diff --git a/lib/include/srslte/common/config_file.h b/lib/include/srslte/common/config_file.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80391f19a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/include/srslte/common/config_file.h
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/**
+ *
+ * \section COPYRIGHT
+ *
+ * Copyright 2013-2015 Software Radio Systems Limited
+ *
+ * \section LICENSE
+ *
+ * This file is part of the srsUE library.
+ *
+ * srsUE is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * srsUE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * A copy of the GNU Affero General Public License can be found in
+ * the LICENSE file in the top-level directory of this distribution
+ * and at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef SRSLTE_CONFIG_FILE_H
+#define SRSLTE_CONFIG_FILE_H
+
+#include <fstream>
+#include <pwd.h>
+#include "common.h"
+
+bool config_exists(std::string &filename, std::string default_name)
+{
+  std::ifstream conf(filename.c_str(), std::ios::in);
+  if(conf.fail()) {
+    const char *homedir = NULL;
+    char full_path[256];
+    ZERO_OBJECT(full_path);
+    if ((homedir = getenv("HOME")) == NULL) {
+      homedir = getpwuid(getuid())->pw_dir;
+    }
+    if (!homedir) {
+      homedir = ".";
+    }
+    snprintf(full_path, sizeof(full_path), "%s/.srs/%s", homedir, default_name.c_str());
+    filename = std::string(full_path);
+
+    // try to open again
+    conf.open(filename.c_str());
+    if (conf.fail()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+#endif // SRSLTE_CONFIG_FILE_H
diff --git a/srsenb/src/main.cc b/srsenb/src/main.cc
index 3d4af3501..8a2a5ce2e 100644
--- a/srsenb/src/main.cc
+++ b/srsenb/src/main.cc
@@ -30,11 +30,13 @@
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 
+#include "srslte/common/config_file.h"
+
 #include <iostream>
-#include <fstream>
 #include <string>
 #include <boost/program_options.hpp>
 #include <boost/program_options/parsers.hpp>
+#include <srsenb/hdr/enb.h>
 
 #include "srsenb/hdr/enb.h"
 #include "srsenb/hdr/metrics_stdout.h"
@@ -224,30 +226,30 @@ void parse_args(all_args_t *args, int argc, char* argv[]) {
   }
 
   // print version number and exit
-    // print version number and exit
-    if (vm.count("version")) {
-        cout << "Version " <<
-                srslte_get_version_major() << "." <<
-                srslte_get_version_minor() << "." <<
-                srslte_get_version_patch() << endl;
-        exit(0);
-    }
+  if (vm.count("version")) {
+    cout << "Version " <<
+         srslte_get_version_major() << "." <<
+         srslte_get_version_minor() << "." <<
+         srslte_get_version_patch() << endl;
+    exit(0);
+  }
 
-  // no config file given - print usage and exit
+  // if no config file given, check users home path
   if (!vm.count("config_file")) {
-      cout << "Error: Configuration file not provided" << endl;
-      cout << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " [OPTIONS] config_file" << endl << endl;
-      exit(0);
-  } else {
-      cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
-      ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
-      if(conf.fail()) {
-        cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
-        exit(1);
-      }
-      bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
-      bpo::notify(vm);
+    if (!config_exists(config_file, "enb.conf")) {
+      cout << "Failed to read eNB configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+      exit(1);
+    }
+  }
+
+  cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
+  ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
+  if(conf.fail()) {
+    cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
   }
+  bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
+  bpo::notify(vm);
 
   // Convert hex strings
   {
@@ -329,6 +331,22 @@ void parse_args(all_args_t *args, int argc, char* argv[]) {
       args->log.s1ap_hex_limit = args->log.all_hex_limit;
     }
   }
+
+  // Check remaining eNB config files
+  if (!config_exists(args->enb_files.sib_config, "sib.conf")) {
+    cout << "Failed to read SIB configuration file " << args->enb_files.sib_config << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
+
+  if (!config_exists(args->enb_files.rr_config, "rr.conf")) {
+    cout << "Failed to read RR configuration file " << args->enb_files.rr_config << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
+
+  if (!config_exists(args->enb_files.drb_config, "drb.conf")) {
+    cout << "Failed to read DRB configuration file " << args->enb_files.drb_config << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
 }
 
 static int  sigcnt = 0;
diff --git a/srsepc/src/main.cc b/srsepc/src/main.cc
index e2c006750..beed67709 100644
--- a/srsepc/src/main.cc
+++ b/srsepc/src/main.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <boost/program_options.hpp>
 #include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
 #include "srslte/common/bcd_helpers.h"
+#include "srslte/common/config_file.h"
 #include "srsepc/hdr/mme/mme.h"
 #include "srsepc/hdr/hss/hss.h"
 #include "srsepc/hdr/spgw/spgw.h"
@@ -154,23 +155,23 @@ parse_args(all_args_t *args, int argc, char* argv[]) {
       exit(0);
   }
 
-  //Parsing Config File
+  // if no config file given, check users home path
   if (!vm.count("config_file")) {
-      cout << "Error: Configuration file not provided" << endl;
-      cout << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " [OPTIONS] config_file" << endl << endl;
-      exit(0);
-  } else {
-      cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
-      ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
-      if(conf.fail()) {
-        cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
-        exit(1);
-      }
-      bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
-      bpo::notify(vm);
+    if (!config_exists(config_file, "epc.conf")) {
+      cout << "Failed to read ePC configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+      exit(1);
+    }
   }
 
-
+  //Parsing Config File
+  cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
+  ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
+  if(conf.fail()) {
+    cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
+  bpo::notify(vm);
 
   //Concert hex strings
   {
@@ -246,6 +247,13 @@ parse_args(all_args_t *args, int argc, char* argv[]) {
       args->log_args.hss_hex_limit = args->log_args.all_hex_limit;
     }
   }
+
+  // Check user database
+  if (!config_exists(args->hss_args.db_file, "user_db.csv")) {
+    cout << "Failed to read HSS user database file " << args->hss_args.db_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
+
   return;
 }
 
diff --git a/srsepc/src/mbms-gw/main.cc b/srsepc/src/mbms-gw/main.cc
index 379d56a36..a54f071c8 100644
--- a/srsepc/src/mbms-gw/main.cc
+++ b/srsepc/src/mbms-gw/main.cc
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <boost/program_options.hpp>
 #include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
+#include "srslte/common/config_file.h"
 #include "srsepc/hdr/mbms-gw/mbms-gw.h"
 
 using namespace std;
@@ -131,22 +132,24 @@ parse_args(all_args_t *args, int argc, char* argv[]) {
       exit(0);
   }
 
-  //Parsing Config File
+  // if no config file given, check users home path
   if (!vm.count("config_file")) {
-      cout << "Error: Configuration file not provided" << endl;
-      cout << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " [OPTIONS] config_file" << endl << endl;
-      exit(0);
-  } else {
-      cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
-      ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
-      if(conf.fail()) {
-        cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
-        exit(1);
-      }
-      bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
-      bpo::notify(vm);
+    if (!config_exists(config_file, "mbms.conf")) {
+      cout << "Failed to read MBMS-GW configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+      exit(1);
+    }
   }
 
+  //Parsing Config File
+  cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
+  ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
+  if(conf.fail()) {
+    cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
+  bpo::notify(vm);
+
   args->mbms_gw_args.name = mbms_gw_name;
   args->mbms_gw_args.sgi_mb_if_addr = mbms_gw_sgi_mb_if_addr;
   args->mbms_gw_args.m1u_multi_addr = mbms_gw_m1u_multi_addr;
diff --git a/srsue/src/main.cc b/srsue/src/main.cc
index e0a36ddc5..fd83596d4 100644
--- a/srsue/src/main.cc
+++ b/srsue/src/main.cc
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <boost/program_options/parsers.hpp>
 
 #include "srsue/hdr/ue.h"
+#include "srslte/common/config_file.h"
 #include "srslte/srslte.h"
 #include "srsue/hdr/metrics_stdout.h"
 #include "srsue/hdr/metrics_csv.h"
@@ -343,22 +344,24 @@ void parse_args(all_args_t *args, int argc, char *argv[]) {
     exit(0);
   }
 
-  // no config file given - print usage and exit
+  // if no config file given, check users home path
   if (!vm.count("config_file")) {
-    cout << "Error: Configuration file not provided" << endl;
-    cout << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " [OPTIONS] config_file" << endl << endl;
-    exit(0);
-  } else {
-    cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
-    ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
-    if (conf.fail()) {
-      cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+
+    if (!config_exists(config_file, "ue.conf")) {
+      cout << "Failed to read UE configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
       exit(1);
     }
-    bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
-    bpo::notify(vm);
   }
 
+  cout << "Reading configuration file " << config_file << "..." << endl;
+  ifstream conf(config_file.c_str(), ios::in);
+  if (conf.fail()) {
+    cout << "Failed to read configuration file " << config_file << " - exiting" << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  bpo::store(bpo::parse_config_file(conf, common), vm);
+  bpo::notify(vm);
+
   // Apply all_level to any unset layers
   if (vm.count("log.all_level")) {
     if (!vm.count("log.phy_level")) {