diff --git a/cmd/cloudinit/cloudinit.go b/cmd/cloudinit/cloudinit.go
index e5e82e97..d65008bf 100644
--- a/cmd/cloudinit/cloudinit.go
+++ b/cmd/cloudinit/cloudinit.go
@@ -96,11 +96,7 @@ func saveFiles(cloudConfigBytes, scriptBytes []byte, metadata datasource.Metadat
 }
 
 func currentDatasource() (datasource.Datasource, error) {
-	cfg, err := rancherConfig.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.WithFields(log.Fields{"err": err}).Error("Failed to read rancher config")
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	cfg := rancherConfig.LoadConfig()
 
 	dss := getDatasources(cfg)
 	if len(dss) == 0 {
@@ -169,10 +165,7 @@ func fetchUserData() ([]byte, datasource.Metadata, error) {
 }
 
 func executeCloudConfig() error {
-	cc, err := rancherConfig.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	cc := rancherConfig.LoadConfig()
 
 	if len(cc.SSHAuthorizedKeys) > 0 {
 		authorizeSSHKeys("rancher", cc.SSHAuthorizedKeys, sshKeyName)
diff --git a/cmd/control/env.go b/cmd/control/env.go
index db2675f0..166c6ad3 100644
--- a/cmd/control/env.go
+++ b/cmd/control/env.go
@@ -12,10 +12,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func envAction(c *cli.Context) error {
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 	args := c.Args()
 	if len(args) == 0 {
diff --git a/cmd/control/install.go b/cmd/control/install.go
index fed3a917..dbf6374a 100644
--- a/cmd/control/install.go
+++ b/cmd/control/install.go
@@ -58,10 +58,7 @@ func installAction(c *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	image := c.String("image")
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.WithFields(log.Fields{"err": err}).Fatal("ros install: failed to load config")
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 	if image == "" {
 		image = cfg.Rancher.Upgrade.Image + ":" + config.VERSION + config.SUFFIX
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/control/os.go b/cmd/control/os.go
index 0c3823d3..ee9c3d9f 100644
--- a/cmd/control/os.go
+++ b/cmd/control/os.go
@@ -289,10 +289,6 @@ func parseBody(body []byte) (*Images, error) {
 }
 
 func getUpgradeUrl() (string, error) {
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 	return cfg.Rancher.Upgrade.Url, nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/control/service.go b/cmd/control/service.go
index 54992982..47a61832 100644
--- a/cmd/control/service.go
+++ b/cmd/control/service.go
@@ -18,11 +18,7 @@ type projectFactory struct {
 }
 
 func (p *projectFactory) Create(c *cli.Context) (project.APIProject, error) {
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 	return compose.GetProject(cfg, true)
 }
 
@@ -92,10 +88,7 @@ func updateIncludedServices(cfg *config.CloudConfig) error {
 
 func disable(c *cli.Context) error {
 	changed := false
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 	for _, service := range c.Args() {
 		if _, ok := cfg.Rancher.ServicesInclude[service]; !ok {
@@ -107,7 +100,7 @@ func disable(c *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	if changed {
-		if err = updateIncludedServices(cfg); err != nil {
+		if err := updateIncludedServices(cfg); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -117,10 +110,7 @@ func disable(c *cli.Context) error {
 
 func del(c *cli.Context) error {
 	changed := false
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 	for _, service := range c.Args() {
 		if _, ok := cfg.Rancher.ServicesInclude[service]; !ok {
@@ -131,7 +121,7 @@ func del(c *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	if changed {
-		if err = updateIncludedServices(cfg); err != nil {
+		if err := updateIncludedServices(cfg); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -140,10 +130,7 @@ func del(c *cli.Context) error {
 }
 
 func enable(c *cli.Context) error {
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 	var enabledServices []string
 
@@ -163,7 +150,7 @@ func enable(c *cli.Context) error {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		if err = updateIncludedServices(cfg); err != nil {
+		if err := updateIncludedServices(cfg); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -172,10 +159,7 @@ func enable(c *cli.Context) error {
 }
 
 func list(c *cli.Context) error {
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 	clone := make(map[string]bool)
 	for service, enabled := range cfg.Rancher.ServicesInclude {
diff --git a/cmd/control/tlsconf.go b/cmd/control/tlsconf.go
index 72d95715..f6d2ddd1 100644
--- a/cmd/control/tlsconf.go
+++ b/cmd/control/tlsconf.go
@@ -74,10 +74,7 @@ func writeCerts(generateServer bool, hostname []string, cfg *config.CloudConfig,
 		}
 	}
 
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	cfg = config.LoadConfig()
 
 	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(certPath, []byte(cfg.Rancher.Docker.ServerCert), 0400); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -112,10 +109,7 @@ func writeCaCerts(cfg *config.CloudConfig, caCertPath, caKeyPath string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	cfg = config.LoadConfig()
 
 	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(caCertPath, []byte(cfg.Rancher.Docker.CACert), 0400); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -170,11 +164,9 @@ func Generate(generateServer bool, outDir string, hostnames []string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	err = writeCaCerts(cfg, caCertPath, caKeyPath)
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
+
+	err := writeCaCerts(cfg, caCertPath, caKeyPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/network/network.go b/cmd/network/network.go
index 3917d3f5..7d87a453 100644
--- a/cmd/network/network.go
+++ b/cmd/network/network.go
@@ -47,10 +47,7 @@ func Main() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 	nameservers := cfg.Rancher.Network.Dns.Nameservers
 	search := cfg.Rancher.Network.Dns.Search
diff --git a/cmd/userdocker/main.go b/cmd/userdocker/main.go
index d56977a5..ab3d9534 100644
--- a/cmd/userdocker/main.go
+++ b/cmd/userdocker/main.go
@@ -28,10 +28,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 func Main() {
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 	if err := startDocker(cfg); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
diff --git a/compose/project.go b/compose/project.go
index 61ae0cac..25877aff 100644
--- a/compose/project.go
+++ b/compose/project.go
@@ -22,11 +22,7 @@ import (
 
 func CreateService(cfg *config.CloudConfig, name string, serviceConfig *composeConfig.ServiceConfigV1) (project.Service, error) {
 	if cfg == nil {
-		var err error
-		cfg, err = config.LoadConfig()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+		cfg = config.LoadConfig()
 	}
 
 	p, err := CreateServiceSet("once", cfg, map[string]*composeConfig.ServiceConfigV1{
@@ -195,11 +191,7 @@ func newCoreServiceProject(cfg *config.CloudConfig, useNetwork bool) (*project.P
 	p.AddListener(projectEvents)
 
 	p.ReloadCallback = func() error {
-		var err error
-		cfg, err = config.LoadConfig()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		cfg = config.LoadConfig()
 
 		environmentLookup.SetConfig(cfg)
 
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index a8e64937..24737d08 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ func StringifyValues(data map[interface{}]interface{}) map[interface{}]interface
 }
 
 func Merge(bytes []byte) error {
-	data, err := readConfig(bytes, false)
+	data, err := readConfigs(bytes, false, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	existing, err := readConfig(nil, false, CloudConfigFile)
+	existing, err := readConfigs(nil, false, true, CloudConfigFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func Merge(bytes []byte) error {
 }
 
 func Export(private, full bool) (string, error) {
-	rawCfg, err := LoadRawConfig(full)
+	rawCfg := loadRawDiskConfig(full)
 	if !private {
 		rawCfg = filterPrivateKeys(rawCfg)
 	}
@@ -94,10 +94,7 @@ func Export(private, full bool) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func Get(key string) (interface{}, error) {
-	cfg, err := LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	cfg := LoadConfig()
 
 	data := map[interface{}]interface{}{}
 	if err := util.ConvertIgnoreOmitEmpty(cfg, &data); err != nil {
@@ -109,13 +106,11 @@ func Get(key string) (interface{}, error) {
 }
 
 func Set(key string, value interface{}) error {
-	data := map[interface{}]interface{}{}
-	_, data = getOrSetVal(key, data, value)
-
-	existing, err := readConfig(nil, false, CloudConfigFile)
+	existing, err := readConfigs(nil, false, true, CloudConfigFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return WriteToFile(util.Merge(existing, data), CloudConfigFile)
+	_, modified := getOrSetVal(key, existing, value)
+	return WriteToFile(modified, CloudConfigFile)
 }
diff --git a/config/disk.go b/config/disk.go
index 82695243..630bb11a 100644
--- a/config/disk.go
+++ b/config/disk.go
@@ -15,65 +15,51 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rancher/os/util"
 )
 
-func NewConfig() map[interface{}]interface{} {
-	osConfig, _ := readConfig(nil, true, OsConfigFile, OemConfigFile)
-	return osConfig
-}
-
 func ReadConfig(bytes []byte, substituteMetadataVars bool, files ...string) (*CloudConfig, error) {
-	if data, err := readConfig(bytes, substituteMetadataVars, files...); err == nil {
-		c := &CloudConfig{}
-		if err := util.Convert(data, c); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		c, _ = amendNils(c)
-		c, _ = amendContainerNames(c)
-		return c, nil
-	} else {
+	data, err := readConfigs(bytes, substituteMetadataVars, true, files...)
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	c := &CloudConfig{}
+	if err := util.Convert(data, c); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	c = amendNils(c)
+	c = amendContainerNames(c)
+	return c, nil
 }
 
-func LoadRawConfig(full bool) (map[interface{}]interface{}, error) {
-	var base map[interface{}]interface{}
+func loadRawDiskConfig(full bool) map[interface{}]interface{} {
+	var rawCfg map[interface{}]interface{}
 	if full {
-		base = NewConfig()
+		rawCfg, _ = readConfigs(nil, true, false, OsConfigFile, OemConfigFile)
 	}
-	user, err := readConfigs()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	cmdline, err := readCmdline()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	merged := util.Merge(base, util.Merge(user, cmdline))
-	merged, err = applyDebugFlags(merged)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return mergeMetadata(merged, readMetadata()), nil
+
+	files := append(CloudConfigDirFiles(), CloudConfigFile)
+	additionalCfgs, _ := readConfigs(nil, true, false, files...)
+
+	return util.Merge(rawCfg, additionalCfgs)
 }
 
-func LoadConfig() (*CloudConfig, error) {
-	rawCfg, err := LoadRawConfig(true)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+func loadRawConfig() map[interface{}]interface{} {
+	rawCfg := loadRawDiskConfig(true)
+	rawCfg = util.Merge(rawCfg, readCmdline())
+	rawCfg = applyDebugFlags(rawCfg)
+	return mergeMetadata(rawCfg, readMetadata())
+}
+
+func LoadConfig() *CloudConfig {
+	rawCfg := loadRawConfig()
 
 	cfg := &CloudConfig{}
 	if err := util.Convert(rawCfg, cfg); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		log.Errorf("Failed to parse configuration: %s", err)
+		return &CloudConfig{}
 	}
-	cfg, err = amendNils(cfg)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	cfg, err = amendContainerNames(cfg)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return cfg, nil
+	cfg = amendNils(cfg)
+	cfg = amendContainerNames(cfg)
+	return cfg
 }
 
 func CloudConfigDirFiles() []string {
@@ -98,10 +84,10 @@ func CloudConfigDirFiles() []string {
 	return finalFiles
 }
 
-func applyDebugFlags(rawCfg map[interface{}]interface{}) (map[interface{}]interface{}, error) {
+func applyDebugFlags(rawCfg map[interface{}]interface{}) map[interface{}]interface{} {
 	cfg := &CloudConfig{}
 	if err := util.Convert(rawCfg, cfg); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return rawCfg
 	}
 
 	if cfg.Rancher.Debug {
@@ -116,7 +102,7 @@ func applyDebugFlags(rawCfg map[interface{}]interface{}) (map[interface{}]interf
 
 	_, rawCfg = getOrSetVal("rancher.docker.args", rawCfg, cfg.Rancher.Docker.Args)
 	_, rawCfg = getOrSetVal("rancher.system_docker.args", rawCfg, cfg.Rancher.SystemDocker.Args)
-	return rawCfg, nil
+	return rawCfg
 }
 
 // mergeMetadata merges certain options from md (meta-data from the datasource)
@@ -172,35 +158,26 @@ func readMetadata() datasource.Metadata {
 	return metadata
 }
 
-func readConfigs() (map[interface{}]interface{}, error) {
-	files := append(CloudConfigDirFiles(), CloudConfigFile)
-	data, err := readConfig(nil, true, files...)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return data, nil
-}
-
-func readCmdline() (map[interface{}]interface{}, error) {
+func readCmdline() map[interface{}]interface{} {
 	log.Debug("Reading config cmdline")
 	cmdLine, err := ioutil.ReadFile("/proc/cmdline")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{"err": err}).Error("Failed to read kernel params")
-		return nil, err
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	if len(cmdLine) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	log.Debugf("Config cmdline %s", cmdLine)
 
 	cmdLineObj := parseCmdline(strings.TrimSpace(string(cmdLine)))
 
-	return cmdLineObj, nil
+	return cmdLineObj
 }
 
-func amendNils(c *CloudConfig) (*CloudConfig, error) {
+func amendNils(c *CloudConfig) *CloudConfig {
 	t := *c
 	if t.Rancher.Environment == nil {
 		t.Rancher.Environment = map[string]string{}
@@ -217,10 +194,10 @@ func amendNils(c *CloudConfig) (*CloudConfig, error) {
 	if t.Rancher.ServicesInclude == nil {
 		t.Rancher.ServicesInclude = map[string]bool{}
 	}
-	return &t, nil
+	return &t
 }
 
-func amendContainerNames(c *CloudConfig) (*CloudConfig, error) {
+func amendContainerNames(c *CloudConfig) *CloudConfig {
 	for _, scm := range []map[string]*composeConfig.ServiceConfigV1{
 		c.Rancher.Autoformat,
 		c.Rancher.BootstrapContainers,
@@ -230,7 +207,7 @@ func amendContainerNames(c *CloudConfig) (*CloudConfig, error) {
 			v.ContainerName = k
 		}
 	}
-	return c, nil
+	return c
 }
 
 func WriteToFile(data interface{}, filename string) error {
@@ -242,7 +219,7 @@ func WriteToFile(data interface{}, filename string) error {
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(filename, content, 400)
 }
 
-func readConfig(bytes []byte, substituteMetadataVars bool, files ...string) (map[interface{}]interface{}, error) {
+func readConfigs(bytes []byte, substituteMetadataVars, returnErr bool, files ...string) (map[interface{}]interface{}, error) {
 	// You can't just overlay yaml bytes on to maps, it won't merge, but instead
 	// just override the keys and not merge the map values.
 	left := make(map[interface{}]interface{})
@@ -250,7 +227,11 @@ func readConfig(bytes []byte, substituteMetadataVars bool, files ...string) (map
 	for _, file := range files {
 		content, err := readConfigFile(file)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			if returnErr {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			log.Errorf("Failed to read config file %s: %s", file, err)
+			continue
 		}
 		if len(content) == 0 {
 			continue
@@ -262,24 +243,53 @@ func readConfig(bytes []byte, substituteMetadataVars bool, files ...string) (map
 		right := make(map[interface{}]interface{})
 		err = yaml.Unmarshal(content, &right)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			if returnErr {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			log.Errorf("Failed to parse config file %s: %s", file, err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Verify there are no issues converting to CloudConfig
+		c := &CloudConfig{}
+		if err := util.Convert(right, c); err != nil {
+			if returnErr {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			log.Errorf("Failed to parse config file %s: %s", file, err)
+			continue
 		}
 
 		left = util.Merge(left, right)
 	}
 
-	if bytes != nil && len(bytes) > 0 {
-		right := make(map[interface{}]interface{})
-		if substituteMetadataVars {
-			bytes = substituteVars(bytes, metadata)
-		}
-		if err := yaml.Unmarshal(bytes, &right); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-
-		left = util.Merge(left, right)
+	if bytes == nil || len(bytes) == 0 {
+		return left, nil
 	}
 
+	right := make(map[interface{}]interface{})
+	if substituteMetadataVars {
+		bytes = substituteVars(bytes, metadata)
+	}
+
+	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(bytes, &right); err != nil {
+		if returnErr {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		log.Errorf("Failed to parse bytes: %s", err)
+		return left, nil
+	}
+
+	c := &CloudConfig{}
+	if err := util.Convert(right, c); err != nil {
+		if returnErr {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		log.Errorf("Failed to parse bytes: %s", err)
+		return left, nil
+	}
+
+	left = util.Merge(left, right)
 	return left, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/docker/service.go b/docker/service.go
index 0975de9d..7a58b6fc 100644
--- a/docker/service.go
+++ b/docker/service.go
@@ -80,10 +80,7 @@ func (s *Service) shouldRebuild(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 	for _, c := range containers {
 		outOfSync, err := c.(*docker.Container).OutOfSync(ctx, s.Service.Config().Image)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/init/init.go b/init/init.go
index 598829be..a2318c36 100644
--- a/init/init.go
+++ b/init/init.go
@@ -117,10 +117,7 @@ func mountState(cfg *config.CloudConfig) error {
 
 func mountOem(cfg *config.CloudConfig) (*config.CloudConfig, error) {
 	if cfg == nil {
-		var err error
-		if cfg, err = config.LoadConfig(); err != nil {
-			return cfg, err
-		}
+		cfg = config.LoadConfig()
 	}
 	if err := mountConfigured("oem", cfg.Rancher.State.OemDev, cfg.Rancher.State.OemFsType, config.OEM); err != nil {
 		log.Debugf("Not mounting OEM: %v", err)
@@ -198,10 +195,7 @@ func RunInit() error {
 		},
 		mountOem,
 		func(_ *config.CloudConfig) (*config.CloudConfig, error) {
-			cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-			if err != nil {
-				return cfg, err
-			}
+			cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
 			if cfg.Rancher.Debug {
 				cfgString, err := config.Export(false, true)
@@ -217,7 +211,7 @@ func RunInit() error {
 		loadModules,
 		tryMountAndBootstrap,
 		func(_ *config.CloudConfig) (*config.CloudConfig, error) {
-			return config.LoadConfig()
+			return config.LoadConfig(), nil
 		},
 		loadModules,
 		func(c *config.CloudConfig) (*config.CloudConfig, error) {
diff --git a/init/sysinit.go b/init/sysinit.go
index bf6f3f84..cd7a1008 100644
--- a/init/sysinit.go
+++ b/init/sysinit.go
@@ -89,12 +89,9 @@ func loadImages(cfg *config.CloudConfig) (*config.CloudConfig, error) {
 }
 
 func SysInit() error {
-	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
 
-	_, err = config.ChainCfgFuncs(cfg,
+	_, err := config.ChainCfgFuncs(cfg,
 		loadImages,
 		func(cfg *config.CloudConfig) (*config.CloudConfig, error) {
 			p, err := compose.GetProject(cfg, false)