diff --git a/atomic_operator/__init__.py b/atomic_operator/__init__.py
index 002c56b..19bd4f6 100644
--- a/atomic_operator/__init__.py
+++ b/atomic_operator/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 __version__ = "0.5.4"
 
+
 from .atomic_operator import AtomicOperator
diff --git a/atomic_operator/configparser.py b/atomic_operator/configparser.py
index 68a6f94..a6d506c 100644
--- a/atomic_operator/configparser.py
+++ b/atomic_operator/configparser.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def __init__(self, config_file=None, techniques=None, test_guids=None,
                 ))
 
     def __load_config(self, config_file):
-        if self.get_abs_path(config_file):
+        if config_file and self.get_abs_path(config_file):
             config_file = self.get_abs_path(config_file)
             if not os.path.exists(config_file):
                 raise FileNotFoundError('Please provide a config_file path that exists')