diff --git a/libimagrt/src/configuration.rs b/libimagrt/src/configuration.rs
index e46da970..7eb8e30f 100644
--- a/libimagrt/src/configuration.rs
+++ b/libimagrt/src/configuration.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use std::default::Default;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::result::Result as RResult;
 
@@ -103,6 +102,11 @@ pub type Result<T> = RResult<T, ConfigError>;
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Configuration {
 
+    /**
+     * The plain configuration object for direct access if necessary
+     */
+    config: Value,
+
     /**
      * The verbosity the program should run with
      */
@@ -142,6 +146,7 @@ impl Configuration {
             debug!("  - editor-opts: {}", editor_opts);
 
             Configuration {
+                config: cfg,
                 verbosity: verbosity,
                 editor: editor,
                 editor_opts: editor_opts,
@@ -149,6 +154,10 @@ impl Configuration {
         })
     }
 
+    pub fn config(&self) -> &Value {
+        &self.config
+    }
+
 }
 
 fn get_verbosity(v: &Value) -> bool {
@@ -228,18 +237,3 @@ fn fetch_config(rtp: &PathBuf) -> Result<Value> {
         .ok_or(ConfigError::new(ConfigErrorKind::NoConfigFileFound, None))
 }
 
-impl Default for Configuration {
-
-    /**
-     * Get a default configuration object
-     */
-    fn default() -> Configuration {
-        Configuration {
-            verbosity: false,
-            editor: Some(String::from("nano")),
-            editor_opts: String::from(""),
-        }
-    }
-
-}
-
diff --git a/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs b/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
index 23383b1d..c5b7412f 100644
--- a/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
+++ b/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ impl<'a> Runtime<'a> {
      */
     pub fn new(cli_spec: App<'a, 'a>) -> Result<Runtime<'a>, RuntimeError> {
         use std::env;
+        use std::error::Error;
 
         let matches = cli_spec.get_matches();
         let rtp : PathBuf = matches.value_of("runtimepath")
@@ -51,10 +52,18 @@ impl<'a> Runtime<'a> {
                                     spath.push("store");
                                     spath
                                 });
+
+        let cfg = Configuration::new(&rtp);
+        if cfg.is_err() {
+            let cause : Option<Box<Error>> = Some(Box::new(cfg.err().unwrap()));
+            return Err(RuntimeError::new(RuntimeErrorKind::Instantiate, cause));
+        }
+        let cfg = cfg.unwrap();
+
         Store::new(storepath).map(|store| {
             Runtime {
                 cli_matches: matches,
-                configuration: Configuration::new(&rtp).unwrap_or(Configuration::default()),
+                configuration: cfg,
                 rtp: rtp,
                 store: store,
             }