diff --git a/cmd/orchid/main.go b/cmd/orchid/main.go
index 79757a0..56b3fef 100644
--- a/cmd/orchid/main.go
+++ b/cmd/orchid/main.go
@@ -27,12 +27,14 @@ func main() {
 	logger.Logger.Info("Starting...")
 
 	if configPath == "" {
-		logger.Logger.Fatal("Config flag is missing")
+		logger.Logger.Error("Config flag is missing")
+		trySetup(configPath)
+		return
 	}
 
 	wd, err := getWD(configPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Logger.Fatal("Failed to find config directory: ", "err", err)
+		logger.Logger.Fatal("Failed to find config directory", "err", err)
 	}
 
 	// try to open the config file
@@ -41,19 +43,11 @@ func main() {
 	case err == nil:
 		break
 	case os.IsNotExist(err):
-		// handle potential errors during setup
-		err = trySetup(wd)
-		switch {
-		case errors.Is(err, errExitSetup):
-			// exit setup without questions
-			return
-		case err == nil:
-			return
-		default:
-			logger.Logger.Fatal("Failed to run setup", "err", err)
-		}
+		logger.Logger.Warn("Failed to open config file", "err", err)
+		trySetup(wd)
+		return
 	default:
-		logger.Logger.Fatal("Open config file: ", "err", err)
+		logger.Logger.Fatal("Open config file", "err", err)
 	}
 
 	// config file opened with no errors
@@ -63,7 +57,7 @@ func main() {
 	var config startUpConfig
 	err = yaml.NewDecoder(openConf).Decode(&config)
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Logger.Fatal("Invalid config file: ", "err", err)
+		logger.Logger.Fatal("Invalid config file", "err", err)
 	}
 
 	runDaemon(wd, config)
@@ -115,3 +109,17 @@ func getWD(configPath string) (string, error) {
 	}
 	return filepath.Dir(wdAbs), nil
 }
+
+func trySetup(wd string) {
+	// handle potential errors during setup
+	err := runSetup(wd)
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, errExitSetup):
+		// exit setup without questions
+		return
+	case err == nil:
+		return
+	default:
+		logger.Logger.Fatal("Failed to run setup", "err", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/orchid/setup.go b/cmd/orchid/setup.go
index e63f981..018b540 100644
--- a/cmd/orchid/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/orchid/setup.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 
 var errExitSetup = errors.New("exit setup")
 
-func trySetup(wd string) error {
+func runSetup(wd string) error {
 	// ask about running the setup steps
 	createFile := false
 	err := survey.AskOne(&survey.Confirm{Message: fmt.Sprintf("Create Orchid config files in this directory: '%s'?", wd)}, &createFile)
diff --git a/database/tx.go b/database/tx.go
index 2b1c0c7..24c2cab 100644
--- a/database/tx.go
+++ b/database/tx.go
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ package database
 import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
+	"errors"
 )
 
+var errMissingSqlDB = errors.New("cannot open transaction without sql.DB")
+
 func (q *Queries) UseTx(ctx context.Context, cb func(tx *Queries) error) error {
 	sqlDB, ok := q.db.(*sql.DB)
 	if !ok {
-		panic("cannot open transaction without sql.DB")
+		return errMissingSqlDB
 	}
 	tx, err := sqlDB.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
 	if err != nil {