prepare_cgi_environment.c b/src/httplib_prepare_cgi_environment.c
index 56309203..1c848c8d 100644
--- a/src/httplib_prepare_cgi_environment.c
+++ b/src/httplib_prepare_cgi_environment.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void XX_httplib_prepare_cgi_environment( struct httplib_connection *conn, const
 	int i;
 	bool truncated;
 
-	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL  ||  prog == NULL  ||  env == NULL  ||  conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL  ||  prog == NULL  ||  env == NULL  ||  conn->ctx->document_root == NULL ) return;
 
 	env->conn    = conn;
 	env->buflen  = CGI_ENVIRONMENT_SIZE;
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ void XX_httplib_prepare_cgi_environment( struct httplib_connection *conn, const
 	env->var     = httplib_malloc( env->buflen * sizeof(char *) );
 
 	if ( conn->ctx->authentication_domain != NULL ) XX_httplib_addenv( env, "SERVER_NAME=%s",   conn->ctx->authentication_domain );
-	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "SERVER_ROOT=%s",                   conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] );
-	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "DOCUMENT_ROOT=%s",                 conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] );
-	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "SERVER_SOFTWARE=%s/%s", "LibHTTP", httplib_version()             );
+	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "SERVER_ROOT=%s",                   conn->ctx->document_root );
+	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "DOCUMENT_ROOT=%s",                 conn->ctx->document_root );
+	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "SERVER_SOFTWARE=%s/%s", "LibHTTP", httplib_version()        );
 
 	/*
 	 * Prepare the environment block
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ void XX_httplib_prepare_cgi_environment( struct httplib_connection *conn, const
 
 	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "SCRIPT_FILENAME=%s", prog );
 
-	if ( conn->path_info == NULL ) XX_httplib_addenv( env, "PATH_TRANSLATED=%s",   conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT]                  );
-	else                           XX_httplib_addenv( env, "PATH_TRANSLATED=%s%s", conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT], conn->path_info );
+	if ( conn->path_info == NULL ) XX_httplib_addenv( env, "PATH_TRANSLATED=%s",   conn->ctx->document_root                  );
+	else                           XX_httplib_addenv( env, "PATH_TRANSLATED=%s%s", conn->ctx->document_root, conn->path_info );
 
 	XX_httplib_addenv( env, "HTTPS=%s", (conn->ssl == NULL) ? "off" : "on" );
 
diff --git a/src/httplib_put_file.c b/src/httplib_put_file.c
index bdfd792f..e107a5b6 100644
--- a/src/httplib_put_file.c
+++ b/src/httplib_put_file.c
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ void XX_httplib_put_file( struct httplib_connection *conn, const char *path ) {
 	char error_string[ERROR_STRING_LEN];
 	time_t curtime;
 
-	if ( conn == NULL   ||   conn->ctx == NULL ) return;
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root    == NULL ) return;
 
 	curtime = time( NULL );
 
diff --git a/src/httplib_send_options.c b/src/httplib_send_options.c
index d5533af2..2d1f2145 100644
--- a/src/httplib_send_options.c
+++ b/src/httplib_send_options.c
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ void XX_httplib_send_options( struct httplib_connection *conn ) {
 	char date[64];
 	time_t curtime;
 
-	if ( conn == NULL   ||   conn->ctx == NULL ) return;
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root    == NULL ) return;
 
 	curtime           = time( NULL );
 	conn->status_code = 200;
diff --git a/src/httplib_ssi.c b/src/httplib_ssi.c
index 8037a7b6..918419f6 100644
--- a/src/httplib_ssi.c
+++ b/src/httplib_ssi.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ static void do_ssi_include( struct httplib_connection *conn, const char *ssi, ch
 	size_t len;
 	bool truncated;
 
-	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL  ||  conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL ) return;
+	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL  ||  conn->ctx->document_root == NULL ) return;
 
 	truncated = false;
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ static void do_ssi_include( struct httplib_connection *conn, const char *ssi, ch
 		 */
 
 		file_name[511] = 0;
-		doc_root       = conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT];
+		doc_root       = conn->ctx->document_root;
 
 		XX_httplib_snprintf( conn, &truncated, path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s", doc_root, file_name );
 
diff --git a/src/httplib_start.c b/src/httplib_start.c
index cabe6ba8..bafb8cfd 100644
--- a/src/httplib_start.c
+++ b/src/httplib_start.c
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@
 #include "httplib_string.h"
 #include "httplib_utils.h"
 
-static bool			check_bool( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, bool *config );
+static bool			check_bool( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, bool *config  );
+static bool			check_dir(  struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, char **config );
 static bool			check_file( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, char **config );
-static bool			check_int( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, int *config, int minval, int maxval );
-static bool			check_str( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, char **config );
+static bool			check_int(  struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, int *config, int minval, int maxval );
+static bool			check_str(  struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, char **config );
 static struct httplib_context *	cleanup( struct httplib_context *ctx, PRINTF_FORMAT_STRING(const char *fmt), ...) PRINTF_ARGS(2, 3);
 static bool			process_options( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *options );
 
@@ -284,31 +285,40 @@ static bool process_options( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_o
 
 	if ( ctx == NULL ) return false;
 
-	ctx->access_control_list      = NULL;
-	ctx->access_log_file          = NULL;
-	ctx->allow_sendfile_call      = true;
-	ctx->cgi_environment          = NULL;
-	ctx->decode_url               = true;
-	ctx->enable_directory_listing = true;
-	ctx->enable_keep_alive        = false;
-	ctx->error_log_file           = NULL;
-	ctx->extra_mime_types         = NULL;
-	ctx->num_threads              = 50;
-	ctx->protect_uri              = NULL;
-	ctx->request_timeout          = 30000;
-	ctx->run_as_user              = NULL;
-	ctx->ssl_ca_file              = NULL;
-	ctx->ssl_cipher_list          = NULL;
-	ctx->ssl_protocol_version     = 0;
-	ctx->ssl_short_trust          = false;
-	ctx->ssl_verify_depth         = 9;
-	ctx->ssl_verify_paths         = true;
-	ctx->ssl_verify_peer          = false;
-	ctx->static_file_max_age      = 0;
-	ctx->throttle                 = NULL;
-	ctx->tcp_nodelay              = false;
-	ctx->url_rewrite_patterns     = NULL;
-	ctx->websocket_timeout        = 30000;
+	ctx->access_control_allow_origin = NULL;
+	ctx->access_control_list         = NULL;
+	ctx->access_log_file             = NULL;
+	ctx->allow_sendfile_call         = true;
+	ctx->authentication_domain       = NULL;
+	ctx->cgi_environment             = NULL;
+	ctx->cgi_interpreter             = NULL;
+	ctx->decode_url                  = true;
+	ctx->document_root               = NULL;
+	ctx->enable_directory_listing    = true;
+	ctx->enable_keep_alive           = false;
+	ctx->error_log_file              = NULL;
+	ctx->extra_mime_types            = NULL;
+	ctx->global_auth_file            = NULL;
+	ctx->index_files                 = NULL;
+	ctx->listening_ports             = NULL;
+	ctx->num_threads                 = 50;
+	ctx->protect_uri                 = NULL;
+	ctx->put_delete_auth_file        = NULL;
+	ctx->request_timeout             = 30000;
+	ctx->run_as_user                 = NULL;
+	ctx->ssl_ca_file                 = NULL;
+	ctx->ssl_certificate             = NULL;
+	ctx->ssl_cipher_list             = NULL;
+	ctx->ssl_protocol_version        = 0;
+	ctx->ssl_short_trust             = false;
+	ctx->ssl_verify_depth            = 9;
+	ctx->ssl_verify_paths            = true;
+	ctx->ssl_verify_peer             = false;
+	ctx->static_file_max_age         = 0;
+	ctx->throttle                    = NULL;
+	ctx->tcp_nodelay                 = false;
+	ctx->url_rewrite_patterns        = NULL;
+	ctx->websocket_timeout           = 30000;
 
 	if ( (ctx->access_control_allow_origin = strdup( "*" )) == NULL ) {
 
@@ -344,6 +354,7 @@ static bool process_options( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_o
 		if ( check_str(  ctx, options, "cgi_environment",             & ctx->cgi_environment                         ) ) return true;
 		if ( check_file( ctx, options, "cgi_interpreter",             & ctx->cgi_interpreter                         ) ) return true;
 		if ( check_bool( ctx, options, "decode_url",                  & ctx->decode_url                              ) ) return true;
+		if ( check_dir(  ctx, options, "document_root",               & ctx->document_root                           ) ) return true;
 		if ( check_bool( ctx, options, "enable_directory_listing",    & ctx->enable_directory_listing                ) ) return true;
 		if ( check_bool( ctx, options, "enable_keep_alive",           & ctx->enable_keep_alive                       ) ) return true;
 		if ( check_file( ctx, options, "error_log_file",              & ctx->error_log_file                          ) ) return true;
@@ -434,6 +445,42 @@ static bool check_bool( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option
 
 
 
+/*
+ * static bool check_dir( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, char **config );
+ *
+ * The function check_dir() checks if an option is equal to a directory config
+ * parameter and stores the value if that is the case. If the value cannot be
+ * recognized, true is returned and the function performs a complete cleanup.
+ * If the option name could not be found, the function returns false to
+ * indicate that the search should go on. IF the value could be found, also
+ * false is returned.
+ */
+
+static bool check_dir( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, char **config ) {
+
+	if ( ctx == NULL  ||  option == NULL  ||  option->name == NULL  ||  name == NULL  ||  config == NULL ) {
+
+		cleanup( ctx, "Internal error parsing directory option" );
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	if ( httplib_strcasecmp( option->name, name ) ) return false;
+
+	*config = httplib_free( *config );
+
+	if ( option->value == NULL ) return false;
+
+	*config = httplib_strdup( option->value );
+	if ( *config != NULL ) return false;
+
+	cleanup( ctx, "Out of memory assigning value \"%s\" to option \"%s\"", option->value, option->name );
+	return true;
+
+}  /* check_dir */
+
+
+
+
 /*
  * static bool check_file( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option_t *option, const char *name, char **config );
  *
@@ -449,7 +496,7 @@ static bool check_file( struct httplib_context *ctx, const struct httplib_option
 
 	if ( ctx == NULL  ||  option == NULL  ||  option->name == NULL  ||  name == NULL  ||  config == NULL ) {
 
-		cleanup( ctx, "Internal error parsing string option" );
+		cleanup( ctx, "Internal error parsing file option" );
 		return true;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/httplib_substitute_index_file.c b/src/httplib_substitute_index_file.c
index f6c4df52..68f1d88e 100644
--- a/src/httplib_substitute_index_file.c
+++ b/src/httplib_substitute_index_file.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ int XX_httplib_substitute_index_file( struct httplib_connection *conn, char *pat
 	bool found;
 
 	if ( conn == NULL  ||  conn->ctx == NULL  ||  path == NULL ) return 0;
-	if ( conn->ctx->cfg[DOCUMENT_ROOT] == NULL                 ) return 0;
+	if ( conn->ctx->document_root == NULL                      ) return 0;
 
 	list  = conn->ctx->index_files;
 	n     = strlen( path );