diff --git a/certs/certs.go b/certs/certs.go
index 56921b0..016b301 100644
--- a/certs/certs.go
+++ b/certs/certs.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"io/fs"
 	"log"
 	"math/big"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -172,6 +173,10 @@ func (c *Certs) internalCompile(m map[string]*tls.Certificate) error {
 		// try to read key file
 		keyData, err := fs.ReadFile(c.kDir, keyName)
 		if err != nil {
+			// ignore the file if the certificate doesn't exist
+			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+				continue
+			}
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read key file '%s': %w", keyName, err)
 		}
 
diff --git a/cmd/violet/serve.go b/cmd/violet/serve.go
index 48e7faa..1978874 100644
--- a/cmd/violet/serve.go
+++ b/cmd/violet/serve.go
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ func (s *serveCmd) Execute(ctx context.Context, f *flag.FlagSet, _ ...interface{
 		return subcommands.ExitFailure
 	}
 
-	var conf startUpConfig
-	err = json.NewDecoder(openConf).Decode(&conf)
+	var config startUpConfig
+	err = json.NewDecoder(openConf).Decode(&config)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Println("[Violet] Error: invalid config file: ", err)
 		return subcommands.ExitFailure
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (s *serveCmd) Execute(ctx context.Context, f *flag.FlagSet, _ ...interface{
 
 	// working directory is the parent of the config file
 	wd := filepath.Dir(s.configPath)
-	normalLoad(conf, wd)
+	normalLoad(config, wd)
 	return subcommands.ExitSuccess
 }