diff --git a/src/cli.ts b/src/cli.ts
index 716a9ed..dbaf521 100644
--- a/src/cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export const buildCmd = (): Command => {
         try {
           console.log("🚀 Initializing configuration...\n");
 
-          const existingConfig = await loadConfig();
+          const existingConfig = await loadConfig(options.force);
 
           if (existingConfig.apiKey && !options.force) {
             console.log("⚠️  Configuration already exists.");
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ export const buildCmd = (): Command => {
     .option(
       "-l, --host-network",
       "Use host network (default: false). If set you can use localhost directly",
-      false,
+      false
     )
     .action(startPrivateLocationWorker);
 
@@ -316,10 +316,10 @@ export const buildCmd = (): Command => {
     .addOption(testTargetIdOption)
     .action(async (options, command) => {
       const resolvedTestTargetId = await resolveTestTargetId(
-        options.testTargetId,
+        options.testTargetId
       );
       command.setOptionValue("testTargetId", resolvedTestTargetId);
-      void listTestCases({...options, status: "ENABLED"});
+      void listTestCases({ ...options, status: "ENABLED" });
     });
 
   return program;
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index cace405..46703bc 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -12,14 +12,20 @@ export function getConfigPath(): string {
   return path.join(process.cwd(), OCTOMIND_CONFIG_FILE);
 }
 
-export async function loadConfig(): Promise<Config> {
+export async function loadConfig(force?: boolean): Promise<Config> {
   try {
     const configPath = getConfigPath();
     const data = await fs.readFile(configPath, "utf8");
     return JSON.parse(data);
   } catch (error) {
-    console.error("❌ Error parsing configuration:", (error as Error).message);
-
+    // only exit on overwrite attempt
+    if (force) {
+      console.error(
+        "❌ Error parsing configuration:",
+        (error as Error).message
+      );
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
     return {};
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/cli.spec.ts b/tests/cli.spec.ts
index ada8648..9d7ba32 100644
--- a/tests/cli.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/cli.spec.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ jest.mock("../src/config", () => ({
   loadConfig: jest.fn(),
 }));
 
+const originalConsoleLog = console.log;
+const originalConsoleError = console.error;
+
 beforeAll(() => {
   buildCmd();
   program.exitOverride((err) => {
@@ -18,6 +21,16 @@ beforeAll(() => {
   });
 });
 
+beforeEach(() => {
+  console.log = jest.fn();
+  console.error = jest.fn();
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  console.log = originalConsoleLog;
+  console.error = originalConsoleError;
+});
+
 describe("CLI Commands parsing options", () => {
   const stdArgs = [
     "node",
diff --git a/tests/config.spec.ts b/tests/config.spec.ts
index 3e221e2..33a793a 100644
--- a/tests/config.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/config.spec.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ describe("Config", () => {
       );
     });
 
-    it("should error when config file does not exist", async () => {
+    it("should return empty config when config file does not exist", async () => {
       const fileNotFoundError = new Error(
         "ENOENT: no such file or directory",
       ) as Error & { code?: string };
@@ -42,9 +42,34 @@ describe("Config", () => {
 
       mockedFs.readFile.mockRejectedValue(fileNotFoundError);
 
-      await loadConfig();
+      const result = await loadConfig();
+
+      expect(result).toEqual({});
+      expect(console.error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
 
+    it("should error and exit when config file does not exist and force is true", async () => {
+      const fileNotFoundError = new Error(
+        "ENOENT: no such file or directory",
+      ) as Error & { code?: string };
+      fileNotFoundError.code = "ENOENT";
+
+      mockedFs.readFile.mockRejectedValue(fileNotFoundError);
+
+      const mockExit = jest
+        .spyOn(process, "exit")
+        .mockImplementation((code?: string | number | null | undefined) => {
+          throw new Error(`Process exit with code: ${code}`);
+        });
+
+      const MOCK_FORCE_OPTION = true;
+      await expect(loadConfig(MOCK_FORCE_OPTION)).rejects.toThrow(
+        "Process exit with code: 1",
+      );
       expect(console.error).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+
+      mockExit.mockRestore();
     });
   });
 });