diff --git a/configuration/configuration.go b/configuration/configuration.go
index 06aa4221..4ff339b8 100644
--- a/configuration/configuration.go
+++ b/configuration/configuration.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	// used to gate requests.
 	Auth Auth `yaml:"auth"`
 
+	// LayerHandler specifies a middleware for serving image layers.
+	LayerHandler LayerHandler `yaml:"layerhandler"`
+
 	// Reporting is the configuration for error reporting
 	Reporting Reporting `yaml:"reporting"`
 
@@ -35,9 +38,6 @@ type Configuration struct {
 
 		// Secret specifies the secret key which HMAC tokens are created with.
 		Secret string `yaml:"secret"`
-
-		// LayerHandler specifies a middleware for serving image layers.
-		LayerHandler LayerHandler `yaml:"layerhandler"`
 	} `yaml:"http"`
 }
 
@@ -290,7 +290,11 @@ func (layerHandler *LayerHandler) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) erro
 // MarshalYAML implements the yaml.Marshaler interface
 func (layerHandler LayerHandler) MarshalYAML() (interface{}, error) {
 	if layerHandler.Parameters() == nil {
-		return layerHandler.Type(), nil
+		t := layerHandler.Type()
+		if t == "" {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+		return t, nil
 	}
 	return map[string]Parameters(layerHandler), nil
 }
diff --git a/registry/app.go b/registry/app.go
index b757b9ab..72ac4f06 100644
--- a/registry/app.go
+++ b/registry/app.go
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ func NewApp(configuration configuration.Configuration) *App {
 		app.accessController = accessController
 	}
 
-	layerHandlerType := configuration.HTTP.LayerHandler.Type()
+	layerHandlerType := configuration.LayerHandler.Type()
 
 	if layerHandlerType != "" {
-		lh, err := storage.GetLayerHandler(layerHandlerType, configuration.HTTP.LayerHandler.Parameters(), driver)
+		lh, err := storage.GetLayerHandler(layerHandlerType, configuration.LayerHandler.Parameters(), driver)
 		if err != nil {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("unable to configure layer handler (%s): %v", layerHandlerType, err))
 		}
diff --git a/registry/layer.go b/registry/layer.go
index 5d43a1ad..836df3b7 100644
--- a/registry/layer.go
+++ b/registry/layer.go
@@ -58,10 +58,12 @@ func (lh *layerHandler) GetLayer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	defer layer.Close()
 
-	handler, err := lh.layerHandler.Resolve(layer)
-	if handler != nil {
-		handler.ServeHTTP(w, r)
-		return
+	if lh.layerHandler != nil {
+		handler, _ := lh.layerHandler.Resolve(layer)
+		if handler != nil {
+			handler.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	http.ServeContent(w, r, layer.Digest().String(), layer.CreatedAt(), layer)