diff --git a/cmd/lakefs-loadtest/cmd/root.go b/cmd/lakefs-loadtest/cmd/root.go
index 24f290fa8c4..d1fe8e8c2be 100644
--- a/cmd/lakefs-loadtest/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/lakefs-loadtest/cmd/root.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -66,12 +67,14 @@ func initConfig() {
 	viper.SetEnvPrefix("LAKEFS_LOADTEST")
 	viper.SetEnvKeyReplacer(strings.NewReplacer(".", "_")) // support nested config
 	viper.AutomaticEnv()                                   // read in environment variables that match
+
+	var errConfigNotFound viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError
 	if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err == nil {
 		fmt.Println("Using config file:", viper.ConfigFileUsed())
-	} else if _, ok := err.(viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError); !ok {
-		fmt.Println("Error while reading config file:", viper.ConfigFileUsed(), "-", err)
-	} else {
-		// err is viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError
+	} else if errors.As(err, &errConfigNotFound) {
 		fmt.Println("Config file not found. Will try to use environment variables.")
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("Error while reading config file:", viper.ConfigFileUsed(), "-", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 }