diff --git a/lib/core/config.js b/lib/core/config.js
index 32669777e..185080571 100644
--- a/lib/core/config.js
+++ b/lib/core/config.js
@@ -65,13 +65,16 @@ Config.prototype.reloadConfig = function() {
 
 Config.prototype._mergeConfig = function(configFilePath, defaultConfig, env) {
   if (!configFilePath) {
-    let configToReturn = defaultConfig['default'] || {}
+    let configToReturn = defaultConfig['default'] || {};
     configToReturn.enabled = false;
     return configToReturn;
   }
 
   if (!fs.existsSync(configFilePath)) {
-    this.logger.warn("no config file found at " + configFilePath + ". using default config");
+    // TODO: remove this if
+    if (this.logger) {
+      this.logger.warn("no config file found at " + configFilePath + ". using default config");
+    }
     return defaultConfig['default'] || {};
   }
 
@@ -86,10 +89,10 @@ Config.prototype._mergeConfig = function(configFilePath, defaultConfig, env) {
 };
 
 Config.prototype._getFileOrOject = function(object, filePath, property) {
-  if (typeof(this.configDir) === 'object') {
+  if (typeof (this.configDir) === 'object') {
     return this.configDir[property];
   }
-  return this.configDir + filepath;
+  return this.configDir + filePath;
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadBlockchainConfigFile = function() {
@@ -106,7 +109,7 @@ Config.prototype.loadContractsConfigFile = function() {
   var defaultVersions = {
     "web3.js": "1.0.0-beta",
     "solc": "0.4.17"
-  }
+  };
   var versions = utils.recursiveMerge(defaultVersions, this.embarkConfig.versions || {});
 
   var configObject = {