diff --git a/lib/queue_classic.rb b/lib/queue_classic.rb
index dc037f16..9c6d6d18 100644
--- a/lib/queue_classic.rb
+++ b/lib/queue_classic.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module QC
   # notes the queue. You can point your workers
   # at different queues but only one at a time.
   QUEUE = ENV["QUEUE"] || "default"
-  QUEUES = ENV["QUEUES"] || []
+  QUEUES = (ENV["QUEUES"] && ENV["QUEUES"].split(",")) || []
 
   # Set this to 1 for strict FIFO.
   # There is nothing special about 9....
diff --git a/lib/queue_classic/worker.rb b/lib/queue_classic/worker.rb
index c03628db..ea8814ec 100644
--- a/lib/queue_classic/worker.rb
+++ b/lib/queue_classic/worker.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ def initialize(args={})
       @wait_interval = args[:wait_interval] || QC::WAIT_TIME
       @conn_adapter = ConnAdapter.new(args[:connection])
       @queues = setup_queues(@conn_adapter,
-        args[:q_name], args[:q_names], args[:top_bound])
+        (args[:q_name] || QC::QUEUE),
+        (args[:q_names] || QC::QUEUES),
+        (args[:top_bound] || QC::TOP_BOUND))
       log(args.merge(:at => "worker_initialized"))
       @running = true
     end
@@ -131,10 +133,8 @@ def log(data)
 
     private
 
-    def setup_queues(adapter, q_name, q_names, top_bound)
-      name = q_name || QC::QUEUE
-      names = q_names || QC::QUEUES
-      names << name unless names.include?(name)
+    def setup_queues(adapter, queue, queues, top_bound)
+      names = queues.length > 0 ? queues : [queue]
       names.map do |name|
         QC::Queue.new(name, top_bound).tap do |q|
           q.conn_adapter = adapter