diff --git a/beets/autotag/__init__.py b/beets/autotag/__init__.py
index 7bf2fa88d..f2cbcf151 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/__init__.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def albums_in_dir(path):
     collapse_items = None
 
     for root, dirs, files in sorted_walk(path,
-                                         ignore=config['ignore'].get(list)):
+                                         ignore=config['ignore'].as_str_seq()):
         # Get a list of items in the directory.
         items = []
         for filename in files:
diff --git a/beets/ui/__init__.py b/beets/ui/__init__.py
index 61469300b..8f779f832 100644
--- a/beets/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/ui/__init__.py
@@ -619,10 +619,10 @@ def _raw_main(args, load_config=True):
     from beets.ui.commands import default_commands
 
     # Add plugin paths.
-    for plugpath in config['pluginpath'].get(list):
+    for plugpath in config['pluginpath'].as_str_seq():
         sys.path.append(os.path.expanduser(plugpath))
     # Load requested plugins.
-    plugins.load_plugins(config['plugins'].get(list))
+    plugins.load_plugins(config['plugins'].as_str_seq())
     plugins.send("pluginload")
 
     # Construct the root parser.
diff --git a/beetsplug/ihate.py b/beetsplug/ihate.py
index 81f2d6464..b323f4192 100644
--- a/beetsplug/ihate.py
+++ b/beetsplug/ihate.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class IHatePlugin(BeetsPlugin):
 
     def job_to_do(self):
         """Return True if at least one pattern is defined."""
-        return any(self.config[l].get(list) for l in
+        return any(self.config[l].as_str_seq() for l in
                    ('warn_genre', 'warn_artist', 'warn_album',
                     'skip_genre', 'skip_artist', 'skip_album'))
 
@@ -103,19 +103,19 @@ class IHatePlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             if self.job_to_do():
                 self._log.debug('[ihate] processing your hate')
                 if self.do_i_hate_this(task,
-                            self.config['skip_genre'].get(list),
-                            self.config['skip_artist'].get(list),
-                            self.config['skip_album'].get(list),
-                            self.config['skip_whitelist'].get(list)):
+                            self.config['skip_genre'].as_str_seq(),
+                            self.config['skip_artist'].as_str_seq(),
+                            self.config['skip_album'].as_str_seq(),
+                            self.config['skip_whitelist'].as_str_seq()):
                     task.choice_flag = action.SKIP
                     self._log.info(u'[ihate] skipped: {0} - {1}'
                                    .format(task.cur_artist, task.cur_album))
                     return
                 if self.do_i_hate_this(task,
-                            self.config['warn_genre'].get(list),
-                            self.config['warn_artist'].get(list),
-                            self.config['warn_album'].get(list),
-                            self.config['warn_whitelist'].get(list)):
+                            self.config['warn_genre'].as_str_seq(),
+                            self.config['warn_artist'].as_str_seq(),
+                            self.config['warn_album'].as_str_seq(),
+                            self.config['warn_whitelist'].as_str_seq()):
                     self._log.info(u'[ihate] you maybe hate this: {0} - {1}'
                                    .format(task.cur_artist, task.cur_album))
             else:
diff --git a/beetsplug/importfeeds.py b/beetsplug/importfeeds.py
index 97697480c..1d29d0621 100644
--- a/beetsplug/importfeeds.py
+++ b/beetsplug/importfeeds.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def _record_items(lib, basename, items):
     """Records relative paths to the given items for each feed format
     """
     feedsdir = config['importfeeds']['dir'].as_filename()
-    formats = config['importfeeds']['formats'].get(list)
+    formats = config['importfeeds']['formats'].as_str_seq()
 
     paths = []
     for item in items:
diff --git a/beetsplug/the.py b/beetsplug/the.py
index dc32e1aa4..9f07ed587 100644
--- a/beetsplug/the.py
+++ b/beetsplug/the.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class ThePlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             'patterns': [],
         })
 
-        self.patterns = self.config['patterns'].get(list)
+        self.patterns = self.config['patterns'].as_str_seq()
         for p in self.patterns:
             if p:
                 try:
diff --git a/beetsplug/zero.py b/beetsplug/zero.py
index 9aebe9f9d..0981006a0 100644
--- a/beetsplug/zero.py
+++ b/beetsplug/zero.py
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ class ZeroPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         self.patterns = {}
         self.warned = False
 
-        for f in self.config['fields'].get(list):
+        for f in self.config['fields'].as_str_seq():
             if f not in ITEM_KEYS:
                 self._log.error(u'[zero] invalid field: {0}'.format(f))
             else:
                 self.fields.append(f)
                 try:
-                    self.patterns[f] = self.config[f].get(list)
+                    self.patterns[f] = self.config[f].as_str_seq()
                 except confit.NotFoundError:
                     self.patterns[f] = [u'']