diff --git a/ch.psi.fda.fdaq/src/main/java/ch/psi/fda/fdaq/FdaqConfiguration.java b/ch.psi.fda.fdaq/src/main/java/ch/psi/fda/fdaq/FdaqConfiguration.java
index 2bf30e3..f8ceb82 100644
--- a/ch.psi.fda.fdaq/src/main/java/ch/psi/fda/fdaq/FdaqConfiguration.java
+++ b/ch.psi.fda.fdaq/src/main/java/ch/psi/fda/fdaq/FdaqConfiguration.java
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@ import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileReader;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Properties;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 public class FdaqConfiguration {
 	
-	public final static String FDAQ_CONFIG = "ch.psi.fda.fdaq.config.file";
+	private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(FdaqConfiguration.class.getName());
+	private final static String FDAQ_CONFIG = "ch.psi.fda.fdaq.config.file";
 	
 	private String hostname = "mchip015.psi.ch";
 	private int port = 2233;
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ public class FdaqConfiguration {
 			loadFile(new File(config));
 		}
 		else{
-			throw new RuntimeException("No configuration file specified via -D"+FDAQ_CONFIG+"=...");
+			logger.warning("No configuration file specified via -D"+FDAQ_CONFIG+"=... - using defaults");
 		}
 	}