diff --git a/api/jobs/gears.py b/api/jobs/gears.py
index 59d64240d..51da45584 100644
--- a/api/jobs/gears.py
+++ b/api/jobs/gears.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def validate_gear_config(gear, config_):
         validator = Draft4Validator(ci)
 
         try:
-            validator.validate(config_)
+            validator.validate(fill_gear_default_values(gear, config_))
         except ValidationError as err:
             key = None
             if len(err.relative_path) > 0:
diff --git a/api/jobs/handlers.py b/api/jobs/handlers.py
index 9e0a99187..76ba8dc1d 100644
--- a/api/jobs/handlers.py
+++ b/api/jobs/handlers.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 from ..auth.apikeys import JobApiKey
 
-from .gears import validate_gear_config, get_gears, get_gear, get_invocation_schema, remove_gear, upsert_gear, suggest_container, get_gear_by_name, check_for_gear_insertion, fill_gear_default_values
+from .gears import validate_gear_config, get_gears, get_gear, get_invocation_schema, remove_gear, upsert_gear, suggest_container, get_gear_by_name, check_for_gear_insertion
 from .jobs import Job, Logs
 from .batch import check_state, update
 from .queue import Queue
@@ -183,8 +183,7 @@ def post(self, cid):
 
         doc['project_id'] = cid
 
-        if 'config' in doc:
-            validate_gear_config(gear, fill_gear_default_values(gear, doc['config']))
+        validate_gear_config(gear, doc.get('config'))
 
         result = config.db.project_rules.insert_one(doc)
         return { '_id': result.inserted_id }
@@ -239,8 +238,7 @@ def put(self, cid, rid):
 
         if 'alg' in updates or 'config' in updates:
             gear = get_gear_by_name(updates.get('alg', doc['alg']))
-            config_ = fill_gear_default_values(gear, updates.get('config', doc.get('config', {})))
-            validate_gear_config(gear, config_)
+            validate_gear_config(gear, updates.get('config', doc.get('config')))
 
         doc.update(updates)
         config.db.project_rules.replace_one({'_id': bson.ObjectId(rid)}, doc)
@@ -539,7 +537,7 @@ def post(self):
         gear = get_gear(gear_id)
         if gear.get('gear', {}).get('custom', {}).get('flywheel', {}).get('invalid', False):
             self.abort(400, 'Gear marked as invalid, will not run!')
-        validate_gear_config(gear, fill_gear_default_values(gear, config_))
+        validate_gear_config(gear, config_)
 
         container_ids = []
         container_type = None
diff --git a/api/jobs/queue.py b/api/jobs/queue.py
index 3f057c20f..c5bf2b73e 100644
--- a/api/jobs/queue.py
+++ b/api/jobs/queue.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def enqueue_job(job_map, origin, perm_check_uid=None):
         if gear.get('gear', {}).get('custom', {}).get('flywheel', {}).get('invalid', False):
             raise InputValidationException('Gear marked as invalid, will not run!')
 
-        config_ = fill_gear_default_values(gear, job_map.get('config', {}))
+        config_ = job_map.get('config', {})
         validate_gear_config(gear, config_)
 
         # Translate maps to FileReferences
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def enqueue_job(job_map, origin, perm_check_uid=None):
 
         # Config options are stored on the job object under the "config" key
         config_ = {
-            'config': config_,
+            'config': fill_gear_default_values(gear, config_),
             'inputs': { },
             'destination': {
                 'type': destination.type,