diff --git a/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/options.go b/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/options.go
index 072d8f49..2ab73b24 100644
--- a/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/options.go
+++ b/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/options.go
@@ -136,14 +136,13 @@ func parseOptOrder(d *caddyfile.Dispenser) ([]string, error) {
 }
 
 func parseOptStorage(d *caddyfile.Dispenser) (caddy.StorageConverter, error) {
-	if !d.Next() {
+	if !d.Next() { // consume option name
 		return nil, d.ArgErr()
 	}
-	args := d.RemainingArgs()
-	if len(args) != 1 {
+	if !d.Next() { // get storage module name
 		return nil, d.ArgErr()
 	}
-	modName := args[0]
+	modName := d.Val()
 	mod, err := caddy.GetModule("caddy.storage." + modName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, d.Errf("getting storage module '%s': %v", modName, err)
diff --git a/modules/filestorage/filestorage.go b/modules/filestorage/filestorage.go
index 6e688ef0..629dc27e 100644
--- a/modules/filestorage/filestorage.go
+++ b/modules/filestorage/filestorage.go
@@ -48,15 +48,32 @@ func (s *FileStorage) UnmarshalCaddyfile(d *caddyfile.Dispenser) error {
 	if !d.Next() {
 		return d.Err("expected tokens")
 	}
-	for nesting := d.Nesting(); d.NextBlock(nesting); {
-		if !d.NextArg() {
-			return d.ArgErr()
-		}
+	if d.NextArg() {
 		s.Root = d.Val()
-		if d.NextArg() {
-			return d.ArgErr()
+	}
+	if d.NextArg() {
+		return d.ArgErr()
+	}
+	for nesting := d.Nesting(); d.NextBlock(nesting); {
+		switch d.Val() {
+		case "root":
+			if !d.NextArg() {
+				return d.ArgErr()
+			}
+			if s.Root != "" {
+				return d.Err("root already set")
+			}
+			s.Root = d.Val()
+			if d.NextArg() {
+				return d.ArgErr()
+			}
+		default:
+			return d.Errf("unrecognized parameter '%s'", d.Val())
 		}
 	}
+	if s.Root == "" {
+		return d.Err("missing root path (to use default, omit storage config entirely)")
+	}
 	return nil
 }