diff --git a/api/api.go b/api/api.go
index a7f749ff8..eb39b9be4 100644
--- a/api/api.go
+++ b/api/api.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ type ChargeMode string
 
 // Charge modes
 const (
+	ModeEmpty ChargeMode = ""
 	ModeOff   ChargeMode = "off"
 	ModeNow   ChargeMode = "now"
 	ModeMinPV ChargeMode = "minpv"
diff --git a/api/impl.go b/api/impl.go
index e2157fcf8..3cc5ad6c0 100644
--- a/api/impl.go
+++ b/api/impl.go
@@ -1,19 +1,38 @@
 package api
 
-import "strings"
+import (
+	"encoding"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+)
 
 // ChargeModeString converts string to ChargeMode
-func ChargeModeString(mode string) ChargeMode {
+func ChargeModeString(mode string) (ChargeMode, error) {
 	switch strings.ToLower(mode) {
+	case string(ModeEmpty):
+		return ModeEmpty, nil // undefined
 	case string(ModeNow):
-		return ModeNow
+		return ModeNow, nil
 	case string(ModeMinPV):
-		return ModeMinPV
+		return ModeMinPV, nil
 	case string(ModePV):
-		return ModePV
+		return ModePV, nil
 	case string(ModeOff):
-		return ModeOff
+		return ModeOff, nil
 	default:
-		return ""
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("invalid value: %s", mode)
 	}
 }
+
+var _ encoding.TextUnmarshaler = (*ChargeMode)(nil)
+
+func (c *ChargeMode) UnmarshalText(text []byte) error {
+	casted, err := ChargeModeString(string(text))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	*c = casted
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/core/loadpoint.go b/core/loadpoint.go
index f76a9dcce..6f4e705c6 100644
--- a/core/loadpoint.go
+++ b/core/loadpoint.go
@@ -142,10 +142,6 @@ func NewLoadPointFromConfig(log *util.Logger, cp configProvider, other map[strin
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// set sane defaults
-	lp.Mode = api.ChargeModeString(string(lp.Mode))
-	lp.OnDisconnect.Mode = api.ChargeModeString(string(lp.OnDisconnect.Mode))
-
 	// set vehicle polling mode
 	switch lp.SoC.Poll.Mode = strings.ToLower(lp.SoC.Poll.Mode); lp.SoC.Poll.Mode {
 	case pollCharging:
@@ -401,7 +397,7 @@ func (lp *LoadPoint) evChargeCurrentWrappedMeterHandler(current float64) {
 
 // applyAction executes the action
 func (lp *LoadPoint) applyAction(action ActionConfig) {
-	if action.Mode != "" && lp.GetMode() != api.ModeOff {
+	if action.Mode != "" && lp.GetMode() != api.ModeEmpty {
 		lp.SetMode(action.Mode)
 	}
 	if action.TargetSoC != 0 {
diff --git a/server/http.go b/server/http.go
index de1c9bea5..a6559be63 100644
--- a/server/http.go
+++ b/server/http.go
@@ -167,11 +167,12 @@ func ChargeModeHandler(loadpoint core.LoadPointAPI) http.HandlerFunc {
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		vars := mux.Vars(r)
 
-		modeS, ok := vars["mode"]
-		mode := api.ChargeModeString(modeS)
-		if mode == "" || string(mode) != modeS || !ok {
+		modeS := vars["mode"]
+
+		mode, err := api.ChargeModeString(modeS)
+		if err != nil {
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
-			jsonResponse(w, r, errorJSON{Error: "invalid mode"})
+			jsonResponse(w, r, errorJSON{Error: err.Error()})
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -195,14 +196,14 @@ func TargetSoCHandler(loadpoint core.LoadPointAPI) http.HandlerFunc {
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		vars := mux.Vars(r)
 
-		socS, ok := vars["soc"]
+		socS := vars["soc"]
 		soc, err := strconv.ParseInt(socS, 10, 32)
 
-		if ok && err == nil {
+		if err == nil {
 			err = loadpoint.SetTargetSoC(int(soc))
 		}
 
-		if !ok || err != nil {
+		if err != nil {
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
 			jsonResponse(w, r, errorJSON{Error: err.Error()})
 			return
@@ -226,14 +227,14 @@ func MinSoCHandler(loadpoint core.LoadPointAPI) http.HandlerFunc {
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		vars := mux.Vars(r)
 
-		socS, ok := vars["soc"]
+		socS := vars["soc"]
 		soc, err := strconv.ParseInt(socS, 10, 32)
 
-		if ok && err == nil {
+		if err == nil {
 			err = loadpoint.SetMinSoC(int(soc))
 		}
 
-		if !ok || err != nil {
+		if err != nil {
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
 			jsonResponse(w, r, errorJSON{Error: err.Error()})
 			return
@@ -257,14 +258,14 @@ func PhasesHandler(loadpoint core.LoadPointAPI) http.HandlerFunc {
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		vars := mux.Vars(r)
 
-		phasesS, ok := vars["phases"]
+		phasesS := vars["phases"]
 		phases, err := strconv.ParseInt(phasesS, 10, 32)
 
-		if ok && err == nil {
+		if err == nil {
 			err = loadpoint.SetPhases(int(phases))
 		}
 
-		if !ok || err != nil {
+		if err != nil {
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
 			jsonResponse(w, r, errorJSON{Error: err.Error()})
 			return
@@ -418,7 +419,7 @@ func NewHTTPd(url string, site core.SiteAPI, hub *SocketHub, cache *util.Cache)
 			"getphases":       {[]string{"GET"}, "/phases", CurrentPhasesHandler(lp)},
 			"setphases":       {[]string{"POST", "OPTIONS"}, "/phases/{phases:[0-9]+}", PhasesHandler(lp)},
 			"settargetcharge": {[]string{"POST", "OPTIONS"}, "/targetcharge/{soc:[0-9]+}/{time:[0-9TZ:-]+}", TargetChargeHandler(lp)},
-			"remotedemand":    {[]string{"POST", "OPTIONS"}, "/remotedemand/{demand:[a-z]+}/{source}", RemoteDemandHandler(lp)},
+			"remotedemand":    {[]string{"POST", "OPTIONS"}, "/remotedemand/{demand:[a-z]+}/{source::[0-9a-zA-Z_-]+}", RemoteDemandHandler(lp)},
 		}
 
 		for _, r := range routes {
diff --git a/util/decoder.go b/util/decoder.go
index 259b86741..7155c45aa 100644
--- a/util/decoder.go
+++ b/util/decoder.go
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ func DecodeOther(other interface{}, cc interface{}) error {
 		Result:           cc,
 		ErrorUnused:      true,
 		WeaklyTypedInput: true,
-		DecodeHook:       mapstructure.StringToTimeDurationHookFunc(),
+		DecodeHook: mapstructure.ComposeDecodeHookFunc(
+			mapstructure.StringToTimeDurationHookFunc(),
+			mapstructure.TextUnmarshallerHookFunc(),
+		),
 	}
 
 	decoder, err := mapstructure.NewDecoder(decoderConfig)