diff --git a/src/hdx/api/configuration.py b/src/hdx/api/configuration.py
index 0e0a01f..cb1743f 100755
--- a/src/hdx/api/configuration.py
+++ b/src/hdx/api/configuration.py
@@ -206,24 +206,32 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
             hdx_site = kwargs.get("hdx_site")
             if not hdx_site:
                 hdx_site = self.data.get("hdx_site")
-            if not hdx_site:
-                hdx_site = "stage"
+                if not hdx_site:
+                    hdx_site = "stage"
             self.hdx_site = f"hdx_{hdx_site}_site"
             if self.hdx_site not in self.data:
                 raise ConfigurationError(
                     f"{self.hdx_site} not defined in configuration!"
                 )
-        self.hdx_read_only = kwargs.get(
-            "hdx_read_only", self.data.get("hdx_read_only", False)
-        )
+        hdx_read_only = kwargs.get("hdx_read_only")
+        if hdx_read_only is None:
+            hdx_read_only = self.data.get("hdx_read_only")
+            if hdx_read_only is None:
+                hdx_read_only = False
+        self.hdx_read_only = hdx_read_only
         logger.info(f"Read only access to HDX: {str(self.hdx_read_only)}")
         hdx_key_site = f"hdx_key_{hdx_site}"
-        hdx_key = kwargs.get(hdx_key_site, self.data.get(hdx_key_site))
+        hdx_key = kwargs.get(hdx_key_site)
+        if not hdx_key:
+            hdx_key = self.data.get(hdx_key_site)
+            if not hdx_key:
+                hdx_key = kwargs.get("hdx_key")
+                if not hdx_key:
+                    hdx_key = self.data.get("hdx_key")
         if hdx_key:
             self.hdx_key = hdx_key
-        else:
-            self.hdx_key = kwargs.get("hdx_key", self.data.get("hdx_key"))
-        if not self.hdx_key and not self.hdx_read_only:
+            return
+        if not self.hdx_read_only:
             raise ConfigurationError(
                 "No HDX API key supplied as a parameter or in configuration!"
             )
diff --git a/tests/hdx/api/test_configuration.py b/tests/hdx/api/test_configuration.py
index 2e10ff0..5148a95 100755
--- a/tests/hdx/api/test_configuration.py
+++ b/tests/hdx/api/test_configuration.py
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@ def hdx_base_config_yaml(self, configfolder):
     def hdx_base_config_json(self, configfolder):
         return join(configfolder, "hdx_base_config.json")
 
-    @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
-    def hdx_config_json(self, configfolder):
-        return join(configfolder, "hdx_config.json")
-
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
     def hdx_missing_site_config_json(self, configfolder):
         return join(configfolder, "hdx_missing_site_config.json")
diff --git a/tests/hdx/conftest.py b/tests/hdx/conftest.py
index 5b69d24..626559d 100755
--- a/tests/hdx/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/hdx/conftest.py
@@ -19,8 +19,13 @@ def configfolder(fixturesfolder):
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def hdx_config_yaml():
-    return join("tests", "fixtures", "config", "hdx_config.yml")
+def hdx_config_yaml(configfolder):
+    return join(configfolder, "hdx_config.yml")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def hdx_config_json(configfolder):
+    return join(configfolder, "hdx_config.json")
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
diff --git a/tests/hdx/facades/test_infer_arguments.py b/tests/hdx/facades/test_infer_arguments.py
index 5834c25..87334d1 100755
--- a/tests/hdx/facades/test_infer_arguments.py
+++ b/tests/hdx/facades/test_infer_arguments.py
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@
 
 
 class TestInferArguments:
-    def test_facade(self, monkeypatch, hdx_config_yaml, project_config_yaml):
+    def test_facade(
+        self,
+        monkeypatch,
+        hdx_config_yaml,
+        hdx_config_json,
+        project_config_yaml,
+    ):
         UserAgent.clear_global()
         mydata = "hello"
         monkeypatch.setattr(
@@ -52,6 +58,23 @@ def test_facade(self, monkeypatch, hdx_config_yaml, project_config_yaml):
         facade(my_testfnia, hdx_site="stage", hdx_key="123")
         assert testresult.actual_result == mydata
 
+        UserAgent.clear_global()
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            sys,
+            "argv",
+            [
+                "test",
+                "--mydata",
+                mydata,
+                "--hdx-site",
+                "prod",
+                "--user-agent",
+                "test",
+            ],
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+            facade(my_testfnia, hdx_config_yaml="NOT EXIST")
+
         UserAgent.clear_global()
         monkeypatch.setattr(
             sys,
@@ -67,7 +90,11 @@ def test_facade(self, monkeypatch, hdx_config_yaml, project_config_yaml):
             ],
         )
         with pytest.raises(ConfigurationError):
-            facade(my_testfnia)
+            facade(
+                my_testfnia,
+                hdx_config_yaml=hdx_config_yaml,
+                hdx_config_json=hdx_config_json,
+            )
 
         UserAgent.clear_global()
         monkeypatch.setattr(