diff --git a/pkg/inputunifi/input.go b/pkg/inputunifi/input.go
index d24e7fa0..79dc7ce5 100644
--- a/pkg/inputunifi/input.go
+++ b/pkg/inputunifi/input.go
@@ -193,7 +193,8 @@ func (u *InputUnifi) checkSites(c *Controller) error {
 FIRST:
 	for _, s := range c.Sites {
 		for _, site := range sites {
-			if s == site.Name {
+			// Case-insensitive comparison for site names
+			if strings.EqualFold(s, site.Name) {
 				keep = append(keep, s)
 
 				continue FIRST
diff --git a/pkg/inputunifi/interface.go b/pkg/inputunifi/interface.go
index 48c683ec..4738b6d6 100644
--- a/pkg/inputunifi/interface.go
+++ b/pkg/inputunifi/interface.go
@@ -30,16 +30,7 @@ func (u *InputUnifi) Initialize(l poller.Logger) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if u.setDefaults(&u.Default); len(u.Controllers) == 0 && !u.Dynamic {
-		// If remote mode is enabled at config level, set it on default controller
-		if u.Remote && u.RemoteAPIKey != "" {
-			u.Default.Remote = true
-			u.Default.APIKey = u.RemoteAPIKey
-		}
-		u.Controllers = []*Controller{&u.Default}
-	}
-
-	// Discover remote controllers if remote mode is enabled
+	// Discover remote controllers if remote mode is enabled at config level
 	if u.Remote && u.RemoteAPIKey != "" {
 		u.Logf("Remote API mode enabled, discovering controllers...")
 
@@ -47,32 +38,37 @@ func (u *InputUnifi) Initialize(l poller.Logger) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			u.LogErrorf("Failed to discover remote controllers: %v", err)
 		} else if len(discovered) > 0 {
-			// Merge discovered controllers with configured ones
-			u.Controllers = append(u.Controllers, discovered...)
+			// Replace controllers with discovered ones when using config-level remote mode
+			u.Controllers = discovered
 			u.Logf("Discovered %d remote controller(s)", len(discovered))
 		}
-	}
+	} else {
+		// Only set default controller if not using config-level remote mode
+		if u.setDefaults(&u.Default); len(u.Controllers) == 0 && !u.Dynamic {
+			u.Controllers = []*Controller{&u.Default}
+		}
 
-	// Also check individual controllers for remote flag
-	for _, c := range u.Controllers {
-		if c.Remote && c.APIKey != "" && c.ConsoleID == "" {
-			// This controller has remote flag but no console ID, try to discover
-			discovered, err := u.discoverRemoteControllers(c.APIKey)
-			if err != nil {
-				u.LogErrorf("Failed to discover remote controllers for controller: %v", err)
-				continue
-			}
-			if len(discovered) > 0 {
-				// Replace this controller with discovered ones
-				// Remove the current one and add discovered
-				newControllers := []*Controller{}
-				for _, existing := range u.Controllers {
-					if existing != c {
-						newControllers = append(newControllers, existing)
+		// Check individual controllers for remote flag (per-controller remote mode)
+		for _, c := range u.Controllers {
+			if c.Remote && c.APIKey != "" && c.ConsoleID == "" {
+				// This controller has remote flag but no console ID, try to discover
+				discovered, err := u.discoverRemoteControllers(c.APIKey)
+				if err != nil {
+					u.LogErrorf("Failed to discover remote controllers for controller: %v", err)
+					continue
+				}
+				if len(discovered) > 0 {
+					// Replace this controller with discovered ones
+					// Remove the current one and add discovered
+					newControllers := []*Controller{}
+					for _, existing := range u.Controllers {
+						if existing != c {
+							newControllers = append(newControllers, existing)
+						}
 					}
+					newControllers = append(newControllers, discovered...)
+					u.Controllers = newControllers
 				}
-				newControllers = append(newControllers, discovered...)
-				u.Controllers = newControllers
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/inputunifi/remote.go b/pkg/inputunifi/remote.go
index 96d33d1e..6b616f91 100644
--- a/pkg/inputunifi/remote.go
+++ b/pkg/inputunifi/remote.go
@@ -271,14 +271,58 @@ func (u *InputUnifi) discoverRemoteControllers(apiKey string) ([]*Controller, er
 			URL: fmt.Sprintf("%s/v1/connector/consoles/%s", remoteAPIBaseURL, console.ID),
 		}
 
+		// Ensure defaults are set before calling setControllerDefaults
+		u.setDefaults(&u.Default)
+		
 		// Copy defaults
 		controller = u.setControllerDefaults(controller)
 
-		// Set remote-specific defaults
+		// Set remote-specific defaults and ensure all boolean pointers are initialized
 		t := true
+		f := false
 		if controller.VerifySSL == nil {
 			controller.VerifySSL = &t // Remote API should verify SSL
 		}
+		// Ensure all boolean pointers are set (safety check)
+		if controller.HashPII == nil {
+			controller.HashPII = &f
+		}
+		if controller.DropPII == nil {
+			controller.DropPII = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveSites == nil {
+			controller.SaveSites = &t
+		}
+		if controller.SaveDPI == nil {
+			controller.SaveDPI = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveEvents == nil {
+			controller.SaveEvents = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveAlarms == nil {
+			controller.SaveAlarms = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveAnomal == nil {
+			controller.SaveAnomal = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveIDs == nil {
+			controller.SaveIDs = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveTraffic == nil {
+			controller.SaveTraffic = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveRogue == nil {
+			controller.SaveRogue = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveSyslog == nil {
+			controller.SaveSyslog = &f
+		}
+		if controller.SaveProtectLogs == nil {
+			controller.SaveProtectLogs = &f
+		}
+		if controller.ProtectThumbnails == nil {
+			controller.ProtectThumbnails = &f
+		}
 
 		// Extract site names
 		siteNames := make([]string, 0, len(sites))
@@ -292,13 +336,13 @@ func (u *InputUnifi) discoverRemoteControllers(apiKey string) ([]*Controller, er
 		// as the default site name override. The console name is in reportedState.name
 		// (consoleName was already set above in the loop)
 
-		// If we only have one site and it's "default", use the console name as override
-		if len(siteNames) == 1 && (siteNames[0] == "default" || siteNames[0] == "") && consoleName != "" {
+		// If we only have one site and it's "default" (case-insensitive), use the console name as override
+		if len(siteNames) == 1 && strings.EqualFold(siteNames[0], "default") && consoleName != "" {
 			controller.DefaultSiteNameOverride = consoleName
+			// Set sites to "all" since we're overriding the default site name
+			controller.Sites = []string{"all"}
 			u.LogDebugf("Using console name '%s' as default site name override for Cloud Gateway", consoleName)
-		}
-
-		if len(siteNames) > 0 {
+		} else if len(siteNames) > 0 {
 			controller.Sites = siteNames
 		} else {
 			controller.Sites = []string{"all"}