diff --git a/src/config/loader.rs b/src/config/loader.rs
index 3508c62..dfbe0b2 100644
--- a/src/config/loader.rs
+++ b/src/config/loader.rs
@@ -1,33 +1,50 @@
+use crate::config::VeilConfig;
+use anyhow::{Context, Result as AnyhowResult};
 use std::{
     fs::{File, create_dir_all, read_to_string},
     io::{Error, ErrorKind, Result, Write},
     path::{Path, PathBuf},
 };
 
-pub struct VeilFile;
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct VeilFile {
+    pub config: VeilConfig,
+}
 
 impl VeilFile {
-    pub fn load(debug: bool) -> Option<PathBuf> {
+    pub fn load(debug: bool) -> AnyhowResult<Self> {
+        let mut path: Option<PathBuf> = None;
+
         if debug {
             let debug_path: &Path = Path::new("./local-config/veil.yaml");
             if debug_path.exists() {
-                return Some(debug_path.to_path_buf());
+                path = Some(debug_path.to_path_buf());
             }
-        }
+        } else {
+            let candidates: [&str; 3] = ["veil.yaml", ".veil.yaml", "veil.yml"];
 
-        let candidates: [&str; 3] = ["veil.yaml", ".veil.yaml", "veil.yml"];
-
-        if let Some(base) = dirs::config_dir() {
-            let veil_dir: PathBuf = base.join("veil");
-            for name in &candidates {
-                let candidate: PathBuf = veil_dir.join(name);
-                if candidate.exists() {
-                    return Some(candidate);
+            if let Some(base) = dirs::config_dir() {
+                let veil_dir: PathBuf = base.join("veil");
+                for name in &candidates {
+                    let candidate: PathBuf = veil_dir.join(name);
+                    if candidate.exists() {
+                        path = Some(candidate);
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
 
-        None
+        let config: VeilConfig = if let Some(p) = path {
+            let raw: String =
+                read_to_string(&p).with_context(|| format!("cannot read config file {:?}", p))?;
+
+            serde_yaml::from_str::<VeilConfig>(&raw)
+                .with_context(|| format!("cannot parse YAML in {:?}", p))?
+        } else {
+            VeilConfig::new(Vec::new())
+        };
+
+        Ok(Self { config })
     }
 
     pub fn init_config(debug: bool) -> Result<()> {
@@ -67,4 +84,6 @@ impl VeilFile {
         println!("✅  Created new config at {}", dest_file.display());
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    pub fn list_config() {}
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index f2c693c..9588020 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,20 @@
-use std::io::Result;
+use std::{io::Result, process::exit};
 use veil_rs::{
     cli::{Cli, Cmds},
-    config::VeilFile,
+    config::{VeilConfig, VeilFile},
 };
 
 fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let args: Cli = Cli::get_args();
 
+    let _config: VeilConfig = match VeilFile::load(args.debug) {
+        Ok(v) => v.config,
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("❌  Failed to load Veil configuration:\n{:#}", e);
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    };
+
     match args.command {
         Cmds::Init => VeilFile::init_config(args.debug),
         Cmds::Sync => Ok(()),