diff --git a/src/libutil/config.cc b/src/libutil/config.cc
index cdd1e0a15..ce6858f0d 100644
--- a/src/libutil/config.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/config.cc
@@ -47,13 +47,10 @@ void Config::addSetting(AbstractSetting * setting)
     }
 }
 
-void Config::handleUnknownSettings(bool fatal)
+void Config::handleUnknownSettings()
 {
     for (auto & s : extras)
-        if (fatal)
-            throw UsageError("unknown setting '%s%'", s.first);
-        else
-            warn("unknown setting '%s'", s.first);
+        warn("unknown setting '%s'", s.first);
 }
 
 StringMap Config::getSettings(bool overridenOnly)
diff --git a/src/libutil/config.hh b/src/libutil/config.hh
index c6783e13c..d2e7faf17 100644
--- a/src/libutil/config.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/config.hh
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public:
 
     void addSetting(AbstractSetting * setting);
 
-    void handleUnknownSettings(bool fatal = false);
+    void handleUnknownSettings();
 
     StringMap getSettings(bool overridenOnly = false);