diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index 5eb26efc..75def1dd 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -1227,8 +1227,20 @@ void CConfigManager::handleWorkspaceRules(const std::string& command, const std:
             wsRule.isPersistent = configStringToInt(rule.substr(delim + 11));
         else if ((delim = rule.find(ruleOnCreatedEmtpy)) != std::string::npos)
             wsRule.onCreatedEmptyRunCmd = cleanCmdForWorkspace(name, rule.substr(delim + ruleOnCreatedEmtpyLen));
-        else if ((delim = rule.find("layoutopt:orientation:")) != std::string::npos)
-            wsRule.layoutopts["orientation"] = rule.substr(delim + 22);
+        else if ((delim = rule.find("layoutopt:")) != std::string::npos) {
+            std::string opt = rule.substr(delim + 10);
+            if (!opt.contains(":")) {
+                // invalid
+                Debug::log(ERR, "Invalid workspace rule found: {}", rule);
+                parseError = "Invalid workspace rule found: " + rule;
+                return;
+            }
+
+            std::string val = opt.substr(opt.find(":") + 1);
+            opt             = opt.substr(0, opt.find(":"));
+
+            wsRule.layoutopts[opt] = val;
+        }
     };
 
     size_t      pos = 0;
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
index 8009100e..d5957cd5 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
@@ -37,21 +37,21 @@ struct SConfigValue {
 };
 
 struct SWorkspaceRule {
-    std::string                     monitor         = "";
-    std::string                     workspaceString = "";
-    std::string                     workspaceName   = "";
-    int                             workspaceId     = -1;
-    bool                            isDefault       = false;
-    bool                            isPersistent    = false;
-    std::optional<int64_t>          gapsIn;
-    std::optional<int64_t>          gapsOut;
-    std::optional<int64_t>          borderSize;
-    std::optional<int>              border;
-    std::optional<int>              rounding;
-    std::optional<int>              decorate;
-    std::optional<int>              shadow;
-    std::optional<std::string>      onCreatedEmptyRunCmd;
-    std::map<std::string, std::any> layoutopts;
+    std::string                        monitor         = "";
+    std::string                        workspaceString = "";
+    std::string                        workspaceName   = "";
+    int                                workspaceId     = -1;
+    bool                               isDefault       = false;
+    bool                               isPersistent    = false;
+    std::optional<int64_t>             gapsIn;
+    std::optional<int64_t>             gapsOut;
+    std::optional<int64_t>             borderSize;
+    std::optional<int>                 border;
+    std::optional<int>                 rounding;
+    std::optional<int>                 decorate;
+    std::optional<int>                 shadow;
+    std::optional<std::string>         onCreatedEmptyRunCmd;
+    std::map<std::string, std::string> layoutopts;
 };
 
 struct SMonitorAdditionalReservedArea {
diff --git a/src/layout/MasterLayout.cpp b/src/layout/MasterLayout.cpp
index 8b12d669..ff7f9e2e 100644
--- a/src/layout/MasterLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/layout/MasterLayout.cpp
@@ -45,10 +45,8 @@ SMasterWorkspaceData* CHyprMasterLayout::getMasterWorkspaceData(const int& ws) {
     const auto layoutoptsForWs  = g_pConfigManager->getWorkspaceRuleFor(g_pCompositor->getWorkspaceByID(ws)).layoutopts;
     auto       orientationForWs = *orientation;
 
-    try {
-        if (layoutoptsForWs.contains("orientation"))
-            orientationForWs = std::any_cast<std::string>(layoutoptsForWs.at("orientation"));
-    } catch (std::exception& e) { Debug::log(ERR, "Error from layoutopt rules: {}", e.what()); }
+    if (layoutoptsForWs.contains("orientation"))
+        orientationForWs = layoutoptsForWs.at("orientation");
 
     if (orientationForWs == "top") {
         PWORKSPACEDATA->orientation = ORIENTATION_TOP;
@@ -56,11 +54,12 @@ SMasterWorkspaceData* CHyprMasterLayout::getMasterWorkspaceData(const int& ws) {
         PWORKSPACEDATA->orientation = ORIENTATION_RIGHT;
     } else if (orientationForWs == "bottom") {
         PWORKSPACEDATA->orientation = ORIENTATION_BOTTOM;
-    } else if (orientationForWs == "left") {
-        PWORKSPACEDATA->orientation = ORIENTATION_LEFT;
-    } else {
+    } else if (orientationForWs == "center") {
         PWORKSPACEDATA->orientation = ORIENTATION_CENTER;
+    } else {
+        PWORKSPACEDATA->orientation = ORIENTATION_LEFT;
     }
+
     return PWORKSPACEDATA;
 }