diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 79f5c4d..c0287f3 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -51,32 +51,6 @@ func init() {
 		return
 	}
 	projectConfig = pc
-
-	if projectConfig.Environments == nil {
-		projectConfig.Environments = map[string]*project.Environment{}
-	}
-
-	if projectConfig.Addons == nil {
-		projectConfig.Addons = map[string]project.Addon{}
-	}
-
-	if projectConfig.ParsedAddons == nil {
-		projectConfig.ParsedAddons = map[string]template.TemplateManifest{}
-	}
-
-	// load all addons, so we can use them later
-	for k, v := range projectConfig.Addons {
-		tm, err := template.LoadManifest(v.Path)
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("An error occurred while loading the addon [%s] manifest file: %s, %v\n", k, v.Path, err)
-			os.Exit(1)
-			return
-		}
-		tm.Name = k
-		tm.BasePath = v.Path
-		tm.Group = v.Group
-		projectConfig.ParsedAddons[k] = *tm
-	}
 }
 
 func main() {
diff --git a/internal/project/config.go b/internal/project/config.go
index 90bb93d..e384bbb 100644
--- a/internal/project/config.go
+++ b/internal/project/config.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/leonsteinhaeuser/openshift-gitops-cli/internal/template"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 )
 
@@ -20,6 +21,29 @@ func ParseConfig(path string) (*ProjectConfig, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal config to ProjectConfig: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	if pc.Environments == nil {
+		pc.Environments = map[string]*Environment{}
+	}
+
+	if pc.Addons == nil {
+		pc.Addons = map[string]Addon{}
+	}
+
+	if pc.ParsedAddons == nil {
+		pc.ParsedAddons = map[string]template.TemplateManifest{}
+	}
+
+	// load all addons, so we can use them later
+	for k, v := range pc.Addons {
+		tm, err := template.LoadManifest(v.Path)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("an error occurred while loading the addon [%s] manifest file: %s, %v", k, v.Path, err)
+		}
+		tm.Name = k
+		tm.BasePath = v.Path
+		tm.Group = v.Group
+		pc.ParsedAddons[k] = *tm
+	}
 	return pc, nil
 }