--- nodeaccess_userreference.module
+++ nodeaccess_userreference.module
@@ -76,13 +76,14 @@
  */
 function nodeaccess_userreference_form_alter($form_id, &$form) {
   if ($form_id == '_content_admin_field' && $form['field_type']['#value'] == "userreference") {
-    $variable = 'nodeaccess_userreference_'. $form['field_name']['#value'] .'_'. $form['type_name']['#value'];
-    $data = variable_get($variable, array('view' => 0, 'update' => 0, 'delete' => 0));
-
+    $variable = $form['field_name']['#value'] .'_'. $form['type_name']['#value'];
+    
+    $data = variable_get('nodeaccess_userreference', array('default' => array('view' => 0, 'update' => 0, 'delete' => 0)));
+    $default = $data[$variable] ? $data[$variable] : $data['default'];
     $form['widget']['nodeaccess_userreference_view'] = array(
       '#type' => 'checkbox',
       '#title' => t('Grant "view" node access to user'),
-      '#default_value' => $data['view'],
+      '#default_value' => $default['view'],
       '#description' => t('Give the referenced user access to view the node, if they cannot already do so.'),
       '#weight' => 42,
     );
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@
     $form['widget']['nodeaccess_userreference_update'] = array(
       '#type' => 'checkbox',
       '#title' => t('Grant "edit" node access to user'),
-      '#default_value' => $data['update'],
+      '#default_value' => $default['update'],
       '#description' => t('Give the referenced user access to edit the node, if they cannot already do so.'),
       '#weight' => 43,
     );
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@
     $form['widget']['nodeaccess_userreference_delete'] = array(
       '#type' => 'checkbox',
       '#title' => t('Grant "delete" node access to user'),
-      '#default_value' => $data['delete'],
+      '#default_value' => $default['delete'],
       '#description' => t('Give the referenced user access to delete the node, if they cannot already do so.'),
       '#weight' => 44,
     );
@@ -112,13 +113,14 @@
  * Extra submit function for User Reference field config.
  */
 function nodeaccess_userreference_content_field_edit_form_submit($form_id, $form_values) {
-  $variable = 'nodeaccess_userreference_'. $form_values['field_name'] .'_'. $form_values['type_name'];
-  $data = array(
+  $data = variable_get('nodeaccess_userreference', array('default' => array('view' => 0, 'update' => 0, 'delete' => 0)));
+  $variable = $form_values['field_name'] .'_'. $form_values['type_name'];
+  $data[$variable] = array(
     'view' => $form_values['nodeaccess_userreference_view'],
     'update' => $form_values['nodeaccess_userreference_update'],
     'delete' => $form_values['nodeaccess_userreference_delete'],
   );
-  variable_set($variable, $data);
+  variable_set('nodeaccess_userreference', $data);
   $nodes = node_load(array('type' => $form_values['type_name']));
   if ($nodes) {
     node_access_rebuild();
@@ -138,8 +140,9 @@
   if (is_array($info)) {
     foreach ($info as $field) {
       if ($field['type'] == 'userreference') {
-        $variable = 'nodeaccess_userreference_'. $field['field_name'] .'_'. $field['type_name'];
-        $data = variable_get($variable, array('view' => 0, 'update' => 0, 'delete' => 0));
+        $variable = $field['field_name'] .'_'. $field['type_name'];
+        $data = variable_get('nodeaccess_userreference', array('default' => array('view' => 0, 'update' => 0, 'delete' => 0)));
+        $data = $data[$variable] ? $data[$variable] : $data['default'];
         if (($data['view'] || $data['update'] || $data['delete']) && is_array($node->$field['field_name'])) {
           foreach ($node->$field['field_name'] as $userreference) {
             if ($userreference['uid']) {