diff --git a/initial.d b/initial.d
index 1181b9f..289c33c 100644
--- a/initial.d
+++ b/initial.d
@@ -234,10 +234,10 @@ struct INISection
 	 + with a message containing location information.
 	 +/
 	T
-	keyAs(T)(string k, string defaultValue = null)
+	keyAs(T)(string k, T defaultValue)
 	{
 		try
-			return key(k, defaultValue).to!T();
+			return k in keys ? keys[k].to!T() : defaultValue;
 		catch (ConvException)
 			throw new INITypeException(
 				format!"unable to convert [%s].%s to %s"(name, k, T.stringof));