diff --git a/internal/commands/hunt.go b/internal/commands/hunt.go
index 2529acd..a35eef3 100644
--- a/internal/commands/hunt.go
+++ b/internal/commands/hunt.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brittonhayes/pillager/pkg/format"
 	"github.com/brittonhayes/pillager/pkg/hunter"
+	"github.com/brittonhayes/pillager/pkg/rules"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -54,7 +55,14 @@ var huntCmd = &cobra.Command{
 `,
 	Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		// Read gitleaks config from file
+		// or fallback to default
+		gitleaksConfig := rules.NewLoader(
+			rules.WithFile(rulesConfig),
+		).Load()
+
 		h, err := hunter.New(
+			hunter.WithGitleaksConfig(gitleaksConfig),
 			hunter.WithScanPath(args[0]),
 			hunter.WithWorkers(workers),
 			hunter.WithVerbose(verbose),
diff --git a/internal/commands/root.go b/internal/commands/root.go
index 6b4a5fc..2b477e5 100644
--- a/internal/commands/root.go
+++ b/internal/commands/root.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ func Execute() {
 }
 
 func init() {
+	log.Logger = log.Output(zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: os.Stderr})
 	cobra.OnInitialize(initConfig)
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&cfgFile, "config", "", "config file (default is $HOME/.pillager.toml)")
 }
@@ -70,7 +71,6 @@ func initConfig() {
 
 	// If a config file is found, read it in.
 	if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err == nil {
-		log.Logger = log.Output(zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: os.Stderr})
 		log.Info().Msgf("Using config file: %q", viper.ConfigFileUsed())
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/hunter/config.go b/pkg/hunter/config.go
index 0be035e..131c38a 100644
--- a/pkg/hunter/config.go
+++ b/pkg/hunter/config.go
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ func NewConfig(opts ...ConfigOption) *Config {
 		defaultLogLevel = zerolog.ErrorLevel
 	)
 
-	log.Logger = log.Output(zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: os.Stderr})
 	zerolog.SetGlobalLevel(defaultLogLevel)
 	config := &Config{
 		ScanPath:   defaultScanPath,
diff --git a/pkg/rules/rules.go b/pkg/rules/rules.go
index cc75467..cae0c0c 100644
--- a/pkg/rules/rules.go
+++ b/pkg/rules/rules.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	_ "embed"
 
 	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
+	"github.com/brittonhayes/pillager/internal/validate"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 
 	"github.com/zricethezav/gitleaks/v8/config"
@@ -64,11 +65,23 @@ func (l *Loader) Load() config.Config {
 	return config
 }
 
-// FromFile decodes a gitleaks config from a local file.
-func FromFile(file string) LoaderOption {
+// WithFile decodes a gitleaks config from a local file.
+func WithFile(file string) LoaderOption {
 	return func(l *Loader) {
-		if _, err := toml.DecodeFile(file, &l.loader); err != nil {
-			log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg(ErrReadConfig)
+		if file == "" {
+			if _, err := toml.Decode(RulesDefault, &l.loader); err != nil {
+				log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg(ErrReadConfig)
+			}
+			return
+		}
+
+		if validate.PathExists(file) {
+			if _, err := toml.DecodeFile(file, &l.loader); err != nil {
+				log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg(ErrReadConfig)
+			}
+			return
 		}
+
+		log.Fatal().Msgf("invalid - rules file '%s' does not exist", file)
 	}
 }