diff --git a/src/default_line.sld b/src/default_line.sld
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..2ba50e7b162de894f2fd7a3462b1e06e5a05d9f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/default_line.sld
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+<StyledLayerDescriptor version="1.0.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/sld http://schemas.opengis.net/sld/1.0.0/StyledLayerDescriptor.xsd">
+    <NamedLayer>
+        <Name>foo</Name>
+        <UserStyle>
+            <FeatureTypeStyle>
+                <Rule>
+                    <Name>Class given in default</Name>
+                    <LineSymbolizer>
+                        <Stroke>
+                            <CssParameter name="stroke">#FF7D3F</CssParameter>
+                            <CssParameter name="stroke-width">1.5</CssParameter>
+                        </Stroke>
+                    </LineSymbolizer>
+                </Rule>
+            </FeatureTypeStyle>
+        </UserStyle>
+    </NamedLayer>
+</StyledLayerDescriptor>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/default_point.sld b/src/default_point.sld
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..ed5ee3f8652eb13eadedfbc982213b7f01f63977
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/default_point.sld
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+<StyledLayerDescriptor version="1.0.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/sld http://schemas.opengis.net/sld/1.0.0/StyledLayerDescriptor.xsd">
+	<NamedLayer>
+		<Name>foo</Name>
+		<UserStyle>
+			<FeatureTypeStyle>
+				<Rule>
+					<Name>Class given in default</Name>
+					<PointSymbolizer>
+						<Graphic>
+							<Size>6.0</Size>
+							<Mark>
+								<WellKnownName>circle</WellKnownName>
+								<Fill>
+									<CssParameter name="fill">#6D35AD</CssParameter>
+								</Fill>
+							</Mark>
+						</Graphic>
+					</PointSymbolizer>
+				</Rule>
+			</FeatureTypeStyle>
+		</UserStyle>
+	</NamedLayer>
+</StyledLayerDescriptor>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/default_polygon.sld b/src/default_polygon.sld
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..ae09b0e149591dcac524387b61b893f2332dbcb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/default_polygon.sld
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<StyledLayerDescriptor version="1.0.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/sld http://schemas.opengis.net/sld/1.0.0/StyledLayerDescriptor.xsd">
+    <NamedLayer>
+        <Name>foo</Name>
+        <UserStyle>
+            <FeatureTypeStyle>
+                <Rule>
+                    <Name>Class given in default</Name>
+                    <PolygonSymbolizer>
+                        <Fill>
+                            <CssParameter name="fill">#95F9D6</CssParameter>
+                        </Fill>
+                        <Stroke>
+                            <CssParameter name="stroke">#2AAB7E</CssParameter>
+                            <CssParameter name="stroke-width">1</CssParameter>
+                        </Stroke>
+                    </PolygonSymbolizer>
+                </Rule>
+            </FeatureTypeStyle>
+        </UserStyle>
+    </NamedLayer>
+</StyledLayerDescriptor>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/mapfile.py b/src/mapfile.py
index dff460df6d9d0b139488aa9ec4438bdfb2ac3531..e9f08d1ae4116ea1edce2c354db42f37770b44a3 100644
--- a/src/mapfile.py
+++ b/src/mapfile.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import mapscript
 import urlparse
 import stores
 import metadata
+import webapp
 
 import functools
 
@@ -908,84 +909,24 @@ class Mapfile(MetadataMixin):
         
         model.configure_layer(ws, layer, l_enabled)
 
-        # Add a new class by default:
         if layer.ms.type == mapscript.MS_LAYER_POINT:
-            # TODO: move this sld in external files
+            layer.ms.tolerance = 8
+            layer.ms.toleranceunits = 6
             s_name = 'default_point'
-            style = '<StyledLayerDescriptor version="1.0.0" \
-                      xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/sld \
-                      http://schemas.opengis.net/sld/1.0.0/StyledLayerDescriptor.xsd"> \
-                      <NamedLayer> \
-                        <Name>foo</Name> \
-                        <UserStyle> \
-                          <FeatureTypeStyle> \
-                            <Rule> \
-                              <Name>Class given in default</Name> \
-                              <PointSymbolizer> \
-                                <Graphic> \
-                                  <Size>6.0</Size> \
-                                  <Mark> \
-                                    <WellKnownName>cross</WellKnownName> \
-                                    <Fill> \
-                                      <CssParameter name="fill">#000000</CssParameter> \
-                                    </Fill> \
-                                  </Mark> \
-                                </Graphic> \
-                              </PointSymbolizer> \
-                            </Rule> \
-                          </FeatureTypeStyle> \
-                        </UserStyle> \
-                      </NamedLayer> \
-                    </StyledLayerDescriptor>'
         elif layer.ms.type == mapscript.MS_LAYER_LINE:
-            # TODO: move this sld in external files
+            layer.ms.tolerance = 8
+            layer.ms.toleranceunits = 6
             s_name = 'default_line'
-            style = '<StyledLayerDescriptor version="1.0.0" \
-                      xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/sld \
-                      http://schemas.opengis.net/sld/1.0.0/StyledLayerDescriptor.xsd"> \
-                      <NamedLayer> \
-                        <Name>foo</Name> \
-                        <UserStyle> \
-                          <FeatureTypeStyle> \
-                            <Rule> \
-                              <Name>Class given in default</Name> \
-                              <LineSymbolizer> \
-                                <Stroke> \
-                                  <CssParameter name="stroke">#000000</CssParameter> \
-                                  <CssParameter name="stroke-width">1.5</CssParameter> \
-                                </Stroke> \
-                              </LineSymbolizer> \
-                            </Rule> \
-                          </FeatureTypeStyle> \
-                        </UserStyle> \
-                      </NamedLayer> \
-                    </StyledLayerDescriptor>'
         elif layer.ms.type == mapscript.MS_LAYER_POLYGON:
-            # TODO: move this sld in external files
+            layer.ms.tolerance = 0
+            layer.ms.toleranceunits = 6
             s_name = 'default_polygon'
-            style = '<StyledLayerDescriptor version="1.0.0" \
-                      xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/sld \
-                      http://schemas.opengis.net/sld/1.0.0/StyledLayerDescriptor.xsd"> \
-                      <NamedLayer> \
-                        <Name>foo</Name> \
-                        <UserStyle> \
-                          <FeatureTypeStyle> \
-                            <Rule> \
-                              <Name>Class given in default</Name> \
-                              <PolygonSymbolizer> \
-                                <Fill> \
-                                  <CssParameter name="fill">#C0C0C0</CssParameter> \
-                                </Fill> \
-                                <Stroke> \
-                                  <CssParameter name="stroke">#000000</CssParameter> \
-                                  <CssParameter name="stroke-width">1.25</CssParameter> \
-                                </Stroke> \
-                              </PolygonSymbolizer> \
-                            </Rule> \
-                          </FeatureTypeStyle> \
-                        </UserStyle> \
-                      </NamedLayer> \
-                    </StyledLayerDescriptor>'
+
+        try:
+            style = open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "%s.sld" % s_name)).read()
+        except IOError, OSError:
+            raise IOError, OSError
+
         layer.add_style_sld(self, s_name, style)
         layer.set_default_style(self, s_name)