diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index 17b6fe037..897a5bc74 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -23,18 +23,19 @@ var UrlPattern = function(url) {
 
 
 var createPatternObject = function(pattern) {
-  if (helper.isString(pattern)) {
+  if (pattern && helper.isString(pattern)) {
     return helper.isUrlAbsolute(pattern) ? new UrlPattern(pattern) : new Pattern(pattern);
   }
 
   if (helper.isObject(pattern)) {
-    if (!helper.isDefined(pattern.pattern)) {
-      log.warn('Invalid pattern %s!\n\tObject is missing "pattern" property".', pattern);
-    }
-
-    return helper.isUrlAbsolute(pattern.pattern) ?
+    if (pattern.pattern && helper.isString(pattern.pattern)) {
+      return helper.isUrlAbsolute(pattern.pattern) ?
         new UrlPattern(pattern.pattern) :
         new Pattern(pattern.pattern, pattern.served, pattern.included, pattern.watched);
+    }
+
+    log.warn('Invalid pattern %s!\n\tObject is missing "pattern" property.', pattern);
+    return new Pattern(null, false, false, false);
   }
 
   log.warn('Invalid pattern %s!\n\tExpected string or object with "pattern" property.', pattern);