diff --git a/mpvcore/m_config.c b/mpvcore/m_config.c
index be583f8f42..3fd4056b56 100644
--- a/mpvcore/m_config.c
+++ b/mpvcore/m_config.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #include "mpvcore/m_option.h"
 #include "mpvcore/mp_msg.h"
 
+static const union m_option_value default_value;
+
 // Profiles allow to predefine some sets of options that can then
 // be applied later on with the internal -profile option.
 #define MAX_PROFILE_DEPTH 20
@@ -157,10 +159,10 @@ static int list_options(struct m_config *config)
     return M_OPT_EXIT;
 }
 
-// The memcpys are supposed to work around the struct aliasing violation,
+// The memcpys are supposed to work around the strict aliasing violation,
 // that would result if we just dereferenced a void** (where the void** is
 // actually casted from struct some_type* ).
-static void *substruct_read_ptr(void *ptr)
+static void *substruct_read_ptr(const void *ptr)
 {
     void *res;
     memcpy(&res, ptr, sizeof(void*));
@@ -187,8 +189,7 @@ static void config_destroy(void *p)
 
 struct m_config *m_config_new(void *talloc_parent, size_t size,
                               const void *defaults,
-                              const struct m_option *options,
-                              const char *suboptinit)
+                              const struct m_option *options)
 {
     struct m_config *config = talloc(talloc_parent, struct m_config);
     talloc_set_destructor(config, config_destroy);
@@ -196,7 +197,6 @@ struct m_config *m_config_new(void *talloc_parent, size_t size,
         .optstruct_size = size,
         .optstruct_defaults = defaults,
         .options = options,
-        .suboptinit = suboptinit,
     };
     if (size) { // size==0 means a dummy object is created
         config->optstruct = talloc_zero_size(config, size);
@@ -205,13 +205,6 @@ struct m_config *m_config_new(void *talloc_parent, size_t size,
         if (options)
             add_options(config, "", config->optstruct, defaults, options);
     }
-    if (suboptinit) {
-        bstr s = bstr0(suboptinit);
-        int r = m_obj_parse_sub_config(bstr0("internal"), bstr0("-"), &s,
-                                       config, 0, NULL);
-        if (r < 0 || s.len > 0)
-            mp_msg(MSGT_CFGPARSER, MSGL_ERR, "Internal error: preset broken\n");
-    }
     return config;
 }
 
@@ -219,7 +212,7 @@ struct m_config *m_config_from_obj_desc(void *talloc_parent,
                                         struct m_obj_desc *desc)
 {
     return m_config_new(talloc_parent, desc->priv_size, desc->priv_defaults,
-                        desc->options, desc->init_options);
+                        desc->options);
 }
 
 int m_config_set_obj_params(struct m_config *conf, char **args)
@@ -384,7 +377,21 @@ static void m_config_add_option(struct m_config *config,
         .name = (char *)arg->name,
     };
 
-    co.data = arg->is_new_option ? (char *)optstruct + arg->offset : arg->p;
+    if (arg->is_new_option) {
+        if (optstruct)
+            co.data = (char *)optstruct + arg->offset;
+        if (optstruct_def)
+            co.default_data = (char *)optstruct_def + arg->offset;
+    } else {
+        co.data = arg->p;
+        co.default_data = arg->p;
+    }
+
+    if (arg->defval)
+        co.default_data = arg->defval;
+
+    if (co.data && !co.default_data)
+        co.default_data = &default_value;
 
     // Fill in the full name
     if (parent_name[0])
@@ -397,12 +404,13 @@ static void m_config_add_option(struct m_config *config,
 
         if (arg->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_USE_SUBSTRUCT) {
             const struct m_sub_options *subopts = arg->priv;
-            void *new_optstruct = substruct_read_ptr(co.data);
-            if (!new_optstruct) {
-                new_optstruct = m_config_alloc_struct(config, subopts);
-                substruct_write_ptr(co.data, new_optstruct);
-            }
-            const void *new_optstruct_def = subopts->defaults;
+
+            void *new_optstruct = m_config_alloc_struct(config, subopts);
+            substruct_write_ptr(co.data, new_optstruct);
+
+            const void *new_optstruct_def = substruct_read_ptr(co.default_data);
+            if (!new_optstruct_def)
+                new_optstruct_def = subopts->defaults;
 
             add_options(config, new_parent_name, new_optstruct,
                         new_optstruct_def, subopts->opts);
@@ -412,26 +420,19 @@ static void m_config_add_option(struct m_config *config,
         }
     } else {
         // Initialize options
-        if (co.data) {
-            if (arg->defval) {
-                // Target data in optstruct is supposed to be cleared (consider
-                // m_option freeing previously set dynamic data).
-                m_option_copy(arg, co.data, arg->defval);
-            } else if (arg->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_DYNAMIC) {
-                // Initialize dynamically managed fields from static data (like
-                // string options): copy the option into temporary memory,
-                // clear the original option (to stop m_option from freeing the
-                // static data), copy it back.
-                // This would leak memory when done on aliased options.
+        if (co.data && co.default_data) {
+            if (arg->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_DYNAMIC) {
+                // Would leak memory by overwriting *co.data repeatedly.
                 for (int i = 0; i < config->num_opts; i++) {
                     if (co.data == config->opts[i].data)
                         assert(0);
                 }
-                union m_option_value temp = {0};
-                memcpy(&temp, co.data, arg->type->size);
-                memset(co.data, 0, arg->type->size);
-                m_option_copy(arg, co.data, &temp);
             }
+            // In case this is dynamic data, it has to be allocated and copied.
+            union m_option_value temp = {0};
+            memcpy(&temp, co.default_data, arg->type->size);
+            memset(co.data, 0, arg->type->size);
+            m_option_copy(arg, co.data, &temp);
         }
     }
 
@@ -612,32 +613,11 @@ int m_config_option_requires_param(struct m_config *config, bstr name)
     return M_OPT_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
-static struct m_config *get_defaults(const struct m_config *config)
-{
-    return m_config_new(NULL, config->optstruct_size,
-                        config->optstruct_defaults, config->options,
-                        config->suboptinit);
-}
-
-static char *get_option_value_string(const struct m_config *config,
-                                     const char *name)
-{
-    struct m_config_option *co = m_config_get_co(config, bstr0(name));
-    if (!co || !co->data)
-        return NULL;
-    return m_option_print(co->opt, co->data);
-}
-
 void m_config_print_option_list(const struct m_config *config)
 {
     char min[50], max[50];
     int count = 0;
 
-    if (!config->opts)
-        return;
-
-    struct m_config *defaults = get_defaults(config);
-
     mp_tmsg(MSGT_CFGPARSER, MSGL_INFO, "Options:\n\n");
     for (int i = 0; i < config->num_opts; i++) {
         struct m_config_option *co = &config->opts[i];
@@ -666,7 +646,9 @@ void m_config_print_option_list(const struct m_config *config)
                 snprintf(max, sizeof(max), "%.14g", opt->max);
             mp_msg(MSGT_CFGPARSER, MSGL_INFO, " (%s to %s)", min, max);
         }
-        char *def = get_option_value_string(defaults, co->name);
+        char *def = NULL;
+        if (co->default_data)
+            def = m_option_print(co->opt, co->default_data);
         if (def) {
             mp_msg(MSGT_CFGPARSER, MSGL_INFO, " (default: %s)", def);
             talloc_free(def);
@@ -679,8 +661,6 @@ void m_config_print_option_list(const struct m_config *config)
         count++;
     }
     mp_tmsg(MSGT_CFGPARSER, MSGL_INFO, "\nTotal: %d options\n", count);
-
-    talloc_free(defaults);
 }
 
 struct m_profile *m_config_get_profile(const struct m_config *config, bstr name)
diff --git a/mpvcore/m_config.h b/mpvcore/m_config.h
index f16d1ea7fe..c5d1d35e49 100644
--- a/mpvcore/m_config.h
+++ b/mpvcore/m_config.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ struct m_config_option {
     const struct m_option *opt;
     // Raw value of the option.
     void *data;
+    const void *default_data;
 };
 
 // Config object
@@ -65,7 +66,6 @@ typedef struct m_config {
     const void *optstruct_defaults;
     size_t optstruct_size;
     const struct m_option *options; // top-level options
-    const char *suboptinit;
 
     void *optstruct; // struct mpopts or other
 } m_config_t;
@@ -81,8 +81,7 @@ typedef struct m_config {
 // Note that the m_config object will keep pointers to defaults and options.
 struct m_config *m_config_new(void *talloc_parent, size_t size,
                               const void *defaults,
-                              const struct m_option *options,
-                              const char *suboptinit);
+                              const struct m_option *options);
 
 struct m_config *m_config_from_obj_desc(void *talloc_parent,
                                         struct m_obj_desc *desc);
diff --git a/mpvcore/m_option.c b/mpvcore/m_option.c
index c8a656a9c8..095e86a2b5 100644
--- a/mpvcore/m_option.c
+++ b/mpvcore/m_option.c
@@ -2139,6 +2139,15 @@ static int parse_obj_settings(struct bstr opt, struct bstr *pstr,
         skip = true;
     }
 
+    if (_ret && desc.init_options) {
+        struct m_config *config = m_config_from_obj_desc(NULL, &desc);
+        bstr s = bstr0(desc.init_options);
+        m_obj_parse_sub_config(opt, str, &s, config,
+                               M_SETOPT_CHECK_ONLY, &plist);
+        assert(s.len == 0);
+        talloc_free(config);
+    }
+
     if (has_param) {
         if (legacy) {
             // Should perhaps be parsed as escape-able string. But this is a
diff --git a/mpvcore/m_option.h b/mpvcore/m_option.h
index 96219b317a..d357456f63 100644
--- a/mpvcore/m_option.h
+++ b/mpvcore/m_option.h
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ struct m_obj_desc {
     // For free use by the implementer of m_obj_list.get_desc
     const void *p;
     // If not NULL, options which should be set before applying other options.
-    // This member is usually set my m_obj_list_find() only.
-    // Only works if options is not NULL.
+    // This member is usually set by m_obj_list_find() only, and read by the
+    // option parser. It's not used anywhere else.
     const char *init_options;
     // Don't list entries with "help"
     bool hidden;
diff --git a/mpvcore/mplayer.c b/mpvcore/mplayer.c
index bfc5f7c4e1..f05fcd9795 100644
--- a/mpvcore/mplayer.c
+++ b/mpvcore/mplayer.c
@@ -4930,7 +4930,7 @@ static int mpv_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     // Create the config context and register the options
     mpctx->mconfig = m_config_new(mpctx, sizeof(struct MPOpts),
-                                  &mp_default_opts, mp_opts, NULL);
+                                  &mp_default_opts, mp_opts);
     mpctx->opts = mpctx->mconfig->optstruct;
     mpctx->mconfig->includefunc = cfg_include;
     mpctx->mconfig->use_profiles = true;
diff --git a/video/out/gl_video.c b/video/out/gl_video.c
index 8bab6a5c4c..603f334c9b 100644
--- a/video/out/gl_video.c
+++ b/video/out/gl_video.c
@@ -275,6 +275,16 @@ static const struct gl_video_opts gl_video_opts_def = {
     .alpha_mode = 2,
 };
 
+const struct gl_video_opts gl_video_opts_hq_def = {
+    .npot = 1,
+    .dither_depth = 0,
+    .dither_size = 6,
+    .fbo_format = GL_RGB16,
+    .scale_sep = 1,
+    .scalers = { "lanczos2", "bilinear" },
+    .scaler_params = {NAN, NAN},
+    .alpha_mode = 2,
+};
 
 static int validate_scaler_opt(const m_option_t *opt, struct bstr name,
                                struct bstr param);
diff --git a/video/out/gl_video.h b/video/out/gl_video.h
index 3b21edc223..dcec9f3888 100644
--- a/video/out/gl_video.h
+++ b/video/out/gl_video.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct gl_video_opts {
 };
 
 extern const struct m_sub_options gl_video_conf;
+extern const struct gl_video_opts gl_video_opts_hq_def;
 
 struct gl_video;
 
diff --git a/video/out/vo.c b/video/out/vo.c
index b29e3f7c95..061fc9caf3 100644
--- a/video/out/vo.c
+++ b/video/out/vo.c
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ static bool get_desc(struct m_obj_desc *dst, int index)
         .priv_size = vo->priv_size,
         .priv_defaults = vo->priv_defaults,
         .options = vo->options,
-        .init_options = vo->init_option_string,
         .hidden = vo->encode,
         .p = vo,
     };
diff --git a/video/out/vo.h b/video/out/vo.h
index 57d5cfb6d0..1777245c96 100644
--- a/video/out/vo.h
+++ b/video/out/vo.h
@@ -216,9 +216,6 @@ struct vo_driver {
 
     // List of options to parse into priv struct (requires privsize to be set)
     const struct m_option *options;
-
-    // Parse these options before parsing user options
-    const char *init_option_string;
 };
 
 struct vo {
diff --git a/video/out/vo_direct3d.c b/video/out/vo_direct3d.c
index 9ad2322499..cd440f89f6 100644
--- a/video/out/vo_direct3d.c
+++ b/video/out/vo_direct3d.c
@@ -1720,6 +1720,13 @@ static const struct m_option opts[] = {
     {0}
 };
 
+static const d3d_priv defaults_noshaders = {
+    .colorspace = MP_CSP_DETAILS_DEFAULTS,
+    .video_eq = { MP_CSP_EQ_CAPS_COLORMATRIX },
+    .opt_disable_shaders = 1,
+    .opt_disable_textures = 1,
+};
+
 static const d3d_priv defaults = {
     .colorspace = MP_CSP_DETAILS_DEFAULTS,
     .video_eq = { MP_CSP_EQ_CAPS_COLORMATRIX },
@@ -1737,9 +1744,8 @@ const struct vo_driver video_out_direct3d = {
     .flip_page = flip_page,
     .uninit = uninit,
     .priv_size = sizeof(d3d_priv),
-    .priv_defaults = &defaults,
+    .priv_defaults = &defaults_noshaders,
     .options = opts,
-    .init_option_string = "disable-shaders:disable-textures",
 };
 
 const struct vo_driver video_out_direct3d_shaders = {
diff --git a/video/out/vo_opengl.c b/video/out/vo_opengl.c
index e1c07d8621..cf1b3b3400 100644
--- a/video/out/vo_opengl.c
+++ b/video/out/vo_opengl.c
@@ -200,9 +200,10 @@ static bool reparse_cmdline(struct gl_priv *p, char *args)
     if (strcmp(args, "-") == 0) {
         opts = p->renderer_opts;
     } else {
-        cfg = m_config_new(NULL, sizeof(*opts), gl_video_conf.defaults,
-                           gl_video_conf.opts,
-                           p->vo->driver->init_option_string);
+        const struct gl_priv *vodef = p->vo->driver->priv_defaults;
+        const struct gl_video_opts *def =
+            vodef ? vodef->renderer_opts : gl_video_conf.defaults;
+        cfg = m_config_new(NULL, sizeof(*opts), def, gl_video_conf.opts);
         opts = cfg->optstruct;
         r = m_config_parse_suboptions(cfg, "opengl", args);
     }
@@ -376,6 +377,8 @@ const struct vo_driver video_out_opengl_hq = {
     .flip_page = flip_page,
     .uninit = uninit,
     .priv_size = sizeof(struct gl_priv),
+    .priv_defaults = &(const struct gl_priv){
+        .renderer_opts = (struct gl_video_opts *)&gl_video_opts_hq_def,
+    },
     .options = options,
-    .init_option_string = "lscale=lanczos2:dither-depth=auto:fbo-format=rgb16",
 };