diff --git a/system-images/compat/src/config/mod.rs b/system-images/compat/src/config/mod.rs
index 05c7d7a00..40070648f 100644
--- a/system-images/compat/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/system-images/compat/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ pub fn validate_configuration(
 
 pub fn validate_dependency_configuration(
     name: &str,
-    config: Config,
+    config: &Option<Config>,
     parent_name: &str,
     parent_config: Config,
     rules_path: &Path,
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ pub fn validate_dependency_configuration(
     let rules: Vec<ConfigRuleEntry> = serde_yaml::from_reader(std::fs::File::open(rules_path)?)?;
     let mut cfgs = LinearMap::new();
     cfgs.insert(parent_name, Cow::Borrowed(&parent_config));
-    cfgs.insert(name, Cow::Borrowed(&config));
+    if let Some(config) = config {
+        cfgs.insert(name, Cow::Borrowed(&config))
+    } else {
+        cfgs.insert(name, Cow::Owned(serde_json::Map::new()))
+    };
     let rule_check = rules
         .into_iter()
         .map(|r| r.check(&parent_config, &cfgs))
@@ -67,7 +71,7 @@ pub fn validate_dependency_configuration(
 
 pub fn apply_dependency_configuration(
     package_id: &str,
-    config: Config,
+    config: Option<Config>,
     dependency_id: &str,
     mut dep_config: Config,
     rules_path: &Path,
@@ -76,7 +80,10 @@ pub fn apply_dependency_configuration(
         serde_yaml::from_reader(std::fs::File::open(rules_path)?)?;
     let mut cfgs = LinearMap::new();
     cfgs.insert(dependency_id, Cow::Owned(dep_config.clone()));
-    cfgs.insert(package_id, Cow::Owned(config.clone()));
+    match config {
+        Some(config) => cfgs.insert(package_id, Cow::Owned(config.clone())),
+        None => cfgs.insert(package_id, Cow::Owned(serde_json::Map::new())),
+    };
     let rule_check = rules
         .into_iter()
         .map(|r| r.apply(dependency_id, &mut dep_config, &mut cfgs))
diff --git a/system-images/compat/src/main.rs b/system-images/compat/src/main.rs
index 932270c81..ea7a67b1b 100644
--- a/system-images/compat/src/main.rs
+++ b/system-images/compat/src/main.rs
@@ -201,18 +201,19 @@ fn inner_main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
         ("dependency", Some(sub_m)) => match sub_m.subcommand() {
             ("check", Some(sub_m)) => {
                 let parent_config = serde_yaml::from_reader(stdin())?;
-                let config = serde_yaml::from_reader(
-                    File::open(
-                        Path::new(sub_m.value_of("mountpoint").unwrap()).join("start9/config.yaml"),
-                    )
-                    .unwrap(),
-                )?;
+                let cfg_path =
+                    Path::new(sub_m.value_of("mountpoint").unwrap()).join("start9/config.yaml");
+                let config = if cfg_path.exists() {
+                    Some(serde_yaml::from_reader(File::open(cfg_path).unwrap()).unwrap())
+                } else {
+                    None
+                };
                 let rules_path = Path::new(sub_m.value_of("assets").unwrap());
                 let name = sub_m.value_of("dependent_package_id").unwrap();
                 let parent_name = sub_m.value_of("dependency_package_id").unwrap();
                 match validate_dependency_configuration(
                     name,
-                    config,
+                    &config,
                     parent_name,
                     parent_config,
                     rules_path,
@@ -229,12 +230,13 @@ fn inner_main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
             }
             ("auto-configure", Some(sub_m)) => {
                 let dep_config = serde_yaml::from_reader(stdin())?;
-                let config = serde_yaml::from_reader(
-                    File::open(
-                        Path::new(sub_m.value_of("mountpoint").unwrap()).join("start9/config.yaml"),
-                    )
-                    .unwrap(),
-                )?;
+                let cfg_path =
+                    Path::new(sub_m.value_of("mountpoint").unwrap()).join("start9/config.yaml");
+                let config = if cfg_path.exists() {
+                    Some(serde_yaml::from_reader(File::open(cfg_path).unwrap()).unwrap())
+                } else {
+                    None
+                };
                 let rules_path = Path::new(sub_m.value_of("assets").unwrap());
                 let package_id = sub_m.value_of("dependent_package_id").unwrap();
                 let dependency_id = sub_m.value_of("dependency_package_id").unwrap();