diff --git a/test/new_api/test_option_default.py b/test/new_api/test_option_default.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a564700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/new_api/test_option_default.py
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+"test all types of option default values for options, add new option in a descr"
+from .autopath import do_autopath
+do_autopath()
+
+from py.test import raises
+
+from tiramisu.setting import owners
+from tiramisu.error import PropertiesOptionError, ConfigError
+from tiramisu import IntOption, FloatOption, StrOption, ChoiceOption, \
+    BoolOption, OptionDescription, Config, getapi, undefined
+
+
+def make_description():
+    gcoption = ChoiceOption('name', 'GC name', ['ref', 'framework'], 'ref')
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    objspaceoption = ChoiceOption('objspace', 'Object space',
+                                  ['std', 'thunk'], 'std')
+    booloption = BoolOption('bool', 'Test boolean option', default=True)
+    intoption = IntOption('int', 'Test int option', default=0)
+    floatoption = FloatOption('float', 'Test float option', default=2.3)
+    stroption = StrOption('str', 'Test string option', default="abc")
+    boolop = BoolOption('boolop', 'Test boolean option op', default=True)
+    wantref_option = BoolOption('wantref', 'Test requires', default=False,
+                                requires=['boolop'])
+    wantframework_option = BoolOption('wantframework', 'Test requires',
+                                      default=False,
+                                      requires=['boolop'])
+
+    gcgroup = OptionDescription('gc', '', [gcoption, gcdummy, floatoption])
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcgroup, booloption, objspaceoption,
+                                               wantref_option, stroption,
+                                               wantframework_option,
+                                               intoption, boolop])
+    return descr
+
+
+#____________________________________________________________
+# default values
+def test_default_is_none():
+    """
+    Most constructors take a ``default`` argument that specifies the default
+    value of the option. If this argument is not supplied the default value is
+    assumed to be ``None``.
+    """
+    dummy1 = BoolOption('dummy1', 'doc dummy')
+    dummy2 = BoolOption('dummy2', 'doc dummy')
+    group = OptionDescription('group', '', [dummy1, dummy2])
+    api = getapi(Config(group))
+    # so when the default value is not set, there is actually a default value
+    assert api.option('dummy1').value.get() is None
+    assert api.option('dummy2').value.get() is None
+
+
+def test_set_defaut_value_from_option_object():
+    """Options have an available default setting and can give it back"""
+    b = BoolOption("boolean", "", default=False)
+    assert b.impl_getdefault() is False
+
+
+def test_force_default_on_freeze():
+    "a frozen option wich is forced returns his default"
+    dummy1 = BoolOption('dummy1', 'doc dummy', default=False, properties=('force_default_on_freeze',))
+    dummy2 = BoolOption('dummy2', 'doc dummy', default=True)
+    group = OptionDescription('group', '', [dummy1, dummy2])
+    api = getapi(Config(group))
+    api.property.read_write()
+    owner = api.owner.get()
+    api.option('dummy1').value.set(True)
+    api.option('dummy2').value.set(False)
+    assert api.option('dummy1').owner.get() == owner
+    assert api.option('dummy2').owner.get() == owner
+    api.option('dummy1').property.add('frozen')
+    api.option('dummy2').property.add('frozen')
+    assert api.option('dummy1').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy2').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy1').owner.isdefault()
+    assert api.option('dummy2').owner.get() == owner
+    raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.option('dummy2').owner.set('frozen')")
+    raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.option('dummy1').value.reset()")
+    api.option('dummy1').property.pop('frozen')
+    api.option('dummy1').value.reset()
+    api.option('dummy1').property.add('frozen')
+    raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.option('dummy2').owner.set('frozen')")
+
+
+def test_force_default_on_freeze_multi():
+    dummy1 = BoolOption('dummy1', 'doc dummy', default=[False], properties=('force_default_on_freeze',), multi=True)
+    dummy2 = BoolOption('dummy2', 'doc dummy', default=[True], multi=True)
+    group = OptionDescription('group', '', [dummy1, dummy2])
+    api = getapi(Config(group))
+    api.property.read_write()
+    api.option('dummy1').value.set([undefined, True])
+    api.option('dummy2').value.set([undefined, False])
+    owner = api.owner.get()
+    assert api.option('dummy1').owner.get() == owner
+    assert api.option('dummy2').owner.get() == owner
+    api.option('dummy1').property.add('frozen')
+    api.option('dummy2').property.add('frozen')
+    assert api.option('dummy1').value.get() == [False]
+    assert api.option('dummy2').value.get() == [True, False]
+    assert api.option('dummy1').owner.isdefault()
+    assert api.option('dummy2').owner.get() == owner
+    raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.option('dummy2').owner.set('owner')")
+    raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.option('dummy2').value.reset()")
+    api.option('dummy1').property.pop('frozen')
+    api.option('dummy1').value.reset()
+    api.option('dummy1').property.add('frozen')
+
+
+def test_overrides_changes_option_value():
+    "with config.override(), the default is changed and the value is changed"
+    descr = OptionDescription("test", "", [
+        BoolOption("b", "", default=False)])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    api.option('b').value.set(True)
+
+
+def test_choice_with_no_default():
+    descr = OptionDescription("test", "", [
+        ChoiceOption("backend", "", ("c", "cli"))])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('backend').value.get() is None
+    api.option('backend').value.set('c')
+
+
+def test_choice_with_default():
+    descr = OptionDescription("test", "", [
+        ChoiceOption("backend", "", ("c", "cli"), default="cli")])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('backend').value.get() == 'cli'
diff --git a/test/new_api/test_option_owner.py b/test/new_api/test_option_owner.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9412c43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/new_api/test_option_owner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+from .autopath import do_autopath
+do_autopath()
+
+from py.test import raises
+
+from tiramisu.setting import owners, groups
+from tiramisu import ChoiceOption, BoolOption, IntOption, FloatOption, \
+    StrOption, OptionDescription, SymLinkOption, MasterSlaves, Config, getapi
+from tiramisu.error import ConfigError, ConstError, PropertiesOptionError, APIError
+
+
+def make_description():
+    gcoption = ChoiceOption('name', 'GC name', ['ref', 'framework'], 'ref')
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    objspaceoption = ChoiceOption('objspace', 'Object space',
+                                  ['std', 'thunk'], 'std')
+    booloption = BoolOption('bool', 'Test boolean option', default=True)
+    intoption = IntOption('int', 'Test int option', default=0)
+    floatoption = FloatOption('float', 'Test float option', default=2.3)
+    stroption = StrOption('str', 'Test string option', default="abc")
+    boolop = BoolOption('boolop', 'Test boolean option op', default=True)
+    wantref_option = BoolOption('wantref', 'Test requires', default=False)
+    wantframework_option = BoolOption('wantframework', 'Test requires',
+                                      default=False)
+
+    gcgroup = OptionDescription('gc', '', [gcoption, gcdummy, floatoption])
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiram', '', [gcgroup, booloption, objspaceoption,
+                                            wantref_option, stroption,
+                                            wantframework_option,
+                                            intoption, boolop])
+    return descr
+
+
+def test_default_owner():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('dummy').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == 'default'
+    api.option('dummy').value.set(True)
+    owner = api.owner.get()
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == owner
+
+
+def test_hidden_owner():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False, properties=('hidden',))
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    api.property.read_write()
+    #raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.forcepermissive.option('dummy').owner.get()")
+    #raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.option('dummy').owner.isdefault()")
+    #raises(PropertiesOptionError, "api.forcepermissive.option('dummy').owner.isdefault()")
+    api.permissive.set(('hidden',))
+    api.forcepermissive.option('dummy').value.get()
+    api.forcepermissive.option('dummy').owner.isdefault()
+
+
+def test_addowner():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('dummy').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == 'default'
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.isdefault()
+    api.owner.set('gen_config')
+    api.option('dummy').value.set(True)
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == owners.gen_config
+    assert not api.option('dummy').owner.isdefault()
+
+
+def test_addowner_multiple_time():
+    owners.addowner("testowner")
+    raises(ConstError, 'owners.addowner("testowner")')
+
+
+def test_delete_owner():
+    owners.addowner('deleted')
+    raises(ConstError, 'del(owners.deleted)')
+
+
+def test_owner_is_not_a_string():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('dummy').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == owners.default
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == 'default'
+    assert isinstance(api.option('dummy').owner.get(), owners.Owner)
+    api.option('dummy').value.set(True)
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == 'user'
+
+
+def test_setowner_without_valid_owner():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('dummy').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == 'default'
+
+
+def test_setowner_for_value():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('dummy').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == 'default'
+    owners.addowner("new")
+    raises(ConfigError, "api.option('dummy').owner.set('new')")
+    api.option('dummy').value.set(False)
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == owners.user
+    api.option('dummy').owner.set('new')
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == owners.new
+
+
+def test_setowner_read_only():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    api.property.read_write()
+    assert api.option('dummy').value.get() is False
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == 'default'
+    owners.addowner("readonly")
+    api.option('dummy').value.set(False)
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == owners.user
+    api.property.read_only()
+    raises(PropertiesOptionError,
+           "api.option('dummy').owner.set('readonly')")
+    assert api.option('dummy').owner.get() == owners.user
+
+
+def test_setowner_optiondescription():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    descr1 = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy])
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [descr1])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    raises(APIError, "api.option('tiramisu').owner.get()")
+    raises(APIError, "api.option('tiramisu').owner.set('user')")
+
+
+def test_setowner_symlinkoption():
+    gcdummy = BoolOption('dummy', 'dummy', default=False)
+    s = SymLinkOption('symdummy', gcdummy)
+    descr1 = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [gcdummy, s])
+    descr = OptionDescription('tiramisu', '', [descr1])
+    api = getapi(Config(descr))
+    assert api.option('tiramisu.symdummy').owner.isdefault()
+    api.option('tiramisu.dummy').value.set(True)
+    assert not api.option('tiramisu.symdummy').owner.isdefault()
+    raises(TypeError, "api.option('tiramisu.symdummy').owner.set('user')")
+
+
+def test_owner_masterslaves():
+    b = IntOption('int', 'Test int option', default=[0], multi=True)
+    c = StrOption('str', 'Test string option', multi=True)
+    descr = MasterSlaves("int", "", [b, c])
+    od = OptionDescription('od', '', [descr])
+    api = getapi(Config(od))
+    raises(ConfigError, "api.option('int.str', 0).owner.set('user')")
+
+    api.option('int.int').value.set([0, 1])
+    api.option('int.str', 0).value.set('yes')
+    assert not api.option('int.str', 0).owner.isdefault()
+    assert api.option('int.str', 1).owner.isdefault()
+    api.option('int.str', 0).owner.set('user')
+    assert api.option('int.str', 0).owner.get() == owners.user
+    assert api.option('int.str', 1).owner.isdefault()
+    assert api.option('int.str', 0).value.get() == 'yes'
+    assert api.option('int.str', 1).value.get() == None
diff --git a/tiramisu/api.py b/tiramisu/api.py
index 610d132..6cbe713 100644
--- a/tiramisu/api.py
+++ b/tiramisu/api.py
@@ -494,6 +494,15 @@ class TiramisuContextOwner(TiramisuContext):
     def get(self):
         return self.config_bag.config.cfgimpl_get_settings().getowner()
 
+    @count
+    def set(self, owner):
+        try:
+            obj_owner = getattr(owners, owner)
+        except AttributeError:
+            owners.addowner(owner)
+            obj_owner = getattr(owners, owner)
+        self.config_bag.config.cfgimpl_get_settings().setowner(obj_owner)
+
 
 class TiramisuContextProperty(TiramisuContext):
     @count
@@ -595,15 +604,15 @@ class TiramisuDispatcherOption(TiramisuContextOption):
         config_bag.option = opt
         if index is not None and not opt.impl_is_master_slaves('slave'):
             raise APIError('index must be set only with a slave option')
-        if opt.impl_is_symlinkoption():
-            config_bag.ori_option = config_bag.option
-            config_bag.option = opt.impl_getopt()
-            true_path = config_bag.option.impl_getpath(self.config_bag.config)
-            config_bag.config.unwrap_from_path(true_path,
-                                               index,
-                                               config_bag)
-        else:
-            true_path = None
+        #if opt.impl_is_symlinkoption():
+        #    config_bag.ori_option = config_bag.option
+        #    config_bag.option = opt.impl_getopt()
+        #    true_path = config_bag.option.impl_getpath(self.config_bag.config)
+        #    config_bag.config.unwrap_from_path(true_path,
+        #                                       index,
+        #                                       config_bag)
+        #else:
+        #    true_path = None
         return TiramisuOption(path,
                               index,
                               config_bag)
diff --git a/tiramisu/value.py b/tiramisu/value.py
index 8607758..5f3cb5b 100644
--- a/tiramisu/value.py
+++ b/tiramisu/value.py
@@ -450,6 +450,17 @@ class Values(object):
     #______________________________________________________________________
     # owner
 
+    def is_default_owner(self,
+                         path,
+                         index,
+                         config_bag,
+                         validate_meta=undefined):
+        return self._getowner(path,
+                              index,
+                              config_bag,
+                              validate_meta=validate_meta,
+                              only_default=True) == owners.default
+
     def getowner(self,
                  path,
                  index,
@@ -462,12 +473,6 @@ class Values(object):
                                  was present
         :returns: a `setting.owners.Owner` object
         """
-        opt = config_bag.option
-        if opt.impl_is_symlinkoption():
-            config_bag.ori_option = opt
-            opt = opt.impl_getopt()
-            config_bag.option = opt
-            path = opt.impl_getpath(self._getcontext())
         return self._getowner(path,
                               index,
                               config_bag)
@@ -543,19 +548,6 @@ class Values(object):
                                  index,
                                  config_bag)
         self._p_.setowner(path, owner, index=index)
-
-    def is_default_owner(self,
-                         path,
-                         index,
-                         config_bag,
-                         validate_meta=undefined):
-        owner = self._getowner(path,
-                               index,
-                               config_bag,
-                               validate_meta=validate_meta,
-                               only_default=True)
-        return owner == owners.default
-
     #______________________________________________________________________
     # reset