diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 7fde567..c103c97 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -229,6 +229,10 @@ getopt_helper( conffile_t *cfile, int *cops, channel_conf_t *conf )
 		conf->ops[M] |= XOP_HAVE_CREATE;
 	} else if (!strcasecmp( "SyncState", cfile->cmd ))
 		conf->sync_state = expand_strdup( cfile->val );
+	else if (!strcasecmp( "CopyArrivalDate", cfile->cmd ))
+		conf->use_internal_date = parse_bool( cfile );
+	else if (!strcasecmp( "MaxMessages", cfile->cmd ))
+		conf->max_messages = parse_int( cfile );
 	else
 		return 0;
 	return 1;
@@ -364,15 +368,13 @@ load_config( const char *where, int pseudo )
 		{
 			channel = nfcalloc( sizeof(*channel) );
 			channel->name = nfstrdup( cfile.val );
+			channel->max_messages = global_conf.max_messages;
+			channel->use_internal_date = global_conf.use_internal_date;
 			cops = 0;
 			max_size = -1;
 			while (getcline( &cfile ) && cfile.cmd) {
 				if (!strcasecmp( "MaxSize", cfile.cmd ))
 					max_size = parse_size( &cfile );
-				else if (!strcasecmp( "MaxMessages", cfile.cmd ))
-					channel->max_messages = parse_int( &cfile );
-				else if (!strcasecmp( "CopyArrivalDate", cfile.cmd ))
-					channel->use_internal_date = parse_bool( &cfile );
 				else if (!strcasecmp( "Pattern", cfile.cmd ) ||
 				         !strcasecmp( "Patterns", cfile.cmd ))
 				{
diff --git a/src/mbsync.1 b/src/mbsync.1
index bdf5d3c..7813c6a 100644
--- a/src/mbsync.1
+++ b/src/mbsync.1
@@ -472,11 +472,6 @@ does not exist.
 Permanently remove all messages [on the Master/Slave] marked for deletion.
 (Global default: \fINone\fR)
 ..
-.P
-\fBSync\fR, \fBCreate\fR and \fBExpunge\fR can be used outside any section for
-a global effect. The global settings are overridden by Channel-specific options,
-which in turn are overridden by command line switches.
-..
 .TP
 \fBCopyArrivalDate\fR {\fIyes\fR|\fIno\fR}
 Selects whether their arrival time should be propagated together with
@@ -487,6 +482,13 @@ Note that IMAP does not guarantee that the time stamp (termed \fBinternal
 date\fR) is actually the arrival time, but it is usually close enough.
 (Default: \fIno\fR)
 ..
+.P
+\fBSync\fR, \fBCreate\fR, \fBExpunge\fR,
+\fBMaxMessages\fR, and \fBCopyArrivalDate\fR
+can be used before any section for a global effect.
+The global settings are overridden by Channel-specific options,
+which in turn are overridden by command line switches.
+..
 .TP
 \fBSyncState\fR {\fB*\fR|\fIpath\fR}
 Set the location of this Channel's synchronization state files. \fB*\fR means