diff --git a/server/airbyte/runner.go b/server/airbyte/runner.go
index 7823054d5..04c9c1db6 100644
--- a/server/airbyte/runner.go
+++ b/server/airbyte/runner.go
@@ -324,8 +324,7 @@ func saveConfig(airbyteSourceConfig interface{}) (string, string, error) {
 
 	absoluteFilePath := path.Join(absoluteDirPath, fileName)
 	//write airbyte config as file path
-	_, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(absoluteFilePath, airbyteSourceConfig)
-	if err != nil {
+	if _, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(absoluteFilePath, airbyteSourceConfig); err != nil {
 		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("Error writing airbyte config [%v]: %v", airbyteSourceConfig, err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/drivers/airbyte/airbyte.go b/server/drivers/airbyte/airbyte.go
index 21169c241..3da4f75d2 100644
--- a/server/drivers/airbyte/airbyte.go
+++ b/server/drivers/airbyte/airbyte.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func NewAirbyte(ctx context.Context, sourceConfig *base.SourceConfig, collection
 
 	//parse airbyte catalog as file path
 	catalogPath, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(path.Join(pathToConfigs, base.CatalogFileName), config.Catalog)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && err != parsers.ErrValueIsNil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing airbyte catalog [%v]: %v", config.Catalog, err)
 	}
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func NewAirbyte(ctx context.Context, sourceConfig *base.SourceConfig, collection
 
 	//parse airbyte state as file path
 	statePath, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(path.Join(pathToConfigs, base.StateFileName), config.InitialState)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && err != parsers.ErrValueIsNil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing airbyte initial state [%v]: %v", config.InitialState, err)
 	}
 
@@ -151,10 +151,11 @@ func TestAirbyte(sourceConfig *base.SourceConfig) error {
 	}
 	base.FillPreconfiguredOauth(config.DockerImage, config.Config)
 	airbyteRunner := airbyte.NewRunner(config.DockerImage, config.ImageVersion, "")
-	err := airbyteRunner.Check(config.Config)
-	if err != nil {
+
+	if err := airbyteRunner.Check(config.Config); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+
 	selectedStreamsWithNamespace := selectedStreamsWithNamespace(config)
 	if len(selectedStreamsWithNamespace) > 0 {
 		airbyteRunner = airbyte.NewRunner(config.DockerImage, config.ImageVersion, "")
diff --git a/server/drivers/singer/singer.go b/server/drivers/singer/singer.go
index 2c0251a01..5245a544c 100644
--- a/server/drivers/singer/singer.go
+++ b/server/drivers/singer/singer.go
@@ -86,20 +86,19 @@ func NewSinger(ctx context.Context, sourceConfig *base.SourceConfig, collection
 	_, err = os.Stat(configPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		//parse singer config as file path
-		_, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(configPath, config.Config)
-		if err != nil {
+		if _, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(configPath, config.Config); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing singer config [%v]: %v", config.Config, err)
 		}
 	}
 	//parse singer catalog as file path
 	catalogPath, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(path.Join(pathToConfigs, base.CatalogFileName), config.Catalog)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && err != parsers.ErrValueIsNil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing singer catalog [%v]: %v", config.Catalog, err)
 	}
 
 	//parse singer properties as file path
 	propertiesPath, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(path.Join(pathToConfigs, base.PropertiesFileName), config.Properties)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && err != parsers.ErrValueIsNil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing singer properties [%v]: %v", config.Properties, err)
 	}
 
@@ -140,7 +139,7 @@ func NewSinger(ctx context.Context, sourceConfig *base.SourceConfig, collection
 
 	//parse singer state as file path
 	statePath, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(path.Join(pathToConfigs, base.StateFileName), config.InitialState)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && err != parsers.ErrValueIsNil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing singer initial state [%v]: %v", config.InitialState, err)
 	}
 
@@ -328,8 +327,7 @@ func (s *Singer) Load(config string, state string, taskLogger logging.TaskLogger
 	}
 
 	if config != "" {
-		_, err = parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(s.GetConfigPath(), config)
-		if err != nil {
+		if _, err = parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(s.GetConfigPath(), config); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to write config loaded from meta storage: %v", err)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/server/parsers/json_files.go b/server/parsers/json_files.go
index 60e5caadb..4b93a1840 100644
--- a/server/parsers/json_files.go
+++ b/server/parsers/json_files.go
@@ -8,12 +8,14 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var ErrValueIsNil = errors.New("value is nil")
+
 //ParseJSONAsFile parses value and write it to a json file
 //returns path to created json file or return value if it is already path to json file
 //or empty string if value is nil
 func ParseJSONAsFile(newPath string, value interface{}) (string, error) {
 	if value == nil {
-		return "", nil
+		return "", ErrValueIsNil
 	}
 
 	switch value.(type) {
@@ -26,14 +28,24 @@ func ParseJSONAsFile(newPath string, value interface{}) (string, error) {
 
 		return newPath, ioutil.WriteFile(newPath, b, 0644)
 	case string:
-		payload := value.(string)
-		if strings.HasPrefix(payload, "{") {
-			return newPath, ioutil.WriteFile(newPath, []byte(payload), 0644)
+		valueString := value.(string)
+		if strings.HasPrefix(valueString, "{") {
+			return newPath, ioutil.WriteFile(newPath, []byte(valueString), 0644)
+		}
+
+		//check if it is valid json in the filepath
+		content, err := ioutil.ReadFile(valueString)
+		if err == nil && len(content) > 0 && strings.HasPrefix(string(content), "{") {
+			testObj := map[string]interface{}{}
+			if err := json.Unmarshal(content, &testObj); err != nil {
+				return "", fmt.Errorf("value in file %s must contain a valid JSON", value)
+			}
+
+			return valueString, nil
 		}
 
-		//already file
-		return payload, nil
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("value must be a path to json file or raw json in ParseJSONAsFile(): %v", value)
 	default:
-		return "", errors.New("Unknown type. Value must be path to json file or raw json")
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unknown type. Value must be a path to json file or raw json: %v (%T)", value, value)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/server/singer/bridge.go b/server/singer/bridge.go
index 0b31ce295..9395de9fd 100644
--- a/server/singer/bridge.go
+++ b/server/singer/bridge.go
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func (b *Bridge) Discover(tap, singerConfigPath string) (*RawCatalog, error) {
 	return catalog, nil
 }
 
-//saveConfig saves config as file for using
+//SaveConfig saves config as file for using
 //returns absolute file path to generated file
 func SaveConfig(sourceId string, tap string, singerConfig interface{}) (string, error) {
 	configDir := path.Join(Instance.VenvDir, sourceId, tap)
@@ -250,8 +250,7 @@ func SaveConfig(sourceId string, tap string, singerConfig interface{}) (string,
 
 	absoluteFilePath := path.Join(configDir, base.ConfigFileName)
 	//write singer config as file path
-	_, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(absoluteFilePath, singerConfig)
-	if err != nil {
+	if _, err := parsers.ParseJSONAsFile(absoluteFilePath, singerConfig); err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("Error writing singer to %s: %v", absoluteFilePath, err)
 	}