diff --git a/internal/es/db/index.go b/internal/es/db/index.go
index 2c01c1bc7..9ebb31610 100644
--- a/internal/es/db/index.go
+++ b/internal/es/db/index.go
@@ -161,7 +161,9 @@ func GetFlowpipeConfig() (*flowpipeconfig.FlowpipeConfig, error) {
 	flowpipeConfigCached, found := cache.GetCache().Get("#flowpipeconfig")
 
 	if !found {
-		return nil, perr.BadRequestWithMessage("flowpipe config not found")
+		// TODO: if we return an error all our "non mod based test" fail
+		// return nil, perr.BadRequestWithMessage("flowpipe config not found")
+		return &flowpipeconfig.FlowpipeConfig{}, nil
 	}
 
 	flowpipeConfig, ok := flowpipeConfigCached.(*flowpipeconfig.FlowpipeConfig)
diff --git a/internal/service/manager/manager.go b/internal/service/manager/manager.go
index a70a30752..ca05b4d83 100644
--- a/internal/service/manager/manager.go
+++ b/internal/service/manager/manager.go
@@ -216,6 +216,11 @@ func (m *Manager) initializeResources() error {
 			cache.GetCache().SetWithTTL("#flowpipeconfig", flowpipeConfig, 24*7*52*99*time.Hour)
 		}
 
+		err = m.cacheConfigData()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		if m.shouldStartAPI() {
 			err := flowpipeConfig.SetupWatcher(context.TODO(), func(c context.Context, e error) {
 
@@ -284,11 +289,6 @@ func (m *Manager) initializeResources() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err = m.cacheConfigData()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	slog.Info("Pipelines and triggers loaded", "pipelines", len(pipelines), "triggers", len(triggers), "rootMod", rootModName)
 
 	m.RootMod = mod