diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 4fee8339..3545594d 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -220,7 +220,13 @@ func (cfg *Config) load() gperr.Error {
 
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(common.ConfigPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		gperr.LogFatal(errMsg, err)
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			log.Warn().Msg("config file not found, using default config")
+			cfg.value = config.DefaultConfig()
+			return nil
+		} else {
+			gperr.LogFatal(errMsg, err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	model := config.DefaultConfig()
diff --git a/internal/net/gphttp/middleware/middlewares.go b/internal/net/gphttp/middleware/middlewares.go
index 9695f8cc..0f3517ce 100644
--- a/internal/net/gphttp/middleware/middlewares.go
+++ b/internal/net/gphttp/middleware/middlewares.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package middleware
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+	"io/fs"
 	"path"
 
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
@@ -63,6 +65,9 @@ func LoadComposeFiles() {
 	errs := gperr.NewBuilder("middleware compile errors")
 	middlewareDefs, err := utils.ListFiles(common.MiddlewareComposeBasePath, 0)
 	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			return
+		}
 		log.Err(err).Msg("failed to list middleware definitions")
 		return
 	}