diff --git a/checkstyle.json b/checkstyle.json
index a301cd38..a0f96d1a 100644
--- a/checkstyle.json
+++ b/checkstyle.json
@@ -517,6 +517,9 @@
 			"checkstyle.Main",
 			"checkstyle.Checker",
 			"checkstyle.ChecksInfo",
+			"checkstyle.checks.Check",
+			"checkstyle.checks.Directive",
+			"checkstyle.checks.whitespace.SpacingCheck",
 			"checkstyle.checks.imports.UnusedImportCheck",
 			"TestMain",
 			"misc.ExtensionsTest",
diff --git a/resources/default-config.json b/resources/default-config.json
index 16f93b5d..1fd29050 100644
--- a/resources/default-config.json
+++ b/resources/default-config.json
@@ -442,13 +442,13 @@
 		},
 		{
 			"props": {
-				"spaceIfCondition": "should",
+				"spaceIfCondition": 0,
 				"spaceAroundBinop": true,
-				"spaceForLoop": "should",
+				"spaceForLoop": 0,
 				"ignoreRangeOperator": true,
-				"spaceWhileLoop": "should",
-				"spaceCatch": "should",
-				"spaceSwitchCase": "should",
+				"spaceWhileLoop": 0,
+				"spaceCatch": 0,
+				"spaceSwitchCase": 0,
 				"noSpaceAroundUnop": true
 			},
 			"type": "Spacing"
diff --git a/src/checkstyle/Main.hx b/src/checkstyle/Main.hx
index 71333c16..e88ae0f3 100644
--- a/src/checkstyle/Main.hx
+++ b/src/checkstyle/Main.hx
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class Main {
 			catch (e:Dynamic) {
 				var message = 'Failed to configure $prop setting for ${check.getModuleName()}: ';
 				message += (Std.is(e, Error) ? (e:Error).message : Std.string(message));
-				failWith(e.message);
+				failWith(message);
 			}
 		}
 		if (defaultSeverity != null && !props.contains("severity")) check.severity = defaultSeverity;
diff --git a/src/checkstyle/checks/Check.hx b/src/checkstyle/checks/Check.hx
index b6fd3abf..0ec2bcfb 100644
--- a/src/checkstyle/checks/Check.hx
+++ b/src/checkstyle/checks/Check.hx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Check {
 		desc = haxe.rtti.Meta.getType(Type.getClass(this)).desc[0];
 	}
 
-	public function configureProperty(name:String, value:Any) {
+	public function configureProperty(name:String, value:Dynamic) {
 		Reflect.setField(this, name, value);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/checkstyle/checks/Directive.hx b/src/checkstyle/checks/Directive.hx
index d61ce755..41abea6a 100644
--- a/src/checkstyle/checks/Directive.hx
+++ b/src/checkstyle/checks/Directive.hx
@@ -3,14 +3,20 @@ package checkstyle.checks;
 import Type.ValueType;
 import checkstyle.errors.InvalidDirectiveError;
 
-@:enum
-abstract Directive(String) to String {
-	var SHOULD = "should";
-	var SHOULD_NOT = "shouldNot";
-	var ANY = "any";
+enum Directive {
+	SHOULD;
+	SHOULD_NOT;
+	ANY;
+}
 
-	@:from
-	public static function fromAny(value:Any):Directive {
+class DirectiveTools {
+	static var MAPPING:Map<String, Directive> = [
+		"should" => SHOULD,
+		"shouldNot" => SHOULD_NOT,
+		"any" => ANY
+	];
+
+	public static function fromDynamic(value:Dynamic):Directive {
 		return switch (Type.typeof(value)) {
 			case ValueType.TClass(String): getValidated(value);
 			//support for legacy configs when such settings were boolean
@@ -19,16 +25,9 @@ abstract Directive(String) to String {
 		}
 	}
 
-	@:from
-	static inline function fromString(value:String):Directive {
-		return getValidated(value);
-	}
-
 	static function getValidated(value:String):Directive {
-		switch (value:Directive) {
-			case SHOULD, SHOULD_NOT, ANY:
-				return value;
-		}
+		var directive = MAPPING.get(value);
+		if (directive != null) return directive;
 		throw new InvalidDirectiveError('Invalid directive: $value');
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/checkstyle/checks/whitespace/SpacingCheck.hx b/src/checkstyle/checks/whitespace/SpacingCheck.hx
index 716b1df8..218bdeab 100644
--- a/src/checkstyle/checks/whitespace/SpacingCheck.hx
+++ b/src/checkstyle/checks/whitespace/SpacingCheck.hx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import haxe.macro.Expr;
 import haxe.macro.Printer;
 import haxe.macro.Expr.Binop;
 import haxe.macro.Expr.Unop;
+import checkstyle.checks.Directive;
 
 @name("Spacing")
 @desc("Spacing check on if, for, while, switch, try statements and around operators.")
@@ -33,12 +34,12 @@ class SpacingCheck extends Check {
 		categories = [Category.STYLE, Category.CLARITY];
 	}
 
-	override public function configureProperty(name:String, value:Any) {
+	override public function configureProperty(name:String, value:Dynamic) {
 		var currentValue = Reflect.field(this, name);
 
 		switch (Type.typeof(currentValue)) {
-			case ValueType.TClass(String):
-				Reflect.setField(this, name, (value:Directive));
+			case ValueType.TEnum(Directive):
+				Reflect.setField(this, name, DirectiveTools.fromDynamic(value));
 			case _:
 				super.configureProperty(name, value);
 		}