diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e459e71..a04380c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ clean:
 	$(RM) *tar.gz.cdbs-config_list
 	$(RM) *.1 *.3
 	$(RM) doc/po4a.config
+	$(RM) -r doc/html/multistrap/ doc/html/emdebian-rootfs/
 
 check:
 
 test:
-
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 47bb511..0266088 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 emdebian-rootfs (2.0.3) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * [INTL:pt] Portuguese manpage translation. (Closes: #544953)
+  * Include example config and provide sensible default
+    configuration values. (Closes: #545488)
 
- -- Neil Williams <codehelp@debian.org>  Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:22:46 +0100
+ -- Neil Williams <codehelp@debian.org>  Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:26:24 +0100
 
 emdebian-rootfs (2.0.2) unstable; urgency=low
 
diff --git a/debian/multistrap.install b/debian/multistrap.install
index aed51ac..7c909f6 100644
--- a/debian/multistrap.install
+++ b/debian/multistrap.install
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 em_multistrap ./usr/sbin/
 multistrap ./usr/sbin/
 doc/multistrap/man/* ./usr/share/man/
+examples/multistrap-example.conf ./usr/share/doc/multistrap/examples/
 bash/multistrap ./etc/bash_completion.d/
diff --git a/em_multistrap b/em_multistrap
index c36f6ae..1a29730 100755
--- a/em_multistrap
+++ b/em_multistrap
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ use vars qw/ $progname $ourversion $dstrap $extra @aptsources
  $dir $include $arch $foreign $suite $url $unpack $sourcedir
  @e $sourcesname $libdir $dpkgdir @debootstrap %suites $mirror $etcdir
  $repo @dirs @touch %sources $section %keys $host $key $value $type
- $file $config $tidy $noauth $keyring %keyrings /;
+ $file $config $tidy $noauth $keyring %keyrings $deflist /;
 $progname = basename($0);
-$ourversion = "0.0.6";
+$ourversion = "0.0.7";
 $unpack = "true";
 
 while( @ARGV ) {
@@ -114,18 +114,40 @@ foreach $section (sort keys %keys)
 print "$progname $ourversion using $file\n";
 $host = `dpkg-architecture -qDEB_BUILD_ARCH`;
 chomp ($host);
+if (not defined $arch) 
+{
+	$arch = $host;
+	printf ("Defaulting architecture to native: %s\n",$arch);
+}
+else
+{
+	printf ("Using foreign architecture: %s\n", $arch);
+}
 $foreign++ if ($host ne $arch);
-print "$progname building '$arch' multistrap on '$host'\n";
+
+unless (keys %sources and @aptsources)
+{
+	my $msg = sprintf("No sources defined for a foreign multistrap
+	Using your existing apt sources. To use different sources,
+	and list them with aptsources= in '%s'.", $file);
+	warn ("$progname: $msg\n");
+	$deflist = prepare_sources_list();
+}
+
+printf ("%s building %s multistrap on '%s'\n", $progname, $arch, $host);
 $cachedir = "var/cache/apt/"; # archives
 $libdir = "var/lib/apt/";     # lists
 $etcdir = "etc/apt/";         # sources
 $dpkgdir = "var/lib/dpkg/";   # state
 
 mkdir ("$dir") if (not -d "$dir");
-system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${cachedir}");
-system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${libdir}");
-system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${dpkgdir}");
-system ("mkdir -p ${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/");
+system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${cachedir}") if (not -d "${dir}${cachedir}");
+system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${libdir}") if (not -d "${dir}${libdir}");
+system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${dpkgdir}") if (not -d "${dir}${dpkgdir}");
+system ("mkdir -p ${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/")
+	if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/");
+system ("mkdir -p ${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/")
+	if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/");
 @dirs = qw/ alternatives info parts updates/;
 @touch = qw/ diversions statoverride status lock/;
 foreach my $dpkgd (@dirs) {
@@ -173,10 +195,17 @@ foreach $repo (sort keys %suites)
 }
 foreach my $aptsrc (@aptsources)
 {
-	if (-d "${dir}etc/apt/")
+	if (defined $deflist)
 	{
 		open (SOURCES, ">>${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") 
 			or die "Cannot open sources list $!";
+		print SOURCES $deflist;
+		close SOURCES;
+	}
+	elsif (-d "${dir}etc/apt/")
+	{
+		open (SOURCES, ">>${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") 
+			or die _g("Cannot open sources list"). $!;
 		$mirror = $sources{$aptsrc};
 		$suite = $suites{$aptsrc};
 		print SOURCES<<END;
@@ -190,13 +219,13 @@ my $k;
 foreach my $pkg (values %keyrings)
 {
 	next if (not defined $pkg);
-	my $status = `dpkg -s $pkg`;
+	my $status = `LC_ALL=C dpkg -s $pkg`;
 	next if $status =~ /Status: install ok installed/;
 	$k .= "$pkg ";
 }
 if (defined $k)
 {
-	my $e=`printenv`;
+	my $e=`LC_ALL=C printenv`;
 	my $str = ($e =~ /\nUSER=root\n/) ? "" : "sudo ";
 	$str = (-f "/usr/bin/sudo") ? "$str" : "";
 	print "I: Installing $k\n";
@@ -214,9 +243,12 @@ $config_str .= " -o Dir::Etc=${dir}${etcdir}";
 $sourcesname = "sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list";
 $config_str .= " -o Dir::Etc::SourceList=${dir}${etcdir}$sourcesname";
 $config_str .= " -o Dir::State=${dir}${libdir}";
-$config_str .= " -o Dir::State::Status=${dir}${dpkgdir}/status";
+$config_str .= " -o Dir::State::Status=${dir}${dpkgdir}status";
 $config_str .= " -o Dir::Cache=${dir}${cachedir}";
-system ("apt-get $config_str update");
+printf ("Getting package lists: apt-get %s update\n", $config_str);
+$retval = system ("apt-get $config_str update");
+die (sprintf("apt update failed. Exit value: ").($retval/256)."\n")
+	if ($retval != 0);
 $str = join (' ', values %packages) . " ";
 chomp($str);
 $str .= join (' ', values %keyrings) . " "; 
@@ -233,7 +265,7 @@ die ("apt download failed. Exit value: ".($retval/256)."\n")
 system ("touch ${dir}${libdir}lists/lock");
 &native if (not defined ($foreign));
 (not defined $tidy) ? system ("apt-get $config_str update") : &tidy_apt;
-print "\nMultistrap system installed successfully in $dir.\n\n";
+printf ("\nMultistrap system installed successfully in %s.\n\n", $dir);
 exit 0;
 
 sub force_unpack
@@ -246,8 +278,8 @@ sub force_unpack
 	print "I: Calculating obsolete packages\n";
 	foreach $deb (sort @archives)
 	{
-		my $version = `dpkg -f ${dir}${cachedir}archives/$deb Version`;
-		my $package = `dpkg -f ${dir}${cachedir}archives/$deb Package`;
+		my $version = `LC_ALL=C dpkg -f ${dir}${cachedir}archives/$deb Version`;
+		my $package = `LC_ALL=C dpkg -f ${dir}${cachedir}archives/$deb Package`;
 		chomp ($version);
 		chomp ($package);
 		if (exists $unpack{$package})
@@ -260,13 +292,13 @@ sub force_unpack
 			{
 				my $old = $deb;
 				$old =~ s/$version/$unpack{$package}/;
-				print "I: Removing $old\n";
+				printf ("I: Removing %s\n", $old);
 				unlink "${dir}${cachedir}archives/$old";
 				next;
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				print "I: Removing $deb\n";
+				printf ("I: Removing %s\n", $deb);
 				unlink "${dir}${cachedir}archives/$deb";
 			}
 		}
@@ -283,10 +315,10 @@ sub force_unpack
 	chdir ("${dir}");
 	foreach $deb (sort @archives)
 	{
-		print "I: Extracting $deb...\n";
+		printf ("I: Extracting %s...\n", $deb);
 		system ("ar -p \"./${cachedir}archives/$deb\" data.tar.gz | zcat | tar -xf -");
-		my $ver=`dpkg -f ./${cachedir}archives/$deb Version`;
-		my $pkg=`dpkg -f ./${cachedir}archives/$deb Package`;
+		my $ver=`LC_ALL=C dpkg -f ./${cachedir}archives/$deb Version`;
+		my $pkg=`LC_ALL=C dpkg -f ./${cachedir}archives/$deb Package`;
 		chomp ($ver);
 		chomp ($pkg);
 		mkdir ("./tmp");
@@ -333,7 +365,7 @@ sub force_unpack
 		if ( -f "./${dpkgdir}info/$pkg.conffiles")
 		{
 			print STATUS "Conffiles:\n";
-			print " -> Processing conffiles for $pkg\n";
+			printf (" -> Processing conffiles for %s\n", $pkg);
 			open (CONF, "./${dpkgdir}info/$pkg.conffiles");
 			my @lines=<CONF>;
 			close (CONF);
@@ -399,10 +431,14 @@ sub tidy_apt
 sub native
 {
 	print "I: Native mode - configuring unpacked packages . . .\n";
-	my $e=`printenv`;
+	my $e=`LC_ALL=C printenv`;
 	my $str = ($e =~ /\nUSER=root\n/) ? "" : "sudo";
 	$str = (-f "/usr/bin/sudo") ? "$str" : "";
-	system ("$str chroot $dir dpkg --configure -a");
+	my $env = "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive ".
+	"DEBCONF_NONINTERACTIVE_SEEN=true ".
+	"LC_ALL=C LANGUAGE=C LANG=C";
+	print "I: dpkg configuration settings:\n\t$env\n";
+	system ("$str $env chroot $dir dpkg --configure -a");
 }
 
 sub get_required_debs
@@ -414,7 +450,7 @@ sub get_required_debs
 	my @required=();
 	my @debs=();
 	opendir (PKGS, "${dir}${libdir}lists/")
-		or die ("Cannot open ${dir}${libdir}lists/ directory. $!\n");
+		or die sprintf("Cannot open %s directory. %s\n","${dir}${libdir}lists/", $!);
 	my @lists=grep(/_Packages$/, readdir (PKGS));
 	closedir (PKGS);
 	foreach my $strap (@debootstrap)
@@ -439,13 +475,42 @@ sub get_required_debs
 	return \@debs;
 }
 
+# inherited from apt-cross
+sub prepare_sources_list
+{
+	my @source_list=();
+	# collate all available/configured sources into one list
+	if (-e "/etc/apt/sources.list") {
+		open (SOURCES, "/etc/apt/sources.list")
+			or die _g("cannot open apt sources list. %s",$!);
+		@source_list = <SOURCES>;
+		close (SOURCES);
+	}
+	if (-d "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/") {
+		opendir (FILES, "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/")
+			or die _g("cannot open apt sources.list directory %s\n",$!);
+		my @files = grep(!/^\.\.?$/, readdir FILES);
+		foreach my $f (@files) {
+			next if ($f =~ /\.ucf-old$/);
+			open (SOURCES, "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/$f") or
+				die _g("cannot open /etc/apt/sources.list.d/%s %s",$f, $!);
+			while(<SOURCES>) {
+				push @source_list, $_;
+			}
+			close (SOURCES);
+		}
+		closedir (FILES);
+	}
+	return \@source_list;
+}
+
 sub usageversion {
-	print(STDERR <<END)
-$progname version $ourversion
+	printf STDERR ("
+%s version %s
 
 Usage:
- $progname [-a ARCH] [-d DIR] -f CONFIG_FILE
- $progname -?|-h|--help|--version
+ %s [-a ARCH] [-d DIR] -f CONFIG_FILE
+ %s -?|-h|--help|--version
 
 Command:
  -f|--file CONFIG_FILE:  path the the multistrap configuration file.
@@ -458,7 +523,7 @@ Options:
  -?|-h|--help:           print this usage message and exit
  --version:              print this usage message and exit
 
-$progname extends debootstrap to provide support for multiple
+%s extends debootstrap to provide support for multiple
 repositories, using a configuration file to specify the relevant suites,
 architecture, extra packages and the mirror to use for each repository.
 
@@ -499,8 +564,8 @@ General settings:
 'directory' specifies the top level directory where the debootstrap
 will be created - it is not packed into a .tgz once complete.
 
-END
-        || die "$progname: failed to write usage: $!\n";
+", $progname, $ourversion, $progname, $progname, $progname)
+	or die "$progname: "."failed to write usage:". "$!\n";
 }
 
 =pod
diff --git a/examples/multistrap-example.conf b/examples/multistrap-example.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9137d48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/multistrap-example.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Example multistrap configuration file
+# to create a plain lenny debootstrap for amd64
+
+[General]
+arch=amd64
+directory=/tmp/multistrap/
+# same as --tidy-up option if set to true
+cleanup=true
+# same as --no-auth option if set to true
+# keyring packages listed in each debootstrap will
+# still be installed.
+noauth=false
+# extract all downloaded archives (default is true)
+unpack=true
+# the order of sections is not important.
+# the debootstrap option determines which repository
+# is used to calculate the list of Priority: required packages.
+debootstrap=Debian
+aptsources=Debian
+
+[Debian]      
+packages=      
+source=http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian      
+keyring=debian-archive-keyring      
+suite=lenny