diff --git a/src/origin/descr.rs b/src/origin/descr.rs
index 6e0acc8..a525a15 100644
--- a/src/origin/descr.rs
+++ b/src/origin/descr.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use sha2::{Digest, Sha256};
 /// A unique description of an origin, from where a domain might be served.
 pub enum Descr {
     Git { url: String, branch_name: String },
+    Proxy { url: String },
 }
 
 impl Descr {
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ impl Descr {
                 h_update(url);
                 h_update(branch_name);
             }
+            Descr::Proxy { url } => {
+                h_update("proxy");
+                h_update(url);
+            }
         }
 
         h.finalize().encode_hex::<String>()
diff --git a/src/origin/git.rs b/src/origin/git.rs
index 3f4b6d9..b466e3b 100644
--- a/src/origin/git.rs
+++ b/src/origin/git.rs
@@ -56,15 +56,24 @@ impl FSStore {
         format!("origin/{branch_name}")
     }
 
+    fn deconstruct_descr(descr: &origin::Descr) -> (&str, &str) {
+        if let origin::Descr::Git {
+            ref url,
+            ref branch_name,
+        } = descr
+        {
+            (url, branch_name)
+        } else {
+            panic!("non git descr passed in")
+        }
+    }
+
     fn create_repo_snapshot(
         &self,
         repo: gix::Repository,
         descr: &origin::Descr,
     ) -> Result<RepoSnapshot, CreateRepoSnapshotError> {
-        let origin::Descr::Git {
-            ref branch_name, ..
-        } = descr;
-
+        let (_, branch_name) = Self::deconstruct_descr(descr);
         let branch_ref = self.branch_ref(branch_name);
 
         let commit_object_id = repo
@@ -148,10 +157,7 @@ impl FSStore {
             fs::create_dir_all(repo_path)
                 .map_unexpected_while(|| format!("creating {}", repo_path.display()))?;
 
-            let origin::Descr::Git {
-                ref url,
-                ref branch_name,
-            } = descr;
+            let (url, branch_name) = Self::deconstruct_descr(descr);
 
             let (repo, _) = gix::prepare_clone_bare(url.clone(), repo_path)
                 .map_err(|e| match e {
diff --git a/src/service/http.rs b/src/service/http.rs
index 0828b42..bc5368c 100644
--- a/src/service/http.rs
+++ b/src/service/http.rs
@@ -257,8 +257,7 @@ impl<'svc> Service {
         }
 
         let settings: domain::Settings = match args.flat_domain_settings.try_into() {
-            Ok(Some(settings)) => settings,
-            Ok(None) => return self.render_error_page(400, "no domain settings provided"),
+            Ok(settings) => settings,
             Err(e) => {
                 return self
                     .render_error_page(400, format!("invalid domain settings: {e}").as_str())
@@ -280,11 +279,19 @@ impl<'svc> Service {
             _ => false,
         });
 
+        let flat_domain_settings = match settings.try_into() {
+            Ok(s) => s,
+            Err(e) => {
+                return self
+                    .internal_error(format!("failed to flatten domains settings: {e}").as_str())
+            }
+        };
+
         self.render_page(
             "/domain_init.html",
             Data {
                 domain: args.domain,
-                flat_domain_settings: settings.into(),
+                flat_domain_settings,
                 dns_records: &self.config.dns_records,
                 challenge_token: settings_hash,
 
@@ -300,8 +307,7 @@ impl<'svc> Service {
         }
 
         let settings: domain::Settings = match args.flat_domain_settings.try_into() {
-            Ok(Some(settings)) => settings,
-            Ok(None) => return self.render_error_page(400, "no domain settings provided"),
+            Ok(settings) => settings,
             Err(e) => {
                 return self
                     .render_error_page(400, format!("invalid domain settings: {e}").as_str())
diff --git a/src/service/util.rs b/src/service/util.rs
index 80961eb..695d735 100644
--- a/src/service/util.rs
+++ b/src/service/util.rs
@@ -1,49 +1,58 @@
-use std::convert::{From, TryFrom};
+use std::convert::TryFrom;
 
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-use crate::{domain, origin};
+use crate::{domain, error::unexpected, origin};
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Default)]
 pub struct FlatDomainSettings {
     domain_setting_origin_descr_kind: Option<String>,
+
     domain_setting_origin_descr_git_url: Option<String>,
     domain_setting_origin_descr_git_branch_name: Option<String>,
+
+    domain_setting_origin_descr_proxy_url: Option<String>,
 }
 
-impl TryFrom<FlatDomainSettings> for Option<domain::Settings> {
+impl TryFrom<FlatDomainSettings> for domain::Settings {
     type Error = String;
 
     fn try_from(v: FlatDomainSettings) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
-        match v
+        let origin_descr = match v
             .domain_setting_origin_descr_kind
             .unwrap_or("".to_string())
             .as_str()
         {
-            "" => Ok(None),
-            "git" => Ok(Some(domain::Settings {
-                origin_descr: origin::Descr::Git {
-                    url: v
-                        .domain_setting_origin_descr_git_url
-                        .ok_or("domain_setting_origin_descr_git_url missing")?,
-                    branch_name: v
-                        .domain_setting_origin_descr_git_branch_name
-                        .ok_or("domain_setting_origin_descr_git_branch_name missing")?,
-                },
-            })),
+            "git" => Ok(origin::Descr::Git {
+                url: v
+                    .domain_setting_origin_descr_git_url
+                    .ok_or("missing domain_setting_origin_descr_git_url")?,
+                branch_name: v
+                    .domain_setting_origin_descr_git_branch_name
+                    .ok_or("missing domain_setting_origin_descr_git_branch_name")?,
+            }),
+            "" => Err("missing domain_setting_origin_descr_kind".to_string()),
             _ => Err("invalid domain_setting_origin_descr_kind".to_string()),
-        }
+        }?;
+
+        Ok(Self { origin_descr })
     }
 }
 
-impl From<domain::Settings> for FlatDomainSettings {
-    fn from(v: domain::Settings) -> Self {
+impl TryFrom<domain::Settings> for FlatDomainSettings {
+    type Error = unexpected::Error;
+
+    fn try_from(v: domain::Settings) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
         match v.origin_descr {
-            origin::Descr::Git { url, branch_name } => FlatDomainSettings {
+            origin::Descr::Git { url, branch_name } => Ok(FlatDomainSettings {
                 domain_setting_origin_descr_kind: Some("git".to_string()),
                 domain_setting_origin_descr_git_url: Some(url),
                 domain_setting_origin_descr_git_branch_name: Some(branch_name),
-            },
+                ..Default::default()
+            }),
+            origin::Descr::Proxy { .. } => Err(unexpected::Error::from(
+                "proxy origins not supported for forms",
+            )),
         }
     }
 }