diff --git a/code/queue.rb b/code/queue.rb
index 287e7ad..d18f04a 100644
--- a/code/queue.rb
+++ b/code/queue.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,29 @@ class QueueConfig < Struct.new(
     :blocking_params,
     :schedule
   )
+
+    def to_json
+      {
+        'name'            => name,
+        'script'          => script,
+        'num_workers'     => num_workers,
+        'exec_prefix'     => exec_prefix,
+        'env_vars'        => env_vars,
+        'coalesce_params' => coalesce_params,
+        'blocking_params' => blocking_params,
+        'schedule'        => schedule.map do |s|
+                               {
+                                 'cron'     => s['cron'],
+                                 'params'   => {
+                                   'param1' => s['param1'],
+                                   'param2' => s['param2'],
+                                   'param3' => s['param3'],
+                                   'param4' => s['param4'],
+                                 }
+                               }
+                             end
+      }.to_json
+    end
   end
 
   class Queue
@@ -103,8 +126,11 @@ def self.delete(name)
     end
 
     def self.create(options, config_path=nil)
+      # Validate the options
+      config = sublimate_config(options)
+
       # Create a directories and config
-      queue_path = "queue/#{options['name']}"
+      queue_path = "queue/#{config['name']}"
       FileUtils.mkdir_p(queue_path)
       FileUtils.mkdir_p(queue_path + '/prep')
       FileUtils.mkdir_p(queue_path + '/que')
@@ -119,10 +145,10 @@ def self.create(options, config_path=nil)
       else
         # Write config to dir
         File.open(queue_path + '/config.json', "w") do |f|
-          f.write(options.to_json)
+          f.write(config.to_json)
         end
       end
-      RQ::Queue.start_process(options)
+      RQ::Queue.start_process(config)
     end
 
     def self.start_process(options)
@@ -357,10 +383,8 @@ def run_queue_script!(msg)
           ENV["RQ_FORCE_REMOTE"] = "1" if msg['force_remote']
 
           # Set env vars specified in queue config file
-          if @config.env_vars
-            @config.env_vars.each do |varname, value|
-              ENV[varname] = value unless varname.match(/^RQ_/) # Don't let the config override RQ-specific env vars though
-            end
+          @config.env_vars.each do |varname, value|
+            ENV[varname] = value unless varname.match(/^RQ_/) # Don't let the config override RQ-specific env vars though
           end
 
           # unset RUBYOPT so it doesn't reinitialize the client ruby's GEM_HOME, etc.
@@ -435,30 +459,44 @@ def load_rq_config
 
     def load_config
       data = File.read(File.join(@queue_path, 'config.json'))
-      @config = sublimate_config(JSON.parse(data))
+      @config = self.class.sublimate_config(JSON.parse(data))
     end
 
     # There are a variety of ways we used to specify truth.
     # Going forward, javascript true / false are preferred.
-    def so_truthy? fudge
+    def self.so_truthy? fudge
       !!([true, 'true', 'yes', '1', 1].include? fudge)
     end
 
-    def sublimate_config(conf)
+    def self.sublimate_config(conf)
       # TODO config validation
       new_config                 = QueueConfig.new
       new_config.name            = conf['name']
       new_config.script          = conf['script']
       new_config.num_workers     = conf['num_workers'].to_i
       new_config.exec_prefix     = conf['exec_prefix']
-      new_config.env_vars        = conf['env_vars']
+
+      if conf['env_vars'].is_a? Hash
+        new_config.env_vars        = conf['env_vars']
+      else
+        new_config.env_vars        = {}
+      end
+
       if so_truthy?(conf['coalesce'])
         # Convert from old style coalesce / coalesce_paramN
         new_config.coalesce_params = (1..4).map{ |x| x if so_truthy?(conf["coalesce_param#{x}"]) }.compact
+      elsif conf['coalesce_params'].is_a? Array
+        new_config.coalesce_params = conf['coalesce_params'].map(&:to_i)
+      else
+        new_config.coalesce_params = []
+      end
+
+      if conf['blocking_params'].is_a? Array
+        new_config.blocking_params = conf['blocking_params'].map(&:to_i)
       else
-        new_config.coalesce_params = conf['coalesce_params']
+        new_config.blocking_params = []
       end
-      new_config.blocking_params = conf['blocking_params']
+
       new_config.schedule        = (conf['schedule'] || []).map do |s|
                                      begin
                                        {
diff --git a/test/test_queues_setup.rb b/test/test_queues_setup.rb
index 8d2e265..eb78936 100755
--- a/test/test_queues_setup.rb
+++ b/test/test_queues_setup.rb
@@ -40,9 +40,10 @@ def test_key(que_name, under_test, key, expected)
 #{"script":"./test/test_script.sh","name":"test","url":"http://127.0.0.1:3333/","num_workers":"1"}
 #
 test_key 'test', result, 'name', 'test'
-test_key 'test', result, 'num_workers', '1'
+test_key 'test', result, 'num_workers', 1
 test_key 'test', result, 'script', './test/test_script.sh'
-test_key 'test', result, 'coalesce', 'no'
+test_key 'test', result, 'coalesce_params', []
+test_key 'test', result, 'blocking_params', []
 test_key 'test', result, 'exec_prefix', ''
 
 
@@ -59,8 +60,8 @@ def test_key(que_name, under_test, key, expected)
 result = JSON.parse(res.body)
 
 test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'name', 'test_coalesce'
-test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'num_workers', '1'
+test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'num_workers', 1
 test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'script', './test/test_script.sh'
 test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'exec_prefix', ''
-test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'coalesce_params', []
+test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'coalesce_params', [1]
 test_key 'test_coalesce', result, 'blocking_params', []