diff --git a/lib/vmpooler.rb b/lib/vmpooler.rb
index a9eb4eb..8f4a946 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ module Vmpooler
     parsed_config[:config]['vm_checktime'] ||= 15
     parsed_config[:config]['vm_lifetime']  ||= 24
 
+    parsed_config[:config]['check_pending_port'] ||= 22
+    parsed_config[:config]['check_pending_timeout'] ||= 5
+
     # Create an index of pool aliases
     parsed_config[:pools].each do |pool|
       if pool['alias']
diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
index c7960e0..30844dc 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
 module Vmpooler
   class PoolManager
 
-    # Defaults
-    # port number to verify pending VM is ready
-    DEFAULT_PORT_NO      = 22
-    # timeout, in seconds, when connecting to DEFAULT_PORT_NO
-    DEFAULT_PORT_TIMEOUT = 5
-
     def initialize(config, logger, redis, graphite=nil)
       $config = config
 
@@ -39,8 +33,8 @@ module Vmpooler
 
       if host
         begin
-          Timeout.timeout($config[:config]['port_timeout'] || DEFAULT_PORT_TIMEOUT) do
-            TCPSocket.new vm, ($config[:config]['port'] || DEFAULT_PORT_NO)
+          Timeout.timeout($config[:config]['check_pending_timeout']) do
+            TCPSocket.new vm, $config[:config]['check_pending_port']
           end
           move_pending_vm_to_ready(vm, pool, host)
         rescue
diff --git a/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb b/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb
index 0f40a54..2937b62 100644
--- a/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb
@@ -33,35 +33,15 @@ describe 'Pool Manager' do
 
     end
 
-    context 'host is in pool (defaults)' do
-      let(:vm_finder) { double('vm_finder') }
-      let(:tcpsocket) { double('TCPSocket') }
-      let(:config) { {config: {}} }
-
-      it 'calls move_pending_vm_to_ready' do
-        stub_const("TCPSocket", tcpsocket)
-
-        allow(pool_helper).to receive(:find_vm).and_return(vm_finder)
-        allow(vm_finder).to receive(:summary).and_return(nil)
-        # ensure the default port was used
-        allow(tcpsocket).to receive(:new).with(String, 22).and_return(true)
-
-        expect(vm_finder).to receive(:summary).once
-        expect(redis).not_to receive(:hget).with(String, 'clone')
-
-        subject._check_pending_vm(vm, pool, timeout)
-      end
-    end
-
-    context 'host is in pool (port config)' do
+    context 'host is in pool' do
       let(:vm_finder) { double('vm_finder') }
       let(:tcpsocket) { double('TCPSocket') }
       # port and port timeout are now configurable.
       # update the config mock
       let(:port_no) { 99 }
       let(:config) { {config: {
-          'port'         => port_no,
-          'port_timeout' => 2}} }
+          'check_pending_port'    => port_no,
+          'check_pending_timeout' => 2}} }
 
       it 'calls move_pending_vm_to_ready' do
         stub_const("TCPSocket", tcpsocket)
@@ -77,6 +57,7 @@ describe 'Pool Manager' do
         subject._check_pending_vm(vm, pool, timeout)
       end
     end
+
   end
 
   describe '#move_vm_to_ready' do
diff --git a/vmpooler.yaml.example b/vmpooler.yaml.example
index 12aaa7d..6c5d95c 100644
--- a/vmpooler.yaml.example
+++ b/vmpooler.yaml.example
@@ -162,11 +162,11 @@
 #   - domain
 #     If set, returns a top-level 'domain' JSON key in POST requests
 #
-#   - port
+#   - check_pending_port
 #     The port number used to verify a host is ready and available.
 #     (optional; default: 22)
 #
-#   - port_timeout
+#   - check_pending_timeout
 #     How long (in seconds) to wait for connection to port before canceling.
 #     This is not used in marking a VM dead or stale.
 #     (optional; default: 5)
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@
     - 'created_by'
     - 'project'
   domain: 'company.com'
-  port: 22
-  port_timeout: 5
+  check_pending_port: 22
+  check_pending_timeout: 5
 
 # :pools:
 #