diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 02822f1..bbfd6d9 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-func Load(configFilePath string) {
-	Config = loadConfFile(configFilePath)
+func Load(configFilePath string) (*Configuration, error) {
+	Config, err := loadConfFile(configFilePath)
+	return &Config, err
 }
diff --git a/config/toml.go b/config/toml.go
index 6fcb28b..ce8914a 100644
--- a/config/toml.go
+++ b/config/toml.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2"
 )
 
-func loadConfFile(configFilePath string) Configuration {
+func loadConfFile(configFilePath string) (Configuration, error) {
 	bytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(configFilePath)
 
 	if err != nil {
@@ -22,23 +22,23 @@ func loadConfFile(configFilePath string) Configuration {
 	if err != nil {
 		color.Errorln(err.Error())
 		color.Errorln("Configuration file " + configFilePath + " could not be read as TOML file")
-		panic(err)
+		return defaultConfig, err
 	}
 	color.Infoln("Loaded configuration file " + configFilePath)
-	return cfg
+	return cfg, err
 }
 
-func createNewConfig(configFilePath string) Configuration {
+func createNewConfig(configFilePath string) (Configuration, error) {
 	confBytes, err := toml.Marshal(defaultConfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		color.Errorln(err.Error())
 		color.Errorln("Default config struct is not TOML conform")
-		panic(err)
+		return defaultConfig, err
 	}
 	err = os.WriteFile(configFilePath, confBytes, 0644)
 	if err != nil {
 		color.Errorln(err.Error())
 		color.Warnln("Using default config without file")
 	}
-	return defaultConfig
+	return defaultConfig, err
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index d0507d6..2671bd8 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -15,9 +15,12 @@ var (
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
 
-	config.Load(*configFile)
+	_, err := config.Load(*configFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Failed to load configuration: %s\n ", err.Error())
+	}
 
-	err := dns.Run()
+	err = dns.Run()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Failed to start DNS server: %s\n ", err.Error())
 	}