diff --git a/clients/native/src/commands/run.rs b/clients/native/src/commands/run.rs
index de577842057..96f0450d672 100644
--- a/clients/native/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/clients/native/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ use crate::client::NymClient;
 use crate::commands::override_config;
 use clap::{App, Arg, ArgMatches};
 use config::NymConfig;
+use log::*;
+use version_checker::is_minor_version_compatible;
 
 pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
     App::new("run")
@@ -66,14 +68,45 @@ pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
         )
 }
 
+// this only checks compatibility between config the binary. It does not take into consideration
+// network version. It might do so in the future.
+fn version_check(cfg: &Config) -> bool {
+    let binary_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
+    let config_version = cfg.get_base().get_version();
+    if binary_version != config_version {
+        warn!("The mixnode binary has different version than what is specified in config file! {} and {}", binary_version, config_version);
+        if is_minor_version_compatible(binary_version, config_version) {
+            info!("but they are still semver compatible. However, consider running the `upgrade` command");
+            true
+        } else {
+            error!("and they are semver incompatible! - please run the `upgrade` command before attempting `run` again");
+            false
+        }
+    } else {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     let id = matches.value_of("id").unwrap();
 
-    let mut config =
-        Config::load_from_file(matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()), Some(id))
-            .expect("Failed to load config file");
+    let mut config = match Config::load_from_file(
+        matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()),
+        Some(id),
+    ) {
+        Ok(cfg) => cfg,
+        Err(err) => {
+            error!("Failed to load config for {}. Are you sure you have run `init` before? (Error was: {})", id, err);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
 
     config = override_config(config, matches);
 
+    if !version_check(&config) {
+        error!("failed the local version check");
+        return;
+    }
+
     NymClient::new(config).run_forever();
 }
diff --git a/clients/socks5/src/commands/run.rs b/clients/socks5/src/commands/run.rs
index 04f76a4d768..6c39acae56f 100644
--- a/clients/socks5/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/clients/socks5/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ use crate::client::NymClient;
 use crate::commands::override_config;
 use clap::{App, Arg, ArgMatches};
 use config::NymConfig;
+use log::*;
+use version_checker::is_minor_version_compatible;
 
 pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
     App::new("run")
@@ -67,14 +69,45 @@ pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
         )
 }
 
+// this only checks compatibility between config the binary. It does not take into consideration
+// network version. It might do so in the future.
+fn version_check(cfg: &Config) -> bool {
+    let binary_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
+    let config_version = cfg.get_base().get_version();
+    if binary_version != config_version {
+        warn!("The mixnode binary has different version than what is specified in config file! {} and {}", binary_version, config_version);
+        if is_minor_version_compatible(binary_version, config_version) {
+            info!("but they are still semver compatible. However, consider running the `upgrade` command");
+            true
+        } else {
+            error!("and they are semver incompatible! - please run the `upgrade` command before attempting `run` again");
+            false
+        }
+    } else {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     let id = matches.value_of("id").unwrap();
 
-    let mut config =
-        Config::load_from_file(matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()), Some(id))
-            .expect("Failed to load config file");
+    let mut config = match Config::load_from_file(
+        matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()),
+        Some(id),
+    ) {
+        Ok(cfg) => cfg,
+        Err(err) => {
+            error!("Failed to load config for {}. Are you sure you have run `init` before? (Error was: {})", id, err);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
 
     config = override_config(config, matches);
 
+    if !version_check(&config) {
+        error!("failed the local version check");
+        return;
+    }
+
     NymClient::new(config).run_forever();
 }
diff --git a/gateway/src/commands/run.rs b/gateway/src/commands/run.rs
index 89d2a22af35..e013b8d7d3f 100644
--- a/gateway/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/gateway/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ use crate::node::Gateway;
 use clap::{App, Arg, ArgMatches};
 use config::NymConfig;
 use crypto::asymmetric::{encryption, identity};
+use log::*;
+use version_checker::is_minor_version_compatible;
 
 pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
     App::new("run")
@@ -152,17 +154,48 @@ fn load_identity_keys(pathfinder: &GatewayPathfinder) -> identity::KeyPair {
     identity_keypair
 }
 
+// this only checks compatibility between config the binary. It does not take into consideration
+// network version. It might do so in the future.
+fn version_check(cfg: &Config) -> bool {
+    let binary_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
+    let config_version = cfg.get_version();
+    if binary_version != config_version {
+        warn!("The mixnode binary has different version than what is specified in config file! {} and {}", binary_version, config_version);
+        if is_minor_version_compatible(binary_version, config_version) {
+            info!("but they are still semver compatible. However, consider running the `upgrade` command");
+            true
+        } else {
+            error!("and they are semver incompatible! - please run the `upgrade` command before attempting `run` again");
+            false
+        }
+    } else {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     let id = matches.value_of("id").unwrap();
 
     println!("Starting gateway {}...", id);
 
-    let mut config =
-        Config::load_from_file(matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()), Some(id))
-            .expect("Failed to load config file");
+    let mut config = match Config::load_from_file(
+        matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()),
+        Some(id),
+    ) {
+        Ok(cfg) => cfg,
+        Err(err) => {
+            error!("Failed to load config for {}. Are you sure you have run `init` before? (Error was: {})", id, err);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
 
     config = override_config(config, matches);
 
+    if !version_check(&config) {
+        error!("failed the local version check");
+        return;
+    }
+
     let pathfinder = GatewayPathfinder::new_from_config(&config);
     let sphinx_keypair = load_sphinx_keys(&pathfinder);
     let identity = load_identity_keys(&pathfinder);
diff --git a/gateway/src/node/mod.rs b/gateway/src/node/mod.rs
index 92d203a8287..adc5373b480 100644
--- a/gateway/src/node/mod.rs
+++ b/gateway/src/node/mod.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ use log::*;
 use mixnet_client::forwarder::{MixForwardingSender, PacketForwarder};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use tokio::runtime::Runtime;
-use version_checker::is_minor_version_compatible;
 
 pub(crate) mod client_handling;
 pub(crate) mod mixnet_handling;
@@ -165,34 +164,11 @@ impl Gateway {
             .map(|node| node.identity())
     }
 
-    // this only checks compatibility between config the binary. It does not take into consideration
-    // network version. It might do so in the future.
-    fn version_check(&self) -> bool {
-        let binary_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
-        let config_version = self.config.get_version();
-        if binary_version != config_version {
-            warn!("The mixnode binary has different version than what is specified in config file! {} and {}", binary_version, config_version);
-            if is_minor_version_compatible(binary_version, config_version) {
-                info!("but they are still semver compatible. However, consider running the `upgrade` command");
-                true
-            } else {
-                error!("and they are semver incompatible! - please run the `upgrade` command before attempting `run` again");
-                false
-            }
-        } else {
-            true
-        }
-    }
-
     // Rather than starting all futures with explicit `&Handle` argument, let's see how it works
     // out if we make it implicit using `tokio::spawn` inside Runtime context.
     // Basically more or less equivalent of using #[tokio::main] attribute.
     pub fn run(&mut self) {
         info!("Starting nym gateway!");
-        if !self.version_check() {
-            error!("failed the local version check");
-            return;
-        }
 
         let mut runtime = Runtime::new().unwrap();
 
diff --git a/mixnode/src/commands/run.rs b/mixnode/src/commands/run.rs
index c1159e1d267..fce0bb47288 100644
--- a/mixnode/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/mixnode/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ use crate::node::MixNode;
 use clap::{App, Arg, ArgMatches};
 use config::NymConfig;
 use crypto::asymmetric::{encryption, identity};
+use log::*;
+use version_checker::is_minor_version_compatible;
 
 pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> App<'a, 'b> {
     App::new("run")
@@ -127,17 +129,48 @@ fn load_sphinx_keys(pathfinder: &MixNodePathfinder) -> encryption::KeyPair {
     sphinx_keypair
 }
 
+// this only checks compatibility between config the binary. It does not take into consideration
+// network version. It might do so in the future.
+fn version_check(cfg: &Config) -> bool {
+    let binary_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
+    let config_version = cfg.get_version();
+    if binary_version != config_version {
+        warn!("The mixnode binary has different version than what is specified in config file! {} and {}", binary_version, config_version);
+        if is_minor_version_compatible(binary_version, config_version) {
+            info!("but they are still semver compatible. However, consider running the `upgrade` command");
+            true
+        } else {
+            error!("and they are semver incompatible! - please run the `upgrade` command before attempting `run` again");
+            false
+        }
+    } else {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     let id = matches.value_of("id").unwrap();
 
     println!("Starting mixnode {}...", id);
 
-    let mut config =
-        Config::load_from_file(matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()), Some(id))
-            .expect("Failed to load config file");
+    let mut config = match Config::load_from_file(
+        matches.value_of("config").map(|path| path.into()),
+        Some(id),
+    ) {
+        Ok(cfg) => cfg,
+        Err(err) => {
+            error!("Failed to load config for {}. Are you sure you have run `init` before? (Error was: {})", id, err);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
 
     config = override_config(config, matches);
 
+    if !version_check(&config) {
+        error!("failed the local version check");
+        return;
+    }
+
     let pathfinder = MixNodePathfinder::new_from_config(&config);
     let identity_keypair = load_identity_keys(&pathfinder);
     let sphinx_keypair = load_sphinx_keys(&pathfinder);
diff --git a/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs b/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs
index ad1f99d0954..f6220cd9af9 100644
--- a/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs
+++ b/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ use log::*;
 use mixnet_client::forwarder::{MixForwardingSender, PacketForwarder};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use tokio::runtime::Runtime;
-use version_checker::is_minor_version_compatible;
 
 mod listener;
 mod metrics;
@@ -127,31 +126,8 @@ impl MixNode {
         }
     }
 
-    // this only checks compatibility between config the binary. It does not take into consideration
-    // network version. It might do so in the future.
-    fn version_check(&self) -> bool {
-        let binary_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
-        let config_version = self.config.get_version();
-        if binary_version != config_version {
-            warn!("The mixnode binary has different version than what is specified in config file! {} and {}", binary_version, config_version);
-            if is_minor_version_compatible(binary_version, config_version) {
-                info!("but they are still semver compatible. However, consider running the `upgrade` command");
-                true
-            } else {
-                error!("and they are semver incompatible! - please run the `upgrade` command before attempting `run` again");
-                false
-            }
-        } else {
-            true
-        }
-    }
-
     pub fn run(&mut self) {
         info!("Starting nym mixnode");
-        if !self.version_check() {
-            error!("failed the local version check");
-            return;
-        }
 
         let mut runtime = Runtime::new().unwrap();