diff --git a/src/cfg.c b/src/cfg.c
index 6c858448..435fa525 100644
--- a/src/cfg.c
+++ b/src/cfg.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "0",
         "subme", "0",
-        "sao", "0",
+        "sao", "off",
         "rdoq", "0",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0", 
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "0",
         "subme", "0",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "0",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "0",
         "subme", "2",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "0",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "0",
         "subme", "2",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "0",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "0",
         "subme", "4",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "0",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "0",
         "subme", "4",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "1",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "1",
         "subme", "4",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "1",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "1",
         "subme", "4",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "1",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "1",
         "subme", "4",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "1",
         "rdoq-skip", "1",
         "transform-skip", "0",
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
         "deblock", "0:0",
         "signhide", "1",
         "subme", "4",
-        "sao", "3",
+        "sao", "full",
         "rdoq", "1",
         "rdoq-skip", "0",
         "transform-skip", "1",
@@ -605,7 +605,8 @@ int kvz_config_parse(kvz_config *cfg, const char *name, const char *value)
   }
   else if OPT("sao") {
     int8_t sao_type = 0;
-    if (!parse_enum(value, sao_names, &sao_type)) return 0;
+    if (!parse_enum(value, sao_names, &sao_type)) sao_type = atoi(value);
+    if (sao_type > 3) return 0;
     cfg->sao_type = sao_type;
   }
   else if OPT("rdoq")
diff --git a/src/cli.c b/src/cli.c
index d13dc602..e3b6e8b8 100644
--- a/src/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static const struct option long_options[] = {
   { "input-fps",          required_argument, NULL, 0 },
   { "deblock",            required_argument, NULL, 0 },
   { "no-deblock",               no_argument, NULL, 0 },
-  { "sao",                required_argument, NULL, 0 },
+  { "sao",                optional_argument, NULL, 0 },
   { "no-sao",                   no_argument, NULL, 0 },
   { "rdoq",                     no_argument, NULL, 0 },
   { "no-rdoq",                  no_argument, NULL, 0 },