diff --git a/src/revpipyload/proginit.py b/src/revpipyload/proginit.py
index 8ce2f06..71f3679 100644
--- a/src/revpipyload/proginit.py
+++ b/src/revpipyload/proginit.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def configure():
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "-c", "--conffile", dest="conffile",
-        default="revpipyload.conf",
+        default="/etc/revpipyload/revpipyload.conf",
         help="Application configuration file"
     )
     parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/src/revpipyload/revpipyload.py b/src/revpipyload/revpipyload.py
index 89b19c1..74ab252 100644
--- a/src/revpipyload/revpipyload.py
+++ b/src/revpipyload/revpipyload.py
@@ -211,7 +211,9 @@ class RevPiPyLoad:
         proginit.logger.info(
             "loading config file: {0}".format(proginit.globalconffile)
         )
-        self.globalconfig.read(proginit.globalconffile)
+        if not self.globalconfig.read(proginit.globalconffile):
+            raise RuntimeError("can not access config file '{0}'".format(proginit.globalconffile))
+
         self.__translate_config()
         proginit.conf = self.globalconfig