diff --git a/webserver/http2/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http2/Http2ServerStream.java b/webserver/http2/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http2/Http2ServerStream.java
index 0228afc361f..9defa45ff0c 100644
--- a/webserver/http2/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http2/Http2ServerStream.java
+++ b/webserver/http2/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http2/Http2ServerStream.java
@@ -312,23 +312,16 @@ public void run() {
             // gather error handling properties
             ErrorHandling errorHandling = ctx.listenerContext()
                     .config()
-                    .errorHandling()
-                    .orElse(null);
-            boolean includeEntity = false;
-            boolean logAllMessages = false;
-            if (errorHandling != null) {
-                includeEntity = errorHandling.includeEntity();
-                logAllMessages = errorHandling.logAllMessages();
-            }
+                    .errorHandling();
 
             // log message in DEBUG mode
-            if (LOGGER.isLoggable(DEBUG) && (e.safeMessage() || logAllMessages)) {
+            if (LOGGER.isLoggable(DEBUG) && (e.safeMessage() || errorHandling.logAllMessages())) {
                 LOGGER.log(DEBUG, e);
             }
 
             // create message to return based on settings
             String message = null;
-            if (includeEntity) {
+            if (errorHandling.includeEntity()) {
                 message = e.safeMessage() ? e.getMessage() : "Bad request, see server log for more information";
             }
 
diff --git a/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/ListenerConfigBlueprint.java b/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/ListenerConfigBlueprint.java
index 653ce6fcf89..e47ea89681e 100644
--- a/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/ListenerConfigBlueprint.java
+++ b/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/ListenerConfigBlueprint.java
@@ -403,8 +403,9 @@ default void configureSocket(ServerSocket socket) {
     /**
      * Configuration for this listener's error handling.
      *
-     * @return optional error handling
+     * @return error handling
      */
     @Option.Configured
-    Optional<ErrorHandling> errorHandling();
+    @Option.DefaultMethod("create")
+    ErrorHandling errorHandling();
 }
diff --git a/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http1/Http1Connection.java b/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http1/Http1Connection.java
index f480a55b00e..7019fcf49d3 100644
--- a/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http1/Http1Connection.java
+++ b/webserver/webserver/src/main/java/io/helidon/webserver/http1/Http1Connection.java
@@ -648,23 +648,16 @@ private void handleRequestException(RequestException e) {
         // gather error handling properties
         ErrorHandling errorHandling = ctx.listenerContext()
                 .config()
-                .errorHandling()
-                .orElse(null);
-        boolean includeEntity = false;
-        boolean logAllMessages = false;
-        if (errorHandling != null) {
-            includeEntity = errorHandling.includeEntity();
-            logAllMessages = errorHandling.logAllMessages();
-        }
+                .errorHandling();
 
         // log message in DEBUG mode
-        if (LOGGER.isLoggable(DEBUG) && (e.safeMessage() || logAllMessages)) {
+        if (LOGGER.isLoggable(DEBUG) && (e.safeMessage() || errorHandling.logAllMessages())) {
             LOGGER.log(DEBUG, e);
         }
 
         // create message to return based on settings
         String message = null;
-        if (includeEntity) {
+        if (errorHandling.includeEntity()) {
             message = e.safeMessage() ? e.getMessage() : "Bad request, see server log for more information";
         }