diff --git a/node/Bond.cpp b/node/Bond.cpp
index 05bd7a842..a5b3d1b03 100644
--- a/node/Bond.cpp
+++ b/node/Bond.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ SharedPtr<Bond> Bond::createTransportTriggeredBond(const RuntimeEnvironment* ren
 	int64_t identity = peer->identity().address().toInt();
 	Bond* bond = nullptr;
 	if (! _bonds.count(identity)) {
-		std::string policyAlias;
 		if (! _policyTemplateAssignments.count(identity)) {
 			if (_defaultPolicy) {
 				bond = new Bond(renv, _defaultPolicy, peer);
@@ -1717,6 +1716,7 @@ void Bond::setBondParameters(int policy, SharedPtr<Bond> templateBond, bool useT
 	/* If a user has specified custom parameters for this bonding policy, overlay them onto the defaults */
 	if (useTemplate) {
 		_policyAlias = templateBond->_policyAlias;
+		_policy = templateBond->policy();
 		_failoverInterval = templateBond->_failoverInterval >= ZT_BOND_FAILOVER_MIN_INTERVAL ? templateBond->_failoverInterval : ZT_BOND_FAILOVER_MIN_INTERVAL;
 		_downDelay = templateBond->_downDelay;
 		_upDelay = templateBond->_upDelay;
diff --git a/node/Bond.hpp b/node/Bond.hpp
index f9f85beed..11e5980da 100644
--- a/node/Bond.hpp
+++ b/node/Bond.hpp
@@ -1000,12 +1000,12 @@ class Bond {
 	/**
 	 * @param policy Bonding policy for this bond
 	 */
-	/*
+
 	inline void setPolicy(uint8_t policy)
 	{
 		_policy = policy;
 	}
-*/
+
 	/**
 	 * @return the current bonding policy
 	 */
diff --git a/service/OneService.cpp b/service/OneService.cpp
index 255bad21e..c451af69c 100644
--- a/service/OneService.cpp
+++ b/service/OneService.cpp
@@ -1769,7 +1769,8 @@ public:
 				if (basePolicyStr.empty()) {
 					fprintf(stderr, "error: no base policy was specified for custom policy (%s)\n", customPolicyStr.c_str());
 				}
-				if (_node->bondController()->getPolicyCodeByStr(basePolicyStr) == ZT_BOND_POLICY_NONE) {
+				int basePolicyCode = _node->bondController()->getPolicyCodeByStr(basePolicyStr);
+				if (basePolicyCode == ZT_BOND_POLICY_NONE) {
 					fprintf(stderr, "error: custom policy (%s) is invalid, unknown base policy (%s).\n",
 						customPolicyStr.c_str(), basePolicyStr.c_str());
 					continue;
@@ -1781,6 +1782,7 @@ public:
 				// New bond, used as a copy template for new instances
 				SharedPtr<Bond> newTemplateBond = new Bond(NULL, basePolicyStr, customPolicyStr, SharedPtr<Peer>());
 				// Acceptable ranges
+				newTemplateBond->setPolicy(basePolicyCode);
 				newTemplateBond->setMaxAcceptableLatency(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["maxAcceptableLatency"],-1));
 				newTemplateBond->setMaxAcceptableMeanLatency(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["maxAcceptableMeanLatency"],-1));
 				newTemplateBond->setMaxAcceptablePacketDelayVariance(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["maxAcceptablePacketDelayVariance"],-1));
@@ -1805,7 +1807,7 @@ public:
 				newTemplateBond->setUpDelay(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["upDelay"],-1));
 				newTemplateBond->setDownDelay(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["downDelay"],-1));
 				newTemplateBond->setFlowRebalanceStrategy(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["flowRebalanceStrategy"],(uint64_t)0));
-				newTemplateBond->setFailoverInterval(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["failoverInterval"],(uint64_t)0));
+				newTemplateBond->setFailoverInterval(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["failoverInterval"],ZT_BOND_FAILOVER_DEFAULT_INTERVAL));
 				newTemplateBond->setPacketsPerLink(OSUtils::jsonInt(customPolicy["packetsPerLink"],-1));
 
 				// Policy-Specific link set