diff --git a/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h b/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h
index fed8a525..4dba2c3b 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h
+++ b/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h
@@ -169,6 +169,21 @@ private :
     ValueType repValue;
 };
 
+/// Specialized setValue for bool
+template <>
+void eoValueParam<bool>::setValue(std::string _value)
+{
+    if (_value.empty())
+    {
+        repValue = true;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    std::istrstream is(_value.c_str());
+    is >> repValue;
+}
+
+
 /// Because MSVC does not support partial specialization, the pair is a double, not a T
 template <>
 std::string eoValueParam<std::pair<double, double> >::getValue(void) const
diff --git a/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp b/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp
index 6fd16b2e..cb60c693 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp
+++ b/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp
@@ -79,9 +79,6 @@ void eoParser::doRegisterParam(eoParam& param) const
 
     if (value.first)
     {
-        if (value.second == "") // it is there, but no value is given, default to "1"
-            value.second = "1"; // for bool
-
         param.setValue(value.second);
     }
 }