diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index ed7dc1f..3813b1d 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ function authorize(options) {
     fail:         function(data, message, critical, accept){accept(null, false)}
   };
 
-  var auth = xtend({}, defaults, options );
+  var auth = xtend(defaults, options);
 
   auth.userProperty = auth.passport._userProperty || 'user';
 
-  if (typeof auth.cookieParser === 'undefined' || !auth.cookieParser) {
+  if (!auth.cookieParser) {
     throw new Error('cookieParser is required use connect.cookieParser or express.cookieParser');
   }