diff --git a/peridot/build/modular_config/modular_config_schema.json b/peridot/build/modular_config/modular_config_schema.json
index 175d78ff65f33ddcfc740d161c6707c41d282389..5157ae10ebc48da95606c2e3454e063d1d46e621 100644
--- a/peridot/build/modular_config/modular_config_schema.json
+++ b/peridot/build/modular_config/modular_config_schema.json
@@ -11,9 +11,14 @@
         "use_minfs": { "type": "boolean", "default": true },
         "use_session_shell_for_story_shell_factory": { "type": "boolean", "default": false },
         "base_shell": { "$ref": "#definitions/base_shell" },
-        "session_shells": { 
+        "session_shells": {
           "type": "array",
           "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/session_shell" }
+        },
+        "story_shell_url": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "pattern": "^fuchsia-pkg://([^/]+)/([^/#]+)(/([^/#]+))?(#(.+))?$",
+          "default": "fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/mondrian#meta/mondrian.cmx"
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false,
@@ -73,11 +78,6 @@
             "pattern": "^fuchsia-pkg://([^/]+)/([^/#]+)(/([^/#]+))?(#(.+))?$"
            },
           "uniqueItems": true
-        },
-        "story_shell_url": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "pattern": "^fuchsia-pkg://([^/]+)/([^/#]+)(/([^/#]+))?(#(.+))?$",
-          "default": "fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/mondrian#meta/mondrian.cmx"
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false
diff --git a/peridot/docs/modular/guide/config.md b/peridot/docs/modular/guide/config.md
index 3dc7ccd68ce6352a5475331be6a30c2cba6abbec..dbb04b79c13aaec89ca7c573e9f78f40a4b3d1b1 100644
--- a/peridot/docs/modular/guide/config.md
+++ b/peridot/docs/modular/guide/config.md
@@ -56,11 +56,19 @@ modular_config() target in the product's monolith packages.
             * The fuchsia component url for which session shell to use.
         - `display_usage`: **string** *(optional)*
             * The display usage policy for this session shell.
-            * **Examples**: handheld, close, near, midrange, far
+            * Options:
+                - `handheld`: the display is used well within arm's reach.
+                - `close`: the display is used at arm's reach.
+                - `near`: the display is used beyond arm's reach.
+                - `midrange`: the display is used beyond arm's reach.
+                - `far`: the display is used well beyond arm's reach.
         - `screen_height`: **float** *(optional)*
             * The screen height in millimeters for the session shell's display.
         - `screen_width`: **float** *(optional)*
             * The screen width in millimeters for the session shell's display.
+* `story_shell_url`: **string** *(optional)*
+    - The fuchsia component url for which story shell to use.
+    - **default**: `fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/mondrian#meta/mondrian.cmx`
 * `enable_cobalt`: **boolean** *(optional)*
     - When set to false, Cobalt statistics are disabled.
     - **default**: `true`
@@ -106,7 +114,4 @@ modular_config() target in the product's monolith packages.
       startup.
 * `session_agents`: **string[]** *(optional)*
     - A list of fuchsia component urls that specify which agents to launch at
-      startup with PuppetMaster and FocusProvider services.
-* `story_shell_url`: **string** *(optional)*
-    - The fuchsia component url for which story shell to use.
-    - **default**: `fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/mondrian#meta/mondrian.cmx`
\ No newline at end of file
+      startup with PuppetMaster and FocusProvider services.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.cc b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.cc
index 826f413640c7109fbf0b116fc03793194991c3b0..2a913ac8843338991e40a8fe2f466625aa009321 100644
--- a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.cc
+++ b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.cc
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ ModularConfigReader::GetSessionmgrConfig() {
 
   // Parse with xdr
   fuchsia::modular::internal::SessionmgrConfig sessionmgr_config;
-  if (!sessionmgr_config_str.empty() &&
-      !XdrRead(sessionmgr_config_str, &sessionmgr_config,
+  if (!XdrRead(sessionmgr_config_str, &sessionmgr_config,
                XdrSessionmgrConfig)) {
     FXL_LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to parse startup.json";
   }
@@ -56,13 +55,13 @@ std::string ModularConfigReader::GetConfigAsString(
   // Check that config file exists
   if (!files::IsFile(kStartupConfigPath)) {
     FXL_LOG(ERROR) << kStartupConfigPath << " does not exist.";
-    return "";
+    return "\"\"";
   }
 
   std::string json;
   if (!files::ReadFileToString(kStartupConfigPath, &json)) {
     FXL_LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to read " << kStartupConfigPath;
-    return "";
+    return "\"\"";
   }
 
   json::JSONParser json_parser;
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ std::string ModularConfigReader::GetConfigAsString(
   if (json_parser.HasError()) {
     FXL_LOG(ERROR) << "Error while parsing " << kStartupConfigPath
                    << " to string. Error: " << json_parser.error_str();
-    return "";
+    return "\"\"";
   }
 
   // Get |config_name| section from file
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ std::string ModularConfigReader::GetConfigAsString(
     // |config_name| was not found
     FXL_LOG(ERROR) << config_name << " configurations were not found in "
                    << kStartupConfigPath;
-    return "";
+    return "\"\"";
   }
 
   return modular::JsonValueToString(config_json->value);
diff --git a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.h b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.h
index 4d8b265c783b04f57d09c05a41246fe009426944..7a98fed43c6385c6aa17a20ff6ac7ea4f7d18390 100644
--- a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.h
+++ b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config.h
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ class ModularConfigReader {
   fuchsia::modular::internal::SessionmgrConfig GetSessionmgrConfig();
 
  private:
-  // Reads startup.config into a string if the file exists. Returns an empty
-  // string otherwise.
+  // Reads startup.config into a string if the file exists. Otherwise, returns a
+  // string containing two quotes, representing an empty JSON structure.
   std::string GetConfigAsString(const std::string& config_name);
 };
 
diff --git a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr.cc b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr.cc
index 5c6b03c458169152525d2e693ea433692e071122..376ad6235caf6b412bb1e0c6201b8a12a9f1063a 100644
--- a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr.cc
+++ b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr.cc
@@ -33,6 +33,40 @@ void XdrBaseShellConfig(
                         has_keep_alive_after_login, false);
 }
 
+fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage GetDisplayUsageFromString(std::string usage) {
+  if (usage == "handheld") {
+    return fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kHandheld;
+  } else if (usage == "close") {
+    return fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kClose;
+  } else if (usage == "near") {
+    return fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kNear;
+  } else if (usage == "midrange") {
+    return fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kMidrange;
+  } else if (usage == "far") {
+    return fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kFar;
+  }
+
+  FXL_LOG(WARNING) << "Unknown display usage string: " << usage;
+  return fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kUnknown;
+}
+
+std::string GetDisplayUsageAsString(fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage usage) {
+  switch (usage) {
+    case fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kUnknown:
+      return "unknown";
+    case fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kHandheld:
+      return "handheld";
+    case fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kClose:
+      return "close";
+    case fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kNear:
+      return "near";
+    case fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kMidrange:
+      return "midrange";
+    case fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kFar:
+      return "far";
+  }
+}
+
 void XdrSessionShellMapEntry(
     XdrContext* const xdr,
     fuchsia::modular::internal::SessionShellMapEntry* const data) {
@@ -52,9 +86,24 @@ void XdrSessionShellMapEntry(
     has_screen_width = data->config().has_screen_width();
   }
 
-  xdr->FieldWithDefault(
-      "display_usage", data->mutable_config()->mutable_display_usage(),
-      has_display_usage, fuchsia::ui::policy::DisplayUsage::kUnknown);
+  std::string display_usage_str = "unknown";
+  if (has_display_usage) {
+    display_usage_str = GetDisplayUsageAsString(data->config().display_usage());
+  }
+
+  // We need to manually parse any field in JSON that is a represented as a fidl
+  // enum because XDR expects a number, rather than a string, for enums.
+  // If writing, this will set the value of "display_usage" in JSON as the
+  // value of |display_usage|. If reading, this will read the value of
+  // "display_usage" into |display_usage|.
+  std::string display_usage;
+  xdr->FieldWithDefault("display_usage", &display_usage, false,
+                        display_usage_str);
+
+  // This is only used when reading. We want to set the value read into
+  // |display_usage| into |data|.
+  auto display_usage_fidl = GetDisplayUsageFromString(display_usage);
+  data->mutable_config()->set_display_usage(display_usage_fidl);
 
   xdr->FieldWithDefault("screen_height",
                         data->mutable_config()->mutable_screen_height(),
@@ -94,6 +143,29 @@ fuchsia::modular::internal::BaseShellConfig GetDefaultBaseShellConfig() {
   return base_shell_config;
 }
 
+fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider GetCloudProviderFromString(
+    std::string provider) {
+  if (provider == "FROM_ENVIRONMENT") {
+    return fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider::FROM_ENVIRONMENT;
+  } else if (provider == "NONE") {
+    return fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider::NONE;
+  }
+
+  return fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider::LET_LEDGER_DECIDE;
+}
+
+std::string GetCloudProviderAsString(
+    fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider provider) {
+  switch (provider) {
+    case fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider::LET_LEDGER_DECIDE:
+      return "LET_LEDGER_DECIDE";
+    case fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider::FROM_ENVIRONMENT:
+      return "FROM_ENVIRONMENT";
+    case fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider::NONE:
+      return "NONE";
+  }
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 
 void XdrBasemgrConfig_v1(
@@ -158,9 +230,25 @@ void XdrSessionmgrConfig_v1(
     XdrContext* const xdr,
     fuchsia::modular::internal::SessionmgrConfig* const data) {
   bool has_cloud_provider = data->has_cloud_provider();
-  xdr->FieldWithDefault(
-      "cloud_provider", data->mutable_cloud_provider(), has_cloud_provider,
-      fuchsia::modular::internal::CloudProvider::LET_LEDGER_DECIDE);
+
+  std::string cloud_provider_str = "LET_LEDGER_DECIDE";
+  if (has_cloud_provider) {
+    cloud_provider_str = GetCloudProviderAsString(data->cloud_provider());
+  }
+
+  // We need to manually parse any field in JSON that is a represented as a
+  // fidl enum because XDR expects a number, rather than a string, for enums.
+  // If writing, this will set the value of "cloud_provider" in JSON as the
+  // value of |cloud_provider|. If reading, this will read the value of
+  // "cloud_provider" into |cloud_provider|.
+  std::string cloud_provider;
+  xdr->FieldWithDefault("cloud_provider", &cloud_provider, has_cloud_provider,
+                        cloud_provider_str);
+
+  // This is only used when reading. We want to set the value read into
+  // |cloud_provider| into |data|.
+  auto cloud_provider_fidl = GetCloudProviderFromString(cloud_provider);
+  data->set_cloud_provider(cloud_provider_fidl);
 
   bool has_enable_cobalt = data->has_enable_cobalt();
   xdr->FieldWithDefault("enable_cobalt", data->mutable_enable_cobalt(),
diff --git a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr_unittest.cc b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr_unittest.cc
index 072bb08bbb854d7f8b6f5a7c0b49835e1867e269..fd1da3072e11fc45bb9f399e55ef037eceecb3ff 100644
--- a/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr_unittest.cc
+++ b/peridot/lib/modular_config/modular_config_xdr_unittest.cc
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ TEST(ModularConfigXdr, BasemgrDefaultValues) {
     "session_shells":[
       {
         "url":"fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/ermine_session_shell#meta/ermine_session_shell.cmx",
-        "display_usage":0,
+        "display_usage":"unknown",
         "screen_height":0.0,
         "screen_width":0.0
       }
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ TEST(ModularConfigXdr, SessionmgrDefaultValues) {
   XdrWrite(&write_json, &write_config, XdrSessionmgrConfig);
 
   std::string expected_json = R"({
-      "cloud_provider":1,
+      "cloud_provider":"LET_LEDGER_DECIDE",
       "enable_cobalt":true,
       "enable_story_shell_preload":true,
       "use_memfs_for_ledger":false,
diff --git a/peridot/tests/modular_config/test_config.json b/peridot/tests/modular_config/test_config.json
index fd4207400b2805e79f486c140a0d49e32f3b4c75..e74c30ed7a3c298760f5132cda0a7f0024876476 100644
--- a/peridot/tests/modular_config/test_config.json
+++ b/peridot/tests/modular_config/test_config.json
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
         "screen_height": 50,
         "screen_width": 100
       }
-    ]
+    ],
+    "story_shell_url": "fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/dev_story_shell#meta/dev_story_shell.cmx"
   },
   "sessionmgr": {
     "use_memfs_for_ledger": true,
@@ -25,7 +26,6 @@
     ],
     "session_agents": [
       "fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/session_agent#meta/session_agent.cmx"
-    ],
-    "story_shell_url": "fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/dev_story_shell#meta/dev_story_shell.cmx"
+    ]
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file