diff --git a/mdk/src/main/java/com/example/examplemod/Config.java b/mdk/src/main/java/com/example/examplemod/Config.java
index 0ac7934a41..46013453c1 100644
--- a/mdk/src/main/java/com/example/examplemod/Config.java
+++ b/mdk/src/main/java/com/example/examplemod/Config.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class Config
     // a list of strings that are treated as resource locations for items
     private static final ForgeConfigSpec.ConfigValue<List<? extends String>> ITEM_STRINGS = BUILDER
             .comment("A list of items to log on common setup.")
-            .defineListAllowEmpty(Collections.singletonList("items"), () -> List.of("minecraft:iron_ingot"), Config::validateItemName);
+            .defineListAllowEmpty("items", List.of("minecraft:iron_ingot"), Config::validateItemName);
 
     static final ForgeConfigSpec SPEC = BUILDER.build();
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/common/ForgeConfigSpec.java b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/common/ForgeConfigSpec.java
index 34804da710..6484558248 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/common/ForgeConfigSpec.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/common/ForgeConfigSpec.java
@@ -380,7 +380,15 @@ public class ForgeConfigSpec extends UnmodifiableConfigWrapper<UnmodifiableConfi
                 }
             }, defaultSupplier);
         }
-
+        public <T> ConfigValue<List<? extends T>> defineListAllowEmpty(String path, List<? extends T> defaultValue, Predicate<Object> elementValidator) {
+            return defineListAllowEmpty(split(path), defaultValue, elementValidator);
+        }
+        public <T> ConfigValue<List<? extends T>> defineListAllowEmpty(String path, Supplier<List<? extends T>> defaultSupplier, Predicate<Object> elementValidator) {
+            return defineListAllowEmpty(split(path), defaultSupplier, elementValidator);
+        }
+        public <T> ConfigValue<List<? extends T>> defineListAllowEmpty(List<String> path, List<? extends T> defaultValue, Predicate<Object> elementValidator) {
+            return defineListAllowEmpty(path, () -> defaultValue, elementValidator);
+        }
         public <T> ConfigValue<List<? extends T>> defineListAllowEmpty(List<String> path, Supplier<List<? extends T>> defaultSupplier, Predicate<Object> elementValidator) {
             context.setClazz(List.class);
             return define(path, new ValueSpec(defaultSupplier, x -> x instanceof List && ((List<?>) x).stream().allMatch( elementValidator ), context, path) {