diff --git a/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.cpp b/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.cpp
index bf90741..28373ab 100644
--- a/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.cpp
+++ b/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ Services::Services(){
   m_context=0;
   m_name="";
   m_verbose=false;
+  m_base_config_id=0;
+  m_run_mode_config_id=0;
 
 }
  
@@ -1222,7 +1224,7 @@ std::string Services::LoadConfigSlowControlFunc(const char* control){
 
     if(count==5){
       ret <<"Failed to load config "<<base_config_id<<":"<<run_mode_config_id;
-      return ret.str();;
+      return ret.str();
     }
     
     (*sc_vars)["NewConfig"]->SetValue(1);
@@ -1231,13 +1233,17 @@ std::string Services::LoadConfigSlowControlFunc(const char* control){
     ret <<"Loaded config "<<base_config_id<<":"<<run_mode_config_id;
   }
   
-  // FIXME currently webpage chokes if a slow control value contains JSON
-  (*sc_vars)[control]->SetValue("");
-  
   return ret.str();
   
 }
 
+void Services::ResetConfigIDs(){
+  // reset the active configuration numbers so that the next ChangeConfig alert will invoke the callback.
+  m_base_config_id = 0;
+  m_run_mode_config_id = 0;
+  return;
+}
+
 // ========================
 
 void Services::BufferThread(Thread_args* args){
diff --git a/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.h b/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.h
index d41ba0c..0a4f4e7 100644
--- a/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.h
+++ b/src/ServiceDiscovery/Services.h
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ namespace ToolFramework {
     bool AddSlowControlVariable(std::string name, SlowControlElementType type, std::function<std::string(const char*)> change_function=nullptr, std::function<std::string(const char*)> read_function=nullptr);
     bool RemoveSlowControlVariable(std::string name);
     void ClearSlowControlVariables();
+    void ResetConfigIDs();
     
     bool AlertSubscribe(std::string alert, std::function<bool(const char*, const char*)> function);
     bool AlertSend(std::string alert, std::string payload);