diff --git a/core/config/config_helper.cpp b/core/config/config_helper.cpp
index 2c70fa6f79e..8239f7da491 100644
--- a/core/config/config_helper.cpp
+++ b/core/config/config_helper.cpp
@@ -45,11 +45,12 @@ parse_or_get_factory<const stop::CriterionFactory>(const pnode& config,
                                                    const registry& context,
                                                    const type_descriptor& td)
 {
-    deferred_factory_parameter<const stop::CriterionFactory> ptr;
     if (config.get_tag() == pnode::tag_t::string) {
         return detail::registry_accessor::get_data<stop::CriterionFactory>(
             context, config.get_string());
-    } else if (config.get_tag() == pnode::tag_t::map) {
+    }
+
+    if (config.get_tag() == pnode::tag_t::map) {
         static std::map<std::string,
                         std::function<deferred_factory_parameter<
                             gko::stop::CriterionFactory>(
@@ -62,8 +63,87 @@ parse_or_get_factory<const stop::CriterionFactory>(const pnode& config,
         return criterion_map.at(config.get("type").get_string())(config,
                                                                  context, td);
     }
-    GKO_THROW_IF_INVALID(!ptr.is_empty(), "parse returned nullptr");
-    return ptr;
+
+    GKO_INVALID_STATE(
+        "Criteria must either be defined as a string or an array.");
+}
+
+
+std::vector<deferred_factory_parameter<const stop::CriterionFactory>>
+parse_minimal_criteria(const pnode& config, const registry& context,
+                       const type_descriptor& td)
+{
+    auto map_time = [](const pnode& config, const registry& context,
+                       const type_descriptor& td) {
+        pnode time_config{{{"time_limit", config.get("time")}}};
+        return configure_time(time_config, context, td);
+    };
+    auto map_iteration = [](const pnode& config, const registry& context,
+                            const type_descriptor& td) {
+        pnode iter_config{{{"max_iters", config.get("iteration")}}};
+        return configure_iter(iter_config, context, td);
+    };
+    auto create_residual_mapping = [](const std::string& key,
+                                      const std::string& baseline,
+                                      auto configure_fn) {
+        return std::make_pair(
+            key, [=](const pnode& config, const registry& context,
+                     const type_descriptor& td) {
+                pnode res_config{{{"baseline", pnode{baseline}},
+                                  {"reduction_factor", config.get(key)}}};
+                return configure_fn(res_config, context, td);
+            });
+    };
+    std::map<
+        std::string,
+        std::function<deferred_factory_parameter<gko::stop::CriterionFactory>(
+            const pnode&, const registry&, type_descriptor)>>
+        criterion_map{
+            {{"time", map_time},
+             {"iteration", map_iteration},
+             create_residual_mapping("relative_residual_norm", "rhs_norm",
+                                     configure_residual),
+             create_residual_mapping("initial_residual_norm", "initial_resnorm",
+                                     configure_residual),
+             create_residual_mapping("absolute_residual_norm", "absolute",
+                                     configure_residual),
+             create_residual_mapping("relative_implicit_residual_norm",
+                                     "rhs_norm", configure_implicit_residual),
+             create_residual_mapping("initial_implicit_residual_norm",
+                                     "initial_resnorm",
+                                     configure_implicit_residual),
+             create_residual_mapping("absolute_implicit_residual_norm",
+                                     "absolute", configure_implicit_residual)}};
+
+    std::vector<deferred_factory_parameter<const stop::CriterionFactory>> res;
+    for (const auto& it : config.get_map()) {
+        res.emplace_back(criterion_map.at(it.first)(config, context, td));
+    }
+    return res;
+}
+
+
+std::vector<deferred_factory_parameter<const stop::CriterionFactory>>
+parse_or_get_criteria(const pnode& config, const registry& context,
+                      const type_descriptor& td)
+{
+    if (config.get_tag() == pnode::tag_t::array) {
+        return parse_or_get_factory_vector<const stop::CriterionFactory>(
+            config, context, td);
+    }
+
+    if (config.get_tag() == pnode::tag_t::map) {
+        return parse_minimal_criteria(config, context, td);
+    }
+
+    if (config.get_tag() == pnode::tag_t::string) {
+        return {detail::registry_accessor::get_data<stop::CriterionFactory>(
+            context, config.get_string())};
+    }
+
+    GKO_INVALID_STATE(
+        "Criteria must either be defined as a string, an array,"
+        "or an map.");
 }
 
 }  // namespace config
diff --git a/core/config/config_helper.hpp b/core/config/config_helper.hpp
index 798d3623856..3117a0c7cd6 100644
--- a/core/config/config_helper.hpp
+++ b/core/config/config_helper.hpp
@@ -86,6 +86,15 @@ parse_or_get_factory<const stop::CriterionFactory>(const pnode& config,
                                                    const registry& context,
                                                    const type_descriptor& td);
 
+/**
+ * parse or get an std::vector of criteria.
+ * A stored single criterion will be converted to an std::vector.
+ */
+std::vector<deferred_factory_parameter<const stop::CriterionFactory>>
+parse_or_get_criteria(const pnode& config, const registry& context,
+                      const type_descriptor& td);
+
+
 /**
  * give a vector of factory by calling parse_or_get_factory.
  */
diff --git a/core/solver/cg.cpp b/core/solver/cg.cpp
index 71e5fcfbb3b..fe5450be070 100644
--- a/core/solver/cg.cpp
+++ b/core/solver/cg.cpp
@@ -69,8 +69,7 @@ typename Cg<ValueType>::parameters_type Cg<ValueType>::parse(
     }
     if (auto& obj = config.get("criteria")) {
         params.with_criteria(
-            gko::config::parse_or_get_factory_vector<
-                const stop::CriterionFactory>(obj, context, td_for_child));
+            gko::config::parse_or_get_criteria(obj, context, td_for_child));
     }
     if (auto& obj = config.get("preconditioner")) {
         params.with_preconditioner(