diff --git a/ikiwiki.setup b/ikiwiki.setup
index ac173b0169..88766d82df 100644
--- a/ikiwiki.setup
+++ b/ikiwiki.setup
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ comments_closed_pagespec: ''
 # Base name for comments, e.g. "comment_" for pages like "sandbox/comment_12"
 comments_pagename: comment_
 # Interpret directives in comments?
-#comments_allowdirectives: 0
+comments_allowdirectives: '1'
 # Allow anonymous commenters to set an author name?
 #comments_allowauthor: 0
 # commit comments to the VCS
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ recentchangesnum: '100'
 
 # sidebar plugin
 # show sidebar page on all pages?
-global_sidebars: 1
+global_sidebars: '1'
 
 # tag plugin
 # parent page tags are located under