diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index b4153b062..f759d591e 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ use crate::{
 
 use log::{error, warn};
 use std::{
+    fmt::Debug,
     io::{stdin, stdout, Write},
     sync::Arc,
     time::{Duration, Instant},
@@ -269,7 +270,12 @@ impl Application {
     }
 
     fn refresh_config(&mut self) {
-        let config = Config::load(helix_loader::config_file()).unwrap_or_default();
+        let config = Config::load(helix_loader::config_file())
+            .map_err(|err| {
+                self.editor.set_error(err.to_string());
+                Config::default()
+            })
+            .unwrap();
         // Just an example to start; Some config properties like "theme" are a bit more involved and require a reload
         if let Some(theme) = config.theme.clone() {
             let true_color = self.true_color();
diff --git a/helix-term/src/config.rs b/helix-term/src/config.rs
index f665e72cb..94d5fc80d 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/config.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/config.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use crate::keymap::{merge_keys, Keymaps};
 use serde::Deserialize;
+use std::fmt::Display;
 use std::io::Error as IOError;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use toml::de::Error as TomlError;
@@ -22,6 +23,15 @@ pub enum ConfigLoadError {
     Error(IOError),
 }
 
+impl Display for ConfigLoadError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            ConfigLoadError::BadConfig(err) => err.fmt(f),
+            ConfigLoadError::Error(err) => err.fmt(f),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case", deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct LspConfig {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/main.rs b/helix-term/src/main.rs
index 75a02f852..90ac6219e 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/main.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/main.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use anyhow::{Context, Result, Error};
+use anyhow::{Context, Error, Result};
 use helix_term::application::Application;
 use helix_term::args::Args;
 use helix_term::config::{Config, ConfigLoadError};