diff --git a/mod_default_contacts/README.md b/mod_default_contacts/README.md
index 11f57b4..e56084c 100644
--- a/mod_default_contacts/README.md
+++ b/mod_default_contacts/README.md
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ modules:
     contacts:
       -
         name: "Bob Virding"
-        jid: "bob@example.com"
+        jid: bob@example.com
       -
         name: "Alice Armstrong"
-        jid: "alice@example.com"
+        jid: alice@example.com
 ```
 
 The configurable `mod_default_contacts` options are:
diff --git a/mod_default_contacts/src/mod_default_contacts.erl b/mod_default_contacts/src/mod_default_contacts.erl
index c78ead2..1f27b97 100644
--- a/mod_default_contacts/src/mod_default_contacts.erl
+++ b/mod_default_contacts/src/mod_default_contacts.erl
@@ -52,18 +52,19 @@ stop(Host) ->
 reload(_Host, _NewOpts, _OldOpts) ->
     ok.
 
--spec mod_opt_type(atom()) -> fun((term()) -> term()).
+-spec mod_opt_type(atom()) -> econf:validator().
 mod_opt_type(contacts) ->
-    fun (L) ->
-	    lists:map(fun (Opts) ->
-			      JID1 = proplists:get_value(jid, Opts),
-			      JID2 = iolist_to_binary(JID1),
-			      JID3 = jid:decode(JID2),
-			      Name1 = proplists:get_value(name, Opts, <<>>),
-			      Name2 = iolist_to_binary(Name1),
-			      #roster_item{jid = JID3, name = Name2}
-		      end, L)
-    end.
+    econf:list(
+      econf:and_then(
+	econf:options(
+	  #{jid => econf:jid(),
+	    name => econf:binary()},
+	  [{required, [jid]}]),
+        fun(Opts) ->
+                Jid = proplists:get_value(jid, Opts),
+                Name = proplists:get_value(name, Opts, <<>>),
+                #roster_item{jid = Jid, name = Name}
+        end)).
 
 -spec mod_options(binary()) -> [{atom(), any()}].
 mod_options(_Host) ->