diff --git a/src/config.cpp b/src/config.cpp
index 40a0017..8f02de7 100644
--- a/src/config.cpp
+++ b/src/config.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ config::~config() {
 
 bool config::load_config() {
     std::string config_path = get_local_dropshell_config_path();
-    if (config_path.empty())
+    if (config_path.empty() || !fs::exists(config_path))
         return false;
 
     envmanager config_env(config_path);
@@ -35,50 +35,53 @@ bool config::load_config() {
             return false;
         }
 
-    local_config_directory = config_env.get_variable_substituted("local.config.directory");
-    if (local_config_directory.empty())
+    mLocalConfigPath = config_env.get_variable_substituted("local.config.directory");
+    if (mLocalConfigPath.empty())
         {
             std::cerr << "Warning: User directory not set in config" << std::endl;
-            return false;
+            return false;   
         }
     return true;
 }
 
 void config::save_config()
 {
-    std::string config_path = get_local_dropshell_config_path();
-    if (config_path.empty())
+    if (mLocalConfigPath.empty())
     {
         std::cerr << "Warning: Unable to save configuration file, as DropShell has not been initialised."<< std::endl;
         std::cerr << "Please run 'dropshell init <path>' to initialise DropShell." << std::endl;
         return;
     }
 
+    std::string config_path = get_local_dropshell_config_path();
     envmanager config_env(config_path);
-    config_env.set_variable("local.config.directory", local_config_directory);
+    config_env.set_variable("local.config.directory", mLocalConfigPath);
     config_env.save();
 }
 
 bool config::is_config_set() const
-{
-    return !local_config_directory.empty();
+{   
+    return !mLocalConfigPath.empty();
 }
 
 bool config::get_local_config_directory(std::string& path) const {
-    path = local_config_directory;
+    path = mLocalConfigPath;
     return !path.empty();
 }
 
 void config::init_local_config_directory(const std::string& path) {
+    if (path.empty())
+        throw std::runtime_error("Warning: Unable to initialise local config directory, as the path is empty.");
+
     // Convert to canonical path
     fs::path abs_path = fs::canonical(path);
     
     // The directory must exist
     if (!fs::exists(abs_path)) {
-        throw std::runtime_error("The specifieduser directory does not exist: " + abs_path.string());
+        throw std::runtime_error("The local config directory does not exist: " + abs_path.string());
     }
 
-    local_config_directory = abs_path.string();
+    mLocalConfigPath = abs_path.string();
     save_config();
     std::cout << "Local config directory initialized to: " << abs_path.string() << std::endl;
 }
diff --git a/src/config.hpp b/src/config.hpp
index e960aa0..2ef159f 100644
--- a/src/config.hpp
+++ b/src/config.hpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class config {
         void init_local_config_directory(const std::string& path);
 
     private:
-        std::string local_config_directory;
+        std::string mLocalConfigPath;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 4ed121e..a9fd657 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
         // ------------------------------------------------------------
         // from here we require the config file to be loaded.
         if (!cfg->is_config_set()) {   
-            std::cerr << "Error: Failed to load configuration." << std::endl << "Please run 'dropshell init <path>' to initialise the user directory and create a configuration file." << std::endl;
+            std::cerr << "Please run 'dropshell init <path>' to initialise the user directory and create a configuration file." << std::endl;
             return 1;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/servers.cpp b/src/servers.cpp
index fb3e4b8..ea07271 100644
--- a/src/servers.cpp
+++ b/src/servers.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ std::vector<ServerInfo> get_configured_servers() {
 
     std::string servers_dir = get_local_config_servers_path();
     if (servers_dir.empty()) {
-        std::cerr << "Error: Servers directory not found" << std::endl;
         return servers;
     }