diff --git a/src/config.cpp b/src/config.cpp
index 9ae4901..dd3ab0a 100644
--- a/src/config.cpp
+++ b/src/config.cpp
@@ -142,9 +142,7 @@ std::vector<std::string> config::get_local_server_definition_paths() {
     std::vector<std::string> paths;
     for (auto &path : server_definition_paths) {
         if (path.is_string() && !path.empty())
-        {
             paths.push_back(path);
-        }
         else
             std::cerr << "Warning: Invalid server definition path: " << path << std::endl;
     }
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 652c528..b528dbc 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     ASSERT_MSG(safearg(argc,argv,1) != "assert", "Hello! Here is an assert.");
 
     try {
-        // silently attempt to load the config file.
+        // silently attempt to load the config file and templates.
         gConfig().load_config();
+        if (gConfig().is_config_set()) 
+            gTemplateManager().load_sources();
 
         if (argc < 2) {
             print_help();
@@ -155,9 +157,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
         if (!gConfig().is_config_set()) 
             return die("Please run 'dropshell edit' to set up the dropshell configuration.");
 
-        // load the template sources.
-        gTemplateManager().load_sources();
-
         const std::vector<std::string> & server_definition_paths = gConfig().get_local_server_definition_paths();
         if (server_definition_paths.size()>1) { // only show if there are multiple.
             std::cout << "Server definition paths: ";
@@ -165,6 +164,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
                 std::cout << "["<< dir << "] ";
             std::cout << std::endl;
         }
+        if (gTemplateManager().is_loaded() && gTemplateManager().get_source_count() > 0)
+            gTemplateManager().print_sources();
 
         if (cmd == "server" || cmd == "servers" || cmd == "list" || cmd == "view") 
             switch (argc)
diff --git a/src/services.cpp b/src/services.cpp
index db87207..4aaa973 100644
--- a/src/services.cpp
+++ b/src/services.cpp
@@ -29,22 +29,19 @@ std::vector<LocalServiceInfo> get_server_services_info(const std::string& server
 
     for (const auto& server_definition_path : local_server_definition_paths) {
         fs::path serverpath = server_definition_path + "/" + server_name;
-        if (serverpath.string().empty()) {
-            std::cerr << "Error: Server directory not found: " << serverpath << std::endl;
-            return services;
-        }
-        fs::path servicepath = serverpath / "services";
-        if (fs::exists(servicepath)) {
-            for (const auto& entry : fs::directory_iterator(servicepath)) {
+        if (fs::exists(serverpath)) // service is on that server...
+            for (const auto& entry : fs::directory_iterator(serverpath)) {
                 if (fs::is_directory(entry)) {
-                    std::string service_name = entry.path().filename().string();
-                    auto service = get_service_info(server_name, service_name);
-                    if (!service.template_name.empty()) {
+                    std::string dirname = entry.path().filename().string();
+                    if (dirname.empty() || dirname[0] == '.' || dirname[0] == '_')
+                        continue;
+                    auto service = get_service_info(server_name, dirname);
+                    if (!service.local_service_path.empty()) 
                         services.push_back(service);
-                    }
+                    else 
+                        std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to get service info for " << dirname << " on server " << server_name << std::endl;
                 }
-            }
-        } // end of for (int i = 0; i < getNumConfigDirectories(); i++)
+            } // end of for 
     }
    
     return services;
diff --git a/src/services.hpp b/src/services.hpp
index 6727a91..c6b8bb6 100644
--- a/src/services.hpp
+++ b/src/services.hpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ namespace dropshell {
     };
     
     std::vector<LocalServiceInfo> get_server_services_info(const std::string& server_name);
+
     LocalServiceInfo get_service_info(const std::string& server_name, const std::string& service_name);
     std::set<std::string> get_used_commands(const std::string& server_name, const std::string& service_name);
 
diff --git a/src/templates.cpp b/src/templates.cpp
index 7cd6c7f..dcc2f42 100644
--- a/src/templates.cpp
+++ b/src/templates.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@
     }
 
     bool template_source_local::has_template(const std::string& template_name) {
-        return std::filesystem::exists(mLocalPath / template_name);
+        std::filesystem::path path = mLocalPath / template_name;
+        return (std::filesystem::exists(path));
     }
 
     bool template_source_local::template_command_exists(const std::string& template_name, const std::string& command) {
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     void template_manager::list_templates() const {
+        ASSERT(mLoaded && mSources.size() > 0);
         auto templates = get_template_list();
         
         if (templates.empty()) {
@@ -126,6 +128,7 @@
 
     std::set<std::string> template_manager::get_template_list() const
     {
+        ASSERT(mLoaded && mSources.size() > 0);
         std::set<std::string> templates;
         for (const auto& source : mSources) {
             auto source_templates = source->get_template_list();
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@
 
     bool template_manager::has_template(const std::string &template_name) const
     {
+        ASSERT(mLoaded && mSources.size() > 0);
         template_source_interface* source = get_source(template_name);
         if (!source) 
             return false;
@@ -144,15 +148,18 @@
 
     template_info template_manager::get_template_info(const std::string &template_name) const
     {
+        ASSERT(mLoaded && mSources.size() > 0);
         template_source_interface* source = get_source(template_name);
-        if (!source) {
-            return template_info();
-        }
-        return source->get_template_info(template_name);
-    }
+        if (source)
+            return source->get_template_info(template_name);
+
+        // fail
+        return template_info();
+}
 
     bool template_manager::template_command_exists(const std::string &template_name, const std::string &command) const
     {
+        ASSERT(mLoaded && mSources.size() > 0);
         template_source_interface* source = get_source(template_name);
         if (!source) {
             std::cerr << "Error: Template '" << template_name << "' not found" << std::endl;
@@ -233,9 +240,7 @@
                 readme_file.close();
             }
             std::cout << std::string(60, '-') << std::endl;
-        } else {
-            std::cout << "No README.txt file found in the template." << std::endl;
-        }
+        } 
 
         std::cout << std::endl;
         std::cout << "Template '" << template_name << "' created at " << new_template_path << std::endl;
@@ -248,33 +253,31 @@
         ASSERT(gConfig().is_config_set());
         ASSERT(!mLoaded);
         auto local_template_paths = gConfig().get_template_local_paths();
-        if (local_template_paths.empty()) {
-            std::cerr << "Error: No local template paths found" << std::endl;
-            std::cerr << "Run 'dropshell edit' to add one to the DropShell config" << std::endl;
+        if (local_template_paths.empty())
             return;
-        }
-        for (const auto& path : local_template_paths) {
+        for (const auto& path : local_template_paths) 
             mSources.push_back(std::make_unique<template_source_local>(path));
-        }
 
         auto registry_urls = gConfig().get_template_registry_urls();
-        for (const auto& url : registry_urls) {
+        for (const auto& url : registry_urls) 
             mSources.push_back(std::make_unique<template_source_registry>(url));
-        }
 
+        mLoaded = true;
+    }
+
+    void template_manager::print_sources() const
+    {
         std::cout << "Template sources: ";
         for (const auto& source : mSources) {
             std::cout << "[" << source->get_description() << "] ";
         }
         std::cout << std::endl;
-
-        mLoaded = true;
     }
 
     bool template_manager::required_file(std::string path, std::string template_name)
     {
         if (!std::filesystem::exists(path)) {
-            std::cerr << "Error: " << path << " file not found in template " << template_name << std::endl;
+            std::cerr << "Error: " << path << " file not found in template - REQUIRED." << template_name << std::endl;
             return false;
         }
         return true;
@@ -282,6 +285,7 @@
 
     template_source_interface *template_manager::get_source(const std::string &template_name) const
     {
+        ASSERT(mLoaded && mSources.size() > 0);
         for (const auto& source : mSources) {
             if (source->has_template(template_name)) {
                 return source.get();
diff --git a/src/templates.hpp b/src/templates.hpp
index ebc0ae1..867d9f8 100644
--- a/src/templates.hpp
+++ b/src/templates.hpp
@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ class template_manager {
         void list_templates() const;
 
         void load_sources();
+        void print_sources() const;
+
+        bool is_loaded() const { return mLoaded; }
+        int get_source_count() const { return mSources.size(); }
 
     private:
         static bool required_file(std::string path, std::string template_name);