diff --git a/engine/utils/config_yaml_utils.h b/engine/utils/config_yaml_utils.h
index 8e3668292..f7cf42141 100644
--- a/engine/utils/config_yaml_utils.h
+++ b/engine/utils/config_yaml_utils.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ inline void DumpYamlConfig(const CortexConfig& config,
 }
 
 inline CortexConfig FromYaml(const std::string& path,
-                             const std::string& variant) {
+                             const CortexConfig& default_cfg) {
   std::filesystem::path config_file_path{path};
   if (!std::filesystem::exists(config_file_path)) {
     throw std::runtime_error("File not found: " + path);
@@ -60,11 +60,20 @@ inline CortexConfig FromYaml(const std::string& path,
       max_lines = node["maxLogLines"].as<int>();
     }
     CortexConfig config = {
-        .logFolderPath = node["logFolderPath"].as<std::string>(),
-        .dataFolderPath = node["dataFolderPath"].as<std::string>(),
-        .maxLogLines = max_lines,
-        .apiServerHost = node["apiServerHost"].as<std::string>(),
-        .apiServerPort = node["apiServerPort"].as<std::string>(),
+        .logFolderPath = node["logFolderPath"]
+                             ? node["logFolderPath"].as<std::string>()
+                             : default_cfg.logFolderPath,
+        .dataFolderPath = node["dataFolderPath"]
+                              ? node["dataFolderPath"].as<std::string>()
+                              : default_cfg.dataFolderPath,
+        .maxLogLines = node["maxLogLines"] ? node["maxLogLines"].as<int>()
+                                           : default_cfg.maxLogLines,
+        .apiServerHost = node["apiServerHost"]
+                             ? node["apiServerHost"].as<std::string>()
+                             : default_cfg.apiServerHost,
+        .apiServerPort = node["apiServerPort"]
+                             ? node["apiServerPort"].as<std::string>()
+                             : default_cfg.apiServerPort,
     };
     return config;
   } catch (const YAML::BadFile& e) {
diff --git a/engine/utils/file_manager_utils.h b/engine/utils/file_manager_utils.h
index 57ce2f917..07a2ef151 100644
--- a/engine/utils/file_manager_utils.h
+++ b/engine/utils/file_manager_utils.h
@@ -109,12 +109,7 @@ inline std::filesystem::path GetConfigurationPath() {
   return configuration_path;
 }
 
-inline void CreateConfigFileIfNotExist() {
-  auto config_path = GetConfigurationPath();
-  if (std::filesystem::exists(config_path)) {
-    // already exists
-    return;
-  }
+inline std::string GetDefaultDataFolderName() {
 #ifndef CORTEX_VARIANT
 #define CORTEX_VARIANT "prod"
 #endif
@@ -128,6 +123,17 @@ inline void CreateConfigFileIfNotExist() {
     env_postfix.append("-").append(kNightlyVariant);
   }
   default_data_folder_name.append(env_postfix);
+  return default_data_folder_name;
+}
+
+inline void CreateConfigFileIfNotExist() {
+  auto config_path = GetConfigurationPath();
+  if (std::filesystem::exists(config_path)) {
+    // already exists
+    return;
+  }
+
+  auto default_data_folder_name = GetDefaultDataFolderName();
 
   CLI_LOG("Config file not found. Creating one at " + config_path.string());
   auto defaultDataFolderPath =
@@ -146,8 +152,18 @@ inline void CreateConfigFileIfNotExist() {
 
 inline config_yaml_utils::CortexConfig GetCortexConfig() {
   auto config_path = GetConfigurationPath();
-  std::string variant = "";  // TODO: empty for now
-  return config_yaml_utils::FromYaml(config_path.string(), variant);
+  auto default_data_folder_name = GetDefaultDataFolderName();
+  auto default_data_folder_path =
+      file_manager_utils::GetHomeDirectoryPath() / default_data_folder_name;
+  auto default_cfg = config_yaml_utils::CortexConfig{
+      .logFolderPath = default_data_folder_path.string(),
+      .dataFolderPath = default_data_folder_path.string(),
+      .maxLogLines = config_yaml_utils::kDefaultMaxLines,
+      .apiServerHost = config_yaml_utils::kDefaultHost,
+      .apiServerPort = config_yaml_utils::kDefaultPort,
+  };
+
+  return config_yaml_utils::FromYaml(config_path.string(), default_cfg);
 }
 
 inline std::filesystem::path GetCortexDataPath() {