diff --git a/pandora/app/config.py b/pandora/app/config.py
index 30cee899b..4e46d7e6c 100644
--- a/pandora/app/config.py
+++ b/pandora/app/config.py
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def load_config(init=False):
         # add missing defaults
         for section in sorted((
             'capabilities', 'cantPlay',
-            'documentKeys',
+            'documentKeys', 'documentRightsLevels', 'documentRightsLevel',
             'entities', 'itemName', 'itemTitleKeys', 'itemKeys', 'media', 'posters',
             'site', 'tv', 'user.ui', 'user.ui.part', 'user.ui.showFolder',
             'menuExtras', 'languages'
diff --git a/pandora/config.0xdb.jsonc b/pandora/config.0xdb.jsonc
index e5758b7d2..702b013b6 100644
--- a/pandora/config.0xdb.jsonc
+++ b/pandora/config.0xdb.jsonc
@@ -303,6 +303,20 @@
         }
     ],
     /*
+    "documentRightsLevel" defines which initial rights level will be assigned to documents
+    created by users of these user levels.
+    */
+    "documentRightsLevel": {"member": 0, "friend": 0, "staff": 0, "admin": 0},
+    /*
+    "documentRightsLevels" is an ordered list of rights levels, one of which will be
+    assigned to each document.
+    */
+    "documentRightsLevels": [
+        {"name": "Public", "color": [128, 255, 128]},
+        {"name": "Restricted", "color": [255, 212, 128]},
+        {"name": "Private", "color": [255, 128, 128]}
+    ],
+    /*
     "entities" can be used to store arbitrary data. They can be referenced in
     annotations, info view, or elsewhere. Each entry defines a specific class
     of entity object, its properties and their types (for example an "actor"
diff --git a/pandora/config.padma.jsonc b/pandora/config.padma.jsonc
index 49cf7b990..6982cc2b1 100644
--- a/pandora/config.padma.jsonc
+++ b/pandora/config.padma.jsonc
@@ -348,6 +348,20 @@
         }
     ],
     /*
+    "documentRightsLevel" defines which initial rights level will be assigned to documents
+    created by users of these user levels.
+    */
+    "documentRightsLevel": {"member": 0, "staff": 0, "admin": 0},
+    /*
+    "documentRightsLevels" is an ordered list of rights levels, one of which will be
+    assigned to each document.
+    */
+    "documentRightsLevels": [
+        {"name": "Public", "color": [128, 255, 128]},
+        {"name": "Restricted", "color": [255, 212, 128]},
+        {"name": "Private", "color": [255, 128, 128]}
+    ],
+    /*
     "entities" can be used to store arbitrary data. They can be referenced in
     annotations, info view, or elsewhere. Each entry defines a specific class
     of entity object, its properties and their types (for example an "actor"
diff --git a/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc b/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc
index aa3bd4a38..54e57fde8 100644
--- a/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc
+++ b/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ examples (config.SITENAME.jsonc) that are part of this pan.do/ra distribution.
     "documentRightsLevel" defines which initial rights level will be assigned to documents
     created by users of these user levels.
     */
-    "documentRightsLevel": {"member": 0, "researcher": 0, "staff": 0, "admin": 0},
+    "documentRightsLevel": {"member": 0, "staff": 0, "admin": 0},
     /*
     "documentRightsLevels" is an ordered list of rights levels, one of which will be
     assigned to each document.