diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/add.go b/cmd/ipfs/add.go
index f33825594..b5c475d64 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/add.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/add.go
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ func addCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
 	err := daemon.SendCommand(cmd, "localhost:12345")
 	if err != nil {
 		// Do locally
-		conf := getConfig(c.Parent)
+		conf, err := getConfigDir(c.Parent)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		n, err := localNode(conf, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/cat.go b/cmd/ipfs/cat.go
index b155904c7..68e7daeaf 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/cat.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/cat.go
@@ -28,18 +28,16 @@ func catCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	expanded, err := u.ExpandPathnames(inp)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	com := daemon.NewCommand()
 	com.Command = "cat"
-	com.Args = expanded
+	com.Args = inp
 
-	err = daemon.SendCommand(com, "localhost:12345")
+	err := daemon.SendCommand(com, "localhost:12345")
 	if err != nil {
-		conf := getConfig(c.Parent)
+		conf, err := getConfigDir(c.Parent)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		n, err := localNode(conf, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/init.go b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
index a70e0eb81..ef5b0d18c 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/init.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
@@ -32,12 +32,27 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func initCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
-	filename, err := config.Filename(config.DefaultConfigFilePath)
+	configpath, err := getConfigDir(c.Parent)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if configpath == "" {
+		configpath, err = u.TildeExpansion("~/.go-ipfs")
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	filename, err := config.Filename(configpath + "/config")
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New("Couldn't get home directory path")
 	}
+
 	fi, err := os.Lstat(filename)
-	force := c.Flag.Lookup("f").Value.Get().(bool)
+	force, ok := c.Flag.Lookup("f").Value.Get().(bool)
+	if !ok {
+		return errors.New("failed to parse force flag")
+	}
 	if fi != nil || (err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err)) && !force {
 		return errors.New("ipfs configuration file already exists!\nReinitializing would overwrite your keys.\n(use -f to force overwrite)")
 	}
@@ -55,7 +70,10 @@ func initCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
 	// This needs thought
 	// cfg.Identity.Address = ""
 
-	nbits := c.Flag.Lookup("b").Value.Get().(int)
+	nbits, ok := c.Flag.Lookup("b").Value.Get().(int)
+	if !ok {
+		return errors.New("failed to get bits flag")
+	}
 	if nbits < 1024 {
 		return errors.New("Bitsize less than 1024 is considered unsafe.")
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/ipfs.go b/cmd/ipfs/ipfs.go
index b0194e74a..5e895175b 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/ipfs.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/ipfs.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ Use "ipfs help <command>" for more information about a command.
 }
 
 func init() {
-	CmdIpfs.Flag.String("c", "~/.go-ipfs/config", "specify config file")
+	CmdIpfs.Flag.String("c", config.DefaultPathRoot, "specify config directory")
 }
 
 func ipfsCmd(c *commander.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -72,9 +73,8 @@ func main() {
 	return
 }
 
-func localNode(conf string, online bool) (*core.IpfsNode, error) {
-	//todo implement config file flag
-	cfg, err := config.Load(conf)
+func localNode(confdir string, online bool) (*core.IpfsNode, error) {
+	cfg, err := config.Load(confdir + "/config")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -84,11 +84,14 @@ func localNode(conf string, online bool) (*core.IpfsNode, error) {
 
 // Gets the config "-c" flag from the command, or returns
 // the empty string
-func getConfig(c *commander.Command) string {
+func getConfigDir(c *commander.Command) (string, error) {
 	conf := c.Flag.Lookup("c").Value.Get()
-	confStr, ok := conf.(string)
-	if ok {
-		return confStr
+	if conf == nil {
+		return "", nil
 	}
-	return ""
+	confStr, ok := conf.(string)
+	if !ok {
+		return "", errors.New("failed to retrieve config flag value.")
+	}
+	return confStr, nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/ls.go b/cmd/ipfs/ls.go
index d654a34dd..59c7ee10c 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/ls.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/ls.go
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ func lsCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
 	com.Args = inp
 	err := daemon.SendCommand(com, "localhost:12345")
 	if err != nil {
-		conf := getConfig(c.Parent)
+		conf, err := getConfigDir(c.Parent)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		n, err := localNode(conf, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/mount_unix.go b/cmd/ipfs/mount_unix.go
index 0626a7183..92d445395 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/mount_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/mount_unix.go
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ func mountCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	conf := getConfig(c.Parent)
+	conf, err := getConfigDir(c.Parent)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	n, err := localNode(conf, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/refs.go b/cmd/ipfs/refs.go
index 5429d9da1..ce45b29f0 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/refs.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/refs.go
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ func refCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
 	err := daemon.SendCommand(cmd, "localhost:12345")
 	if err != nil {
 		// Do locally
-		conf := getConfig(c.Parent)
+		conf, err := getConfigDir(c.Parent)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		n, err := localNode(conf, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err