diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bawnorton/bettertrims/config/ConfigManager.java b/src/main/java/com/bawnorton/bettertrims/config/ConfigManager.java
index be42f69..6c5318f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bawnorton/bettertrims/config/ConfigManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bawnorton/bettertrims/config/ConfigManager.java
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 package com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config;
 
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.BetterTrims;
-import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config.option.NestedConfigOption;
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config.annotation.BooleanOption;
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config.annotation.FloatOption;
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config.annotation.IntOption;
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config.annotation.NestedOption;
+import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config.option.NestedConfigOption;
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.config.option.reference.ConfigOptionReference;
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.networking.Networking;
 import com.bawnorton.bettertrims.util.Reflection;
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ private static void validateFields(Object instance) {
 
     private static void validateFloatFields(Object instance) {
         Reflection.forEachFieldByAnnotation(instance, FloatOption.class, (field, annotation) -> {
-            validateFloatField(instance, field, annotation.value());
+            setIfNull(instance, field, annotation.value());
             ConfigOptionReference reference = ConfigOptionReference.of(instance, field);
             if (reference.floatValue() < annotation.min()) reference.floatValue(annotation.min());
             if (reference.floatValue() > annotation.max()) reference.floatValue(annotation.max());
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ private static void validateFloatFields(Object instance) {
 
     private static void validateIntFields(Object instance) {
         Reflection.forEachFieldByAnnotation(instance, IntOption.class, (field, annotation) -> {
-            validateIntField(instance, field, annotation.value());
+            setIfNull(instance, field, annotation.value());
             ConfigOptionReference reference = ConfigOptionReference.of(instance, field);
             if (reference.intValue() < annotation.min()) reference.intValue(annotation.min());
             if (reference.intValue() > annotation.max()) reference.intValue(annotation.max());
@@ -90,42 +90,24 @@ private static void validateIntFields(Object instance) {
     }
 
     private static void validateBooleanFields(Object instance) {
-        Reflection.forEachFieldByAnnotation(instance, BooleanOption.class, (field, annotation) -> validateBooleanField(instance, field, annotation.value()));
+        Reflection.forEachFieldByAnnotation(instance, BooleanOption.class, (field, annotation) -> setIfNull(instance, field, annotation.value()));
     }
 
     private static void validateNestedFields(Object instance) {
         Reflection.forEachFieldByAnnotation(instance, NestedOption.class, (field, annotation) -> {
-            validateNestedField(instance, field);
+            setIfNull(instance, field, Reflection.newInstance(field.getType()));
 
             NestedConfigOption nestedOption = Reflection.accessField(field, instance, NestedConfigOption.class);
             validateFields(nestedOption);
         });
     }
 
-    private static void validateFloatField(Object instance, Field field, Float fallback) {
-        if (Reflection.accessField(field, instance) != null) return;
-
-        Reflection.setField(field, instance, fallback);
-    }
-
-    private static void validateIntField(Object instance, Field field, Integer fallback) {
-        if (Reflection.accessField(field, instance) != null) return;
-
-        Reflection.setField(field, instance, fallback);
-    }
-
-    private static void validateBooleanField(Object instance, Field field, Boolean fallback) {
+    private static void setIfNull(Object instance, Field field, Object fallback) {
         if (Reflection.accessField(field, instance) != null) return;
 
         Reflection.setField(field, instance, fallback);
     }
 
-    private static void validateNestedField(Object instance, Field field) {
-        if (Reflection.accessField(field, instance) != null) return;
-
-        Reflection.setField(field, instance, Reflection.newInstance(field.getType()));
-    }
-
     public static String serializeConfig() {
         return GSON.toJson(Config.getServerInstance());
     }
@@ -136,17 +118,11 @@ public static void deserializeConfig(String serialized) {
     }
 
     private static Config loadLocal() {
-        Config loaded = load(Config.getLocalInstance(), localConfigPath);
-        if (loaded == null) return Config.getLocalInstance();
-
-        return loaded;
+        return load(Config.getLocalInstance(), localConfigPath);
     }
 
     private static Config loadServer() {
-        Config loaded = load(Config.getServerInstance(), serverConfigPath);
-        if (loaded == null) return Config.getServerInstance();
-
-        return loaded;
+        return load(Config.getServerInstance(), serverConfigPath);
     }
 
     private static Config load(Config config, Path path) {
@@ -157,10 +133,9 @@ private static Config load(Config config, Path path) {
                 return config;
             }
             try {
-                config = GSON.fromJson(Files.newBufferedReader(path), Config.class);
+                return GSON.fromJson(Files.newBufferedReader(path), Config.class);
             } catch (JsonSyntaxException e) {
                 BetterTrims.LOGGER.error("Failed to parse config file, using default config");
-                return null;
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
             BetterTrims.LOGGER.error("Failed to load config", e);