diff --git a/vcsserver/config/settings_maker.py b/vcsserver/config/settings_maker.py
--- a/vcsserver/config/settings_maker.py
+++ b/vcsserver/config/settings_maker.py
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ def aslist(obj, sep=None, strip=True):
     :param strip:
     """
     if isinstance(obj, (basestring,)):
+        if obj in ['', ""]:
+            return []
+
         lst = obj.split(sep)
         if strip:
             lst = [v.strip() for v in lst]
@@ -116,11 +119,12 @@ class SettingsMaker(object):
     def _key_transformator(cls, key):
         return "{}_{}".format('RC'.upper(), key.upper().replace('.', '_').replace('-', '_'))
 
-    def enable_logging(self, logging_conf=None):
+    def enable_logging(self, logging_conf=None, level='INFO', formatter='generic'):
         """
         Helper to enable debug on running instance
         :return:
         """
+
         if not str2bool(self.settings.get('logging.autoconfigure')):
             log.info('logging configuration based on main .ini file')
             return
@@ -135,6 +139,14 @@ class SettingsMaker(object):
         with open(logging_conf, 'rb') as f:
             ini_template = textwrap.dedent(f.read())
             ini_template = string.Template(ini_template).safe_substitute(
+                RC_LOGGING_LEVEL=os.environ.get('RC_LOGGING_LEVEL', '') or level,
+                RC_LOGGING_FORMATTER=os.environ.get('RC_LOGGING_FORMATTER', '') or formatter
+            )
+
+
+        with open(logging_conf, 'rb') as f:
+            ini_template = textwrap.dedent(f.read())
+            ini_template = string.Template(ini_template).safe_substitute(
                 RC_LOGGING_LEVEL=os.environ.get('RC_LOGGING_LEVEL', '') or 'INFO',
                 RC_LOGGING_FORMATTER=os.environ.get('RC_LOGGING_FORMATTER', '') or 'generic'
             )
@@ -159,6 +171,7 @@ class SettingsMaker(object):
             'int': self._int_func,
             'list': self._list_func,
             'list:newline': functools.partial(self._list_func, sep='/n'),
+            'list:spacesep': functools.partial(self._list_func, sep=' '),
             'string': functools.partial(self._string_func, lower=lower),
             'dir': self._dir_func,
             'dir:ensured': functools.partial(self._dir_func, ensure_dir=True),
diff --git a/vcsserver/tests/test_http_performance.py b/vcsserver/tests/test_http_performance.py
--- a/vcsserver/tests/test_http_performance.py
+++ b/vcsserver/tests/test_http_performance.py
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ def vcs_app():
         'dev.use_echo_app': 'true',
         'locale': 'en_US.UTF-8',
     }
-    vcs_app = main({}, **stub_settings)
+    stub_global_conf = {
+        '__file__': ''
+    }
+    vcs_app = main(stub_global_conf, **stub_settings)
     app = webtest.TestApp(vcs_app)
     return app
 
diff --git a/vcsserver/tests/test_main_http.py b/vcsserver/tests/test_main_http.py
--- a/vcsserver/tests/test_main_http.py
+++ b/vcsserver/tests/test_main_http.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from vcsserver.base import obfuscate_qs
 @mock.patch('vcsserver.http_main.VCS', mock.Mock())
 @mock.patch('vcsserver.hgpatches.patch_largefiles_capabilities')
 def test_applies_largefiles_patch(patch_largefiles_capabilities):
-    http_main.main({})
+    http_main.main({'__file__': ''})
     patch_largefiles_capabilities.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def test_applies_largefiles_patch(patch_
     'vcsserver.hgpatches.patch_largefiles_capabilities',
     mock.Mock(side_effect=Exception("Must not be called")))
 def test_applies_largefiles_patch_only_if_mercurial_is_available():
-    http_main.main({})
+    http_main.main({'__file__': ''})
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('given, expected', [