diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/config.py b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
index c7826aef2..891e56bf5 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/config.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ class Config(QObject):
                 raise configexc.BackendError(objects.backend)
 
         opt.typ.to_py(value)  # for validation
-        self._values[opt.name] = value
+        self._values[opt.name] = opt.typ.from_obj(value)
 
         self.changed.emit(opt.name)
         log.config.debug("Config option changed: {} = {}".format(
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py b/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
index bc5db6d94..afe9eb372 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
@@ -227,6 +227,10 @@ class BaseType:
             return None
         return value
 
+    def from_obj(self, value):
+        """Get the setting value from a config.py/YAML object."""
+        return value
+
     def to_py(self, value):
         """Get the setting value from a Python value.
 
@@ -441,6 +445,11 @@ class List(BaseType):
         self.to_py(yaml_val)
         return yaml_val
 
+    def from_obj(self, value):
+        if value is None:
+            return []
+        return value
+
     def to_py(self, value):
         self._basic_py_validation(value, list)
         if not value:
@@ -506,6 +515,11 @@ class ListOrValue(BaseType):
         except configexc.ValidationError:
             return self.valtype.from_str(value)
 
+    def from_obj(self, value):
+        if value is None:
+            return []
+        return value
+
     def to_py(self, value):
         try:
             return [self.valtype.to_py(value)]
@@ -1176,6 +1190,11 @@ class Dict(BaseType):
         self.to_py(yaml_val)
         return yaml_val
 
+    def from_obj(self, value):
+        if value is None:
+            return {}
+        return value
+
     def _fill_fixed_keys(self, value):
         """Fill missing fixed keys with a None-value."""
         if self.fixed_keys is None:
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/test_config.py b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
index 949064bc9..43af839ba 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
@@ -547,6 +547,14 @@ class TestBindConfigCommand:
                 commands.bind(key, 'message-info foo', mode='normal')
             assert keyconf.get_command(key, 'normal') == 'nop'
 
+    def test_bind_none(self, commands, config_stub):
+        config_stub.val.bindings.commands = None
+        commands.bind(',x', 'nop')
+
+    def test_unbind_none(self, commands, config_stub):
+        config_stub.val.bindings.commands = None
+        commands.unbind('H')
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('key, normalized', [
         ('a', 'a'),  # default bindings
         ('b', 'b'),  # custom bindings
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py b/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py
index d987d7442..6274b7d50 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py
@@ -378,6 +378,13 @@ class TestConfigPy:
         expected = "Duplicate key H - use force=True to override!"
         assert str(error.exception) == expected
 
+    def test_bind_none(self, confpy):
+        confpy.write("c.bindings.commands = None",
+                     "config.bind(',x', 'nop')")
+        confpy.read()
+        expected = {'normal': {',x': 'nop'}}
+        assert config.instance._values['bindings.commands'] == expected
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('line, key, mode', [
         ('config.unbind("o")', 'o', 'normal'),
         ('config.unbind("y", mode="prompt")', 'y', 'prompt'),
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/test_configtypes.py b/tests/unit/config/test_configtypes.py
index 1c6ed7f08..9b5e23263 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/test_configtypes.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/test_configtypes.py
@@ -370,6 +370,10 @@ class TestBaseType:
     def test_to_doc(self, klass, value, expected):
         assert klass().to_doc(value) == expected
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('obj', [42, '', None, 'foo'])
+    def test_from_obj(self, klass, obj):
+        assert klass(none_ok=True).from_obj(obj) == obj
+
 
 class MappingSubclass(configtypes.MappingType):
 
@@ -550,6 +554,14 @@ class TestList:
         with pytest.raises(configexc.ValidationError):
             klass().from_str(val)
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('obj, expected', [
+        ([1], [1]),
+        ([], []),
+        (None, []),
+    ])
+    def test_from_obj(self, klass, obj, expected):
+        assert klass(none_ok_outer=True).from_obj(obj) == expected
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('val', [['foo'], ['foo', 'bar']])
     def test_to_py_valid(self, klass, val):
         assert klass().to_py(val) == val
@@ -713,6 +725,15 @@ class TestListOrValue:
     def test_to_py_length(self, strtype, klass, val):
         klass(strtype, none_ok=True, length=2).to_py(val)
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('obj, expected', [
+        (['a'], ['a']),
+        ([], []),
+        (None, []),
+    ])
+    def test_from_obj(self, klass, obj, expected):
+        typ = klass(none_ok=True, valtype=configtypes.String())
+        assert typ.from_obj(obj) == expected
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('val', [['a'], ['a', 'b'], ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']])
     def test_wrong_length(self, strtype, klass, val):
         with pytest.raises(configexc.ValidationError,
@@ -1533,6 +1554,16 @@ class TestDict:
                                valtype=configtypes.Int())
         assert typ.from_str('{"answer": 42}') == {"answer": 42}
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('obj, expected', [
+        ({'a': 'b'}, {'a': 'b'}),
+        ({}, {}),
+        (None, {}),
+    ])
+    def test_from_obj(self, klass, obj, expected):
+        d = klass(keytype=configtypes.String(), valtype=configtypes.String(),
+                  none_ok=True)
+        assert d.from_obj(obj) == expected
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('keytype, valtype, val', [
         (configtypes.String(), configtypes.String(), {'hello': 'world'}),
         (configtypes.String(), configtypes.Int(), {'hello': 42}),