diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c34e6f54..04af6306 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 - Use new ACL syntax [#618](https://github.com/juanfont/headscale/pull/618)
 - Add -c option to specify config file from command line [#285](https://github.com/juanfont/headscale/issues/285) [#612](https://github.com/juanfont/headscale/pull/601)
 - Add configuration option to allow Tailscale clients to use a random WireGuard port. [kb/1181/firewalls](https://tailscale.com/kb/1181/firewalls) [#624](https://github.com/juanfont/headscale/pull/624)
+- Improve obtuse UX regarding missing configuration (`ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout` not set) [#639](https://github.com/juanfont/headscale/pull/639)
 
 ## 0.15.0 (2022-03-20)
 
diff --git a/cmd/headscale/cli/utils.go b/cmd/headscale/cli/utils.go
index f5c679c2..327c8c14 100644
--- a/cmd/headscale/cli/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/headscale/cli/utils.go
@@ -7,12 +7,10 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
-	"time"
 
 	"github.com/juanfont/headscale"
 	v1 "github.com/juanfont/headscale/gen/go/headscale/v1"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
@@ -29,21 +27,6 @@ func getHeadscaleApp() (*headscale.Headscale, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load configuration while creating headscale instance: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Minimum inactivity time out is keepalive timeout (60s) plus a few seconds
-	// to avoid races
-	minInactivityTimeout, _ := time.ParseDuration("65s")
-	if viper.GetDuration("ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout") <= minInactivityTimeout {
-		// TODO: Find a better way to return this text
-		//nolint
-		err := fmt.Errorf(
-			"ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout (%s) is set too low, must be more than %s",
-			viper.GetString("ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout"),
-			minInactivityTimeout,
-		)
-
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	app, err := headscale.NewHeadscale(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 917b4734..9e71a750 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -160,7 +160,11 @@ func LoadConfig(path string, isFile bool) error {
 	viper.SetDefault("logtail.enabled", false)
 	viper.SetDefault("randomize_client_port", false)
 
+	viper.SetDefault("ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout", "120s")
+
 	if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
+		log.Warn().Err(err).Msg("Failed to read configuration from disk")
+
 		return fmt.Errorf("fatal error reading config file: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -202,6 +206,17 @@ func LoadConfig(path string, isFile bool) error {
 			EnforcedClientAuth)
 	}
 
+	// Minimum inactivity time out is keepalive timeout (60s) plus a few seconds
+	// to avoid races
+	minInactivityTimeout, _ := time.ParseDuration("65s")
+	if viper.GetDuration("ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout") <= minInactivityTimeout {
+		errorText += fmt.Sprintf(
+			"Fatal config error: ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout (%s) is set too low, must be more than %s",
+			viper.GetString("ephemeral_node_inactivity_timeout"),
+			minInactivityTimeout,
+		)
+	}
+
 	if errorText != "" {
 		//nolint
 		return errors.New(strings.TrimSuffix(errorText, "\n"))