diff --git a/pkg/common/common.go b/pkg/common/common.go
index 737ff6c..91b2a3d 100644
--- a/pkg/common/common.go
+++ b/pkg/common/common.go
@@ -245,14 +245,27 @@ func GetRequestIP(r *http.Request) (requestIP string) {
 	return headerValue
 }
 
+type statusRecorder struct {
+	http.ResponseWriter
+	Status int
+}
+
+func (r *statusRecorder) WriteHeader(status int) {
+	r.Status = status
+	r.ResponseWriter.WriteHeader(status)
+}
+
 // Logging ...
 // a basic middleware for logging
 func Logging(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	// log all requests
 	return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		requestIP := GetRequestIP(r)
-		log.Printf("%v %v %v %v %v %v %#v", r.Method, r.URL, r.Proto, r.Response, requestIP, r.RemoteAddr, r.Header)
-		next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+		recorder := &statusRecorder{
+			ResponseWriter: w,
+		}
+		next.ServeHTTP(recorder, r)
+		log.Printf("%v %v %v %v %v %v %#v", recorder.Status, r.Method, r.URL, r.Proto, requestIP, r.RemoteAddr, r.Header)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -268,15 +281,18 @@ type DotfileConfig struct {
 
 // LoadDotfileConfig ...
 // loads a .ghs.yaml in the serve folder
-func LoadDotfileConfig(serveFolder string) (cfg DotfileConfig, err error) {
+func LoadDotfileConfig(serveFolder string) (cfg *DotfileConfig, err error) {
 	configPath := path.Join(serveFolder, AppServeFolderConfigName)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(configPath); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
 	file, err := os.ReadFile(configPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return DotfileConfig{}, err
+		return &DotfileConfig{}, err
 	}
 	err = yaml.Unmarshal(file, &cfg)
 	if err != nil {
-		return DotfileConfig{}, err
+		return &DotfileConfig{}, err
 	}
 	return cfg, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go b/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go
index 9d8b912..52ce688 100644
--- a/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go
+++ b/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func NewWebServer() *WebServer {
 	cfg, err := common.LoadDotfileConfig(w.ServeFolder)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error loading dotfile config: %v\n", err)
-	} else {
+	} else if cfg != nil {
 		w.VueJSHistoryMode = cfg.HistoryMode
 		if cfg.RedirectRoutes != nil {
 			w.RedirectRoutes = cfg.RedirectRoutes
@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ func NewWebServer() *WebServer {
 		if cfg.TemplateMap != nil {
 			w.TemplateMap = cfg.TemplateMap
 		}
-
 		if w.HeaderMap != nil {
 			w.HeaderMapEnabled = true
 		}
@@ -216,7 +215,7 @@ func (w *WebServer) LoadTemplateMap() *WebServer {
 	}
 	if w.TemplateMap == nil {
 		if _, err := os.Stat(w.TemplateMapPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			log.Printf("[notice] history mode is enabled, template maps (currently set to '%v') can also be used\n", w.TemplateMapPath)
+			log.Printf("[notice] history mode templating is enabled, template maps (currently set to '%v') can also be used\n", w.TemplateMapPath)
 			return w
 		}
 		configMap, err := common.LoadMapConfig(w.TemplateMapPath)
@@ -243,7 +242,7 @@ func (w *WebServer) LoadHeaderMap() *WebServer {
 	}
 	if w.HeaderMap == nil {
 		if _, err := os.Stat(w.HeaderMapPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			log.Printf("[notice] history mode is enabled, template maps (currently set to '%v') can also be used\n", w.TemplateMapPath)
+			log.Printf("[notice] header templating is enabled, header template maps (currently set to '%v') can also be used\n", w.HeaderMapPath)
 			return w
 		}
 		headerMap, err := common.LoadHeaderMapConfig(w.HeaderMapPath)