diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d371c05..060641d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ Welcome to **liftoff** 🚀 Your go‑to CLI for multi‑region Cloud Run canary
 
 ---
 
+### 📥 Pre-requisites
+
+This CLI heavily relies on the GCLOUD cli tool. You must have it installed
+
+If you don't follow [this guide](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install)
+
 ### 🛠️ Installation
 
 Make sure you have Go 1.20+ installed and your `GOPATH` configured. Then:
@@ -144,4 +150,4 @@ Please follow our [Contributing Guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md).
 [MIT](LICENSE)
 
 Enjoy safe liftoffs! 🚀
-Made by [Framequery](https://www.framequery.com/)
+Made by [Framequery](https://www.framequery.com/)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmd/liftoff/canary/canary.go b/cmd/liftoff/canary/canary.go
index fa185ab..a137f92 100644
--- a/cmd/liftoff/canary/canary.go
+++ b/cmd/liftoff/canary/canary.go
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ var Cmd = &cobra.Command{
 		}
 
 		for i, pct := range percentages {
-			gcloud.SplitTrafficAcrossRegions(service, regions, pct, project)
+			if err := gcloud.SplitTrafficAcrossRegions(service, regions, pct, project); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 
 			if i < len(intervals) {
 				fmt.Printf("⏱️  Waiting %d seconds\n", intervals[i])
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 2ffbebe..37b7b82 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
@@ -44,13 +45,30 @@ func BindFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 	f.IntSlice("intervals", nil, "Intervals (s) between steps")
 	f.StringSlice("env-vars", nil, "Environment variables (KEY=VALUE) to set on each revision")
 
-	viper.BindPFlag("env-vars", f.Lookup("env-vars"))
-	viper.BindPFlag("project", f.Lookup("project"))
-	viper.BindPFlag("service", f.Lookup("service"))
-	viper.BindPFlag("image", f.Lookup("image"))
-	viper.BindPFlag("regions", f.Lookup("regions"))
-	viper.BindPFlag("percentages", f.Lookup("percentages"))
-	viper.BindPFlag("intervals", f.Lookup("intervals"))
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("env-vars", f.Lookup("env-vars")); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("⚠️  ERROR: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("project", f.Lookup("project")); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("⚠️  ERROR: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("service", f.Lookup("service")); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("⚠️  ERROR: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("image", f.Lookup("image")); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("⚠️  ERROR: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("regions", f.Lookup("regions")); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("⚠️  ERROR: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("percentages", f.Lookup("percentages")); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("⚠️  ERROR: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("percentages", f.Lookup("percentages")); err != nil {
+
+	}
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("intervals", f.Lookup("intervals")); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("⚠️  ERROR: %v\n", err)
+	}
 
 	cmd.PersistentPreRunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		// persist config
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88c7449
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+// === internal/config/config_test.go ===
+package config
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+)
+
+func TestLoadServiceSpecificDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	// Set up a temporary directory for config
+	tmpDir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "liftoff_test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create temp dir: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpDir)
+
+	// Override os.TempDir via TMPDIR env
+	os.Setenv("TMPDIR", tmpDir)
+
+	// Prepare config file
+	cfgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "liftoff_config.json")
+	configJSON := `{
+      "services": {
+        "svc1": {
+          "project": "proj-123",
+          "regions": ["r1","r2"],
+          "percentages": [5,50,100],
+          "intervals": [10,20]
+        }
+      }
+    }`
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(cfgPath, []byte(configJSON), 0644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to write config file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Reset viper and set the target service
+	viper.Reset()
+	viper.Set("service", "svc1")
+
+	// Call Load
+	if err := Load(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Verify merged values
+	if got := viper.GetString("project"); got != "proj-123" {
+		t.Errorf("expected project=proj-123, got %q", got)
+	}
+
+	wantRegions := []string{"r1", "r2"}
+	if got := viper.GetStringSlice("regions"); !equalStringSlice(got, wantRegions) {
+		t.Errorf("expected regions=%v, got %v", wantRegions, got)
+	}
+
+	wantPcts := []int{5, 50, 100}
+	if got := viper.GetIntSlice("percentages"); !equalIntSlice(got, wantPcts) {
+		t.Errorf("expected percentages=%v, got %v", wantPcts, got)
+	}
+
+	wantInt := []int{10, 20}
+	if got := viper.GetIntSlice("intervals"); !equalIntSlice(got, wantInt) {
+		t.Errorf("expected intervals=%v, got %v", wantInt, got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoadNoConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	// Empty temp dir
+	tmpDir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "liftoff_test_empty")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create temp dir: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpDir)
+	os.Setenv("TMPDIR", tmpDir)
+
+	// Remove any pre-existing config
+	cfgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "liftoff_config.json")
+	os.Remove(cfgPath)
+
+	viper.Reset()
+	viper.Set("service", "nonexistent")
+	// Should not error even if config missing
+	if err := Load(); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Load() error with no config: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// Helpers
+func equalStringSlice(a, b []string) bool {
+	if len(a) != len(b) {
+		return false
+	}
+	for i := range a {
+		if a[i] != b[i] {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func equalIntSlice(a, b []int) bool {
+	if len(a) != len(b) {
+		return false
+	}
+	for i := range a {
+		if a[i] != b[i] {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}