diff --git a/bandit/core/utils.py b/bandit/core/utils.py
index 7a0a3f275..531a9771e 100644
--- a/bandit/core/utils.py
+++ b/bandit/core/utils.py
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class InvalidModulePath(Exception):
 
 class ConfigError(Exception):
     """Raised when the config file fails validation."""
+
     def __init__(self, message, config_file):
         self.config_file = config_file
         self.message = "{0} : {1}".format(config_file, message)
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ def __init__(self, message, config_file):
 
 class ProfileNotFound(Exception):
     """Raised when chosen profile cannot be found."""
+
     def __init__(self, config_file, profile):
         self.config_file = config_file
         self.profile = profile
@@ -312,7 +314,7 @@ def parse_ini_file(f_loc):
         LOG.warning("Unable to parse config file %s or missing [bandit] "
                     "section", f_loc)
 
-    return None
+    return {}
 
 
 def check_ast_node(name):
diff --git a/tests/unit/cli/test_main.py b/tests/unit/cli/test_main.py
index 815e3c118..a78f3ec66 100644
--- a/tests/unit/cli/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/unit/cli/test_main.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import fixtures
 import mock
 import testtools
-
 from bandit.cli import main as bandit
 from bandit.core import extension_loader as ext_loader
 from bandit.core import utils
@@ -89,20 +88,20 @@ def tearDown(self):
     def test_get_options_from_ini_no_ini_path_no_target(self):
         # Test that no config options are loaded when no ini path or target
         # directory are provided
-        self.assertIsNone(bandit._get_options_from_ini(None, []))
+        self.assertEqual({}, bandit._get_options_from_ini(None, []))
 
     def test_get_options_from_ini_empty_directory_no_target(self):
         # Test that no config options are loaded when an empty directory is
         # provided as the ini path and no target directory is provided
         ini_directory = self.useFixture(fixtures.TempDir()).path
-        self.assertIsNone(bandit._get_options_from_ini(ini_directory, []))
+        self.assertEqual({}, bandit._get_options_from_ini(ini_directory, []))
 
     def test_get_options_from_ini_no_ini_path_no_bandit_files(self):
         # Test that no config options are loaded when no ini path is provided
         # and the target directory contains no bandit config files (.bandit)
         target_directory = self.useFixture(fixtures.TempDir()).path
-        self.assertIsNone(bandit._get_options_from_ini(None,
-                          [target_directory]))
+        self.assertEqual({}, bandit._get_options_from_ini(
+            None, [target_directory]))
 
     def test_get_options_from_ini_no_ini_path_multi_bandit_files(self):
         # Test that bandit exits when no ini path is provided and the target
@@ -124,27 +123,36 @@ def test_init_extensions(self):
         # Test that an extension loader manager is returned
         self.assertEqual(ext_loader.MANAGER, bandit._init_extensions())
 
-    def test_log_option_source_arg_val(self):
+    def test_decide_option_source_arg_val(self):
         # Test that the command argument value is returned when provided
         arg_val = 'file'
         ini_val = 'vuln'
         option_name = 'aggregate'
-        self.assertEqual(arg_val, bandit._log_option_source(arg_val, ini_val,
-                         option_name))
+        self.assertEqual(arg_val, bandit._decide_option_source(arg_val, ini_val, None,
+                                                               option_name))
 
-    def test_log_option_source_ini_value(self):
+    def test_decide_option_source_ini_value(self):
         # Test that the ini value is returned when no command argument is
         # provided
         ini_val = 'vuln'
         option_name = 'aggregate'
-        self.assertEqual(ini_val, bandit._log_option_source(None, ini_val,
-                         option_name))
+        self.assertEqual(ini_val, bandit._decide_option_source(None, ini_val, None,
+                                                               option_name))
+
+    def test_decide_option_source_default_value(self):
+        # Test that the ini value is returned when no command argument is
+        # provided
+        default_val = 'vuln'
+        option_name = 'aggregate'
+        self.assertEqual(default_val, bandit._decide_option_source(None, None, default_val,
+                                                                   option_name))
 
-    def test_log_option_source_no_values(self):
+    def test_decide_option_source_no_values(self):
         # Test that None is returned when no command argument or ini value are
         # provided
         option_name = 'aggregate'
-        self.assertIsNone(bandit._log_option_source(None, None, option_name))
+        self.assertIsNone(bandit._decide_option_source(
+            None, None, None, option_name))
 
     @mock.patch('sys.argv', ['bandit', '-c', 'bandit.yaml', 'test'])
     def test_main_config_unopenable(self):