diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 074f0fc4..c59e0778 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ require'nvim-tree'.setup {
 require'nvim-tree'.setup { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
   auto_reload_on_write = true,
   disable_netrw = false,
+  hide_root_folder = false,
   hijack_cursor = false,
   hijack_netrw = true,
   hijack_unnamed_buffer_when_opening = false,
@@ -129,7 +130,6 @@ require'nvim-tree'.setup { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
   view = {
     width = 30,
     height = 30,
-    hide_root_folder = false,
     side = "left",
     preserve_window_proportions = false,
     number = false,
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ require'nvim-tree'.setup { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
   },
   ignore_ft_on_setup = {},
   system_open = {
-    cmd = "",
+    cmd = nil,
     args = {},
   },
   diagnostics = {
diff --git a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
index cc4433a4..b2019508 100644
--- a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
+++ b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ function.
     require("nvim-tree").setup { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
       auto_reload_on_write = true,
       disable_netrw = false,
+      hide_root_folder = false,
       hijack_cursor = false,
       hijack_netrw = true,
       hijack_unnamed_buffer_when_opening = false,
@@ -98,7 +99,6 @@ function.
       view = {
         width = 30,
         height = 30,
-        hide_root_folder = false,
         side = "left",
         preserve_window_proportions = false,
         number = false,
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ function.
       },
       ignore_ft_on_setup = {},
       system_open = {
-        cmd = "",
+        cmd = nil,
         args = {},
       },
       diagnostics = {
@@ -311,10 +311,10 @@ Here is a list of the options available in the setup call:
 *nvim-tree.system_open*
 - |system_open|: configuration options for the system open command
 
-  - |system_open.cmd|: the command to run, leaving empty should work but
+  - |system_open.cmd|: the command to run, leaving nil should work but
     useful if you want to override the default command with another one.
     type: `string`
-    default: `""`
+    default: `nil`
 
   - |system_open.args|: the command arguments as a list
     type: `{string}`
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree.lua b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
index 4f5caed2..651bbf62 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ end
 local DEFAULT_OPTS = { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
   auto_reload_on_write = true,
   disable_netrw = false,
+  hide_root_folder = false,
   hijack_cursor = false,
   hijack_netrw = true,
   hijack_unnamed_buffer_when_opening = false,
@@ -323,7 +324,6 @@ local DEFAULT_OPTS = { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
   view = {
     width = 30,
     height = 30,
-    hide_root_folder = false,
     side = "left",
     preserve_window_proportions = false,
     number = false,
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ local DEFAULT_OPTS = { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
   },
   ignore_ft_on_setup = {},
   system_open = {
-    cmd = "",
+    cmd = nil,
     args = {},
   },
   diagnostics = {
@@ -429,50 +429,16 @@ local function merge_options(conf)
   return vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", DEFAULT_OPTS, conf or {})
 end
 
-local function validate_options(conf)
-  local msg
-
-  local function validate(user, def, prefix)
-    if type(user) ~= "table" or type(def) ~= "table" or not next(def) then
-      return
-    end
-
-    for k, v in pairs(user) do
-      local invalid
-      if def[k] == nil then
-        invalid = string.format("unknown option: %s%s", prefix, k)
-      elseif type(v) ~= type(def[k]) then
-        invalid = string.format("invalid option: %s%s expected: %s actual: %s", prefix, k, type(def[k]), type(v))
-      end
-
-      if invalid then
-        if msg then
-          msg = string.format("%s | %s", msg, invalid)
-        else
-          msg = string.format("%s", invalid)
-        end
-        user[k] = nil
-      else
-        validate(v, def[k], prefix .. k .. ".")
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
-  validate(conf, DEFAULT_OPTS, "")
-
-  if msg then
-    utils.warn(msg)
-  end
-end
-
 function M.setup(conf)
   legacy.migrate_legacy_options(conf or {})
 
-  validate_options(conf)
-
   local opts = merge_options(conf)
   local netrw_disabled = opts.disable_netrw or opts.hijack_netrw
 
+  if opts.auto_close then
+    utils.warn "auto close feature has been removed, see note in the README (tips & reminder section)"
+  end
+
   _config.update_focused_file = opts.update_focused_file
   _config.open_on_setup = opts.open_on_setup
   _config.open_on_setup_file = opts.open_on_setup_file
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/system-open.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/system-open.lua
index e44e357a..b0f63596 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/system-open.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/system-open.lua
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ local M = {
 }
 
 function M.fn(node)
-  if #M.config.system_open.cmd == 0 then
+  if not M.config.system_open.cmd then
     require("nvim-tree.utils").warn "Cannot open file with system application. Unrecognized platform."
     return
   end
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ end
 function M.setup(opts)
   M.config.system_open = opts or {}
 
-  if #M.config.system_open.cmd == 0 then
+  if not M.config.system_open.cmd then
     if M.config.is_windows then
       M.config.system_open = {
         cmd = "cmd",
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
index 3030630a..f4023c62 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ local M = {}
 -- TODO update git.io/JPhyt when adding a migration
 
 -- migrate the g: to o if the user has not specified that when calling setup
-local g_migrations = {
+local migrations = {
   nvim_tree_disable_netrw = function(o)
     if o.disable_netrw == nil then
       o.disable_netrw = vim.g.nvim_tree_disable_netrw ~= 0
@@ -178,7 +178,22 @@ local g_migrations = {
   end,
 }
 
-local function refactored(opts)
+function M.migrate_legacy_options(opts)
+  local msg = nil
+
+  -- g: options
+  for g, m in pairs(migrations) do
+    if vim.fn.exists("g:" .. g) ~= 0 then
+      m(opts)
+      msg = (msg and msg .. ", " or "Following options were moved to setup, see git.io/JPhyt: ") .. g
+    end
+  end
+
+  if msg then
+    require("nvim-tree.utils").warn(msg)
+  end
+
+  -- regular opts
   if opts.view then
     if opts.view.mappings then
       if opts.view.mappings.list then
@@ -192,31 +207,4 @@ local function refactored(opts)
   end
 end
 
-local function removed(opts)
-  if opts.auto_close then
-    utils.warn "auto close feature has been removed, see note in the README (tips & reminder section)"
-    opts.auto_close = nil
-  end
-end
-
-function M.migrate_legacy_options(opts)
-  -- g: options
-  local msg
-  for g, m in pairs(g_migrations) do
-    if vim.fn.exists("g:" .. g) ~= 0 then
-      m(opts)
-      msg = (msg and msg .. ", " or "Following options were moved to setup, see git.io/JPhyt: ") .. g
-    end
-  end
-  if msg then
-    utils.warn(msg)
-  end
-
-  -- silently move
-  refactored(opts)
-
-  -- warn and delete
-  removed(opts)
-end
-
 return M