diff --git a/misc/mke2fs.c b/misc/mke2fs.c
index 5ff3f9fe..69f94f07 100644
--- a/misc/mke2fs.c
+++ b/misc/mke2fs.c
@@ -1190,8 +1190,8 @@ static void PRS(int argc, char *argv[])
 	errcode_t	retval;
 	char *		oldpath = getenv("PATH");
 	char *		extended_opts = 0;
-	const char *	fs_type = 0;
-	const char *	usage_types = 0;
+	char *		fs_type = 0;
+	char *		usage_types = 0;
 	blk64_t		dev_size;
 	blk64_t		fs_blocks_count = 0;
 #ifdef __linux__
@@ -1448,10 +1448,10 @@ profile_error:
 			super_only = 1;
 			break;
 		case 't':
-			fs_type = optarg;
+			fs_type = strdup(optarg);
 			break;
 		case 'T':
-			usage_types = optarg;
+			usage_types = strdup(optarg);
 			break;
 		case 'U':
 			fs_uuid = optarg;
@@ -1589,6 +1589,13 @@ profile_error:
 		proceed_question();
 	}
 
+	if (!fs_type)
+		profile_get_string(profile, "devices", device_name,
+				   "fs_type", 0, &fs_type);
+	if (!usage_types)
+		profile_get_string(profile, "devices", device_name,
+				   "usage_types", 0, &usage_types);
+
 	/*
 	 * We have the file system (or device) size, so we can now
 	 * determine the appropriate file system types so the fs can
@@ -1946,6 +1953,9 @@ profile_error:
 	 */
 	ext2fs_r_blocks_count_set(&fs_param, reserved_ratio *
 				  ext2fs_blocks_count(&fs_param) / 100.0);
+
+	free(fs_type);
+	free(usage_types);
 }
 
 static int should_do_undo(const char *name)
diff --git a/misc/mke2fs.conf.5.in b/misc/mke2fs.conf.5.in
index 1710d700..b0f1cccc 100644
--- a/misc/mke2fs.conf.5.in
+++ b/misc/mke2fs.conf.5.in
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ file.  They will be described in more detail in future sections of this
 document.
 .TP 
 .I [defaults]
-Contains relations which define the default parameters 
+Contains relations which define the default parameters
 used by
 .BR mke2fs (8).
 In general, these defaults may be overridden by a definition in the
@@ -395,6 +395,20 @@ on a per-filesystem type basis.
 This relation is a boolean which specifies whether the
 .BR mke2fs (8)
 should attempt to discard device prior to filesystem creation.
+.SH THE [devices] STANZA
+Each tag in the
+.I [devices] 
+stanza names device name so that per-device defaults can be specified.
+.TP
+.I fs_type
+This relation specifies the default parameter for the
+.B \-t
+option, if this option isn't specified on the command line.
+.TP
+.I usage_types
+This relation specifies the default parameter for the
+.B \-T
+option, if this option isn't specified on the command line.
 .SH FILES
 .TP
 .I /etc/mke2fs.conf