diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/aries/transaction/Activator.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/aries/transaction/Activator.java
index 1a98887..92a8ca1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/aries/transaction/Activator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/aries/transaction/Activator.java
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@
     }
 
     public synchronized void updated(Dictionary properties) throws ConfigurationException {
+    	if (properties == null)
+    	{
+    		// Use defaults if there's no configuration for us
+    		properties = new Hashtable();
+    		properties.put(Constants.SERVICE_PID, PID);
+    	}
         deleted();
         manager = new TransactionManagerService(PID, properties, bundleContext);
         try {