diff --git a/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz b/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz
index 03f21f3..15d257e 100644
Binary files a/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz and b/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz differ
diff --git a/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz.sha256 b/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz.sha256
index 9af6467..2e20490 100644
--- a/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz.sha256
+++ b/Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz.sha256
@@ -1 +1 @@
-b5d91410538e7aac2c2ba1e28a2d965e2586492954c12a97817c7737c4f4c327  Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz
+e2e70f7d2949b6c8fe0299f888a3725763a62c01a1faea1fb729babc2ed51c92  Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz
diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
index 25e7247..a5f17d0 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Change Log
-## [0.2.8] TBD
+## [0.2.8] 2019-05-25
 ### Changes
 - Fixes issue if no password is entered, browser must be closed and restart to attempt to re-auth. See issue [#118](../../issues/118). Thanks @smilesm2 for the idea.
 - fixes broken `npm run (build|builddev)`
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
   - update webpack and dependancies
   - update xterm to 3.8.0
 
+### Fixes
+- ILX workspace may not always import properly due to symbolic links (specifically ./node_modules/.bin). This is removed from the ILX package
+
 ## [0.2.7] 2018-11-11
 ### Changes
 - `config.reauth` was not respected if initial auth presented was incorrect, regardless of `reauth` setting in `config.json` reauth would always be attempted. fixes [#117](../../issues/117) 
diff --git a/app/config.json b/app/config.json.sample
similarity index 100%
rename from app/config.json
rename to app/config.json.sample
diff --git a/app/server/app.js b/app/server/app.js
index 26fcfff..939618b 100644
--- a/app/server/app.js
+++ b/app/server/app.js
@@ -3,14 +3,102 @@
 // app.js
 
 var path = require('path')
-// configPath = path.join(__dirname, 'config.json')
 var nodeRoot = path.dirname(require.main.filename)
 var configPath = path.join(nodeRoot, 'config.json')
 var publicPath = path.join(nodeRoot, 'client', 'public')
 console.log('WebSSH2 service reading config from: ' + configPath)
-var config = require('read-config')(configPath)
 var express = require('express')
 var logger = require('morgan')
+
+// sane defaults if config.json or parts are missing
+let config = {
+  'listen': {
+    'ip': '0.0.0.0',
+    'port': 2222
+  },
+  'user': {
+    'name': null,
+    'password': null
+  },
+  'ssh': {
+    'host': null,
+    'port': 22,
+    'term': 'xterm-color',
+    'readyTimeout': 20000,
+    'keepaliveInterval': 120000,
+    'keepaliveCountMax': 10
+  },
+  'terminal': {
+    'cursorBlink': true,
+    'scrollback': 10000,
+    'tabStopWidth': 8,
+    'bellStyle': 'sound'
+  },
+  'header': {
+    'text': null,
+    'background': 'green'
+  },
+  'session': {
+    'name': 'WebSSH2',
+    'secret': 'mysecret'
+  },
+  'options': {
+    'challengeButton': true,
+    'allowreauth': true
+  },
+  'algorithms': {
+    'kex': [
+      'ecdh-sha2-nistp256',
+      'ecdh-sha2-nistp384',
+      'ecdh-sha2-nistp521',
+      'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
+      'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1'
+    ],
+    'cipher': [
+      'aes128-ctr',
+      'aes192-ctr',
+      'aes256-ctr',
+      'aes128-gcm',
+      'aes128-gcm@openssh.com',
+      'aes256-gcm',
+      'aes256-gcm@openssh.com',
+      'aes256-cbc'
+    ],
+    'hmac': [
+      'hmac-sha2-256',
+      'hmac-sha2-512',
+      'hmac-sha1'
+    ],
+    'compress': [
+      'none',
+      'zlib@openssh.com',
+      'zlib'
+    ]
+  },
+  'serverlog': {
+    'client': false,
+    'server': false
+  },
+  'accesslog': false,
+  'verify': false
+}
+
+// test if config.json exists, if not provide error message but try to run
+// anyway
+try {
+  if (fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
+    console.log('ephemeral_auth service reading config from: ' + configPath)
+    config = require('read-config')(configPath)
+  } else {
+    console.error('\n\nERROR: Missing config.json for webssh. Current config: ' + JSON.stringify(config))
+    console.error('\n  See config.json.sample for details\n\n')
+  }
+} catch (err) {
+  console.error('\n\nERROR: Missing config.json for webssh. Current config: ' + JSON.stringify(config))
+  console.error('\n  See config.json.sample for details\n\n')
+  console.error('ERROR:\n\n  ' + err)
+}
+
 var session = require('express-session')({
   secret: config.session.secret,
   name: config.session.name,
diff --git a/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz b/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz
index 03f21f3..15d257e 100644
Binary files a/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz and b/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz differ
diff --git a/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz.sha256 b/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz.sha256
index 9af6467..2e20490 100644
--- a/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz.sha256
+++ b/bin/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-current.tgz.sha256
@@ -1 +1 @@
-b5d91410538e7aac2c2ba1e28a2d965e2586492954c12a97817c7737c4f4c327  Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz
+e2e70f7d2949b6c8fe0299f888a3725763a62c01a1faea1fb729babc2ed51c92  Build/Release/BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2-0.2.8.tgz
diff --git a/scripts/build.sh b/scripts/build.sh
index 3cd4c39..6728a8c 100755
--- a/scripts/build.sh
+++ b/scripts/build.sh
@@ -1,21 +1,42 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 ## Syncs from BIG-IP and builds a release based on version in extensions/ephemeral_auth/package.json
-
+#
 source ./scripts/env.sh
-
 source ./scripts/util.sh
 
 ./scripts/pull.sh
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+  # failure
+  tput bel;tput bel;tput bel;tput bel
+  echo -e "\n${fgLtRed}Pull command failed. Giving up.${fgLtWhi}\n"
+  echo ${output}
+  exit 255
+fi
 
+# get version of package from package.json
 package_version=$(jq -r ".version" workspace/extensions/webssh2/package.json)
-
+# creates new workspace name with version 
 webssh_workspace_name=$webssh_workspace_name-$package_version
 
-ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost /bin/tar czf - -C /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name . > Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz
+echoNotice "Creating workspace package" 
+runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost /bin/tar --exclude='./extensions/webssh2/config.json' -czf - -C /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name . > Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz"
 
-shasum -a 256 Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz > Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz.sha256
+echoNotice "Creating SHA256 hash" 
+runCommand "shasum -a 256 Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz > Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz.sha256"
 
-cp Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz $webssh_pua_location/$webssh_package_name-current.tgz
-cp Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz.sha256 $webssh_pua_location/$webssh_package_name-current.tgz.sha256
+echoNotice "Copying to current"
+runCommand "cp Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz $webssh_pua_location/$webssh_package_name-current.tgz && \
+            cp Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz.sha256 $webssh_pua_location/$webssh_package_name-current.tgz.sha256"
 
-find . -name '.DS_Store' -type f -delete
+echoNotice "Deleting any '.DS_Store' files"
+runCommand "find . -name '.DS_Store' -type f -delete"
+
+echo -e "\nWorkspace packages located at:\n"
+echo "  Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz"
+echo "  Build/Release/$webssh_package_name-$package_version.tgz.sha256"
+echo "  $webssh_pua_location/$webssh_package_name-current.tgz"
+echo "  $webssh_pua_location/$webssh_package_name-current.tgz.sha256"
+
+echo -e "\n👍 Build Complete 👍\n"
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/scripts/env.sh b/scripts/env.sh
index 68a0dbc..1955d68 100755
--- a/scripts/env.sh
+++ b/scripts/env.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-
-webssh_ilxhost=root@192.168.30.209
+#webssh_ilxhost=root@192.168.30.209
+webssh_ilxhost=root@192.168.30.203
 webssh_workspace_name=webssh2
 webssh_package_name=BIG-IP-ILX-WebSSH2
-webssh_pua_location=./bin
+webssh_pua_location=./bin
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/pull.sh b/scripts/pull.sh
index dd51cf9..9826955 100755
--- a/scripts/pull.sh
+++ b/scripts/pull.sh
@@ -6,37 +6,25 @@
 #
 # Pulls an ILX workspace from a BIG-IP and syncs to ./workspace, excludes 
 # ./workspace/extensions/ephemeral_auth/node_modules.
-
+#
 source ./scripts/env.sh
-
 source ./scripts/util.sh
 
+# get version of package from package.json
 PACKAGE_VERSION=$(jq -r ".version" workspace/extensions/webssh2/package.json 2>&1)
-
+# creates new workspace name with version 
 webssh_workspace_name=$webssh_workspace_name-$PACKAGE_VERSION
 
+echo "Pull ${fgLtCya}$webssh_workspace_name${fgLtWhi} from ${fgLtCya}$webssh_ilxhost${fgLtWhi}"
+
 # check to see if the workspace actually exists before attempting to copy over
 
-output=$(ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost tmsh list ilx workspace $webssh_workspace_name one-line 2>&1)
-result="$?" 2>&1
+echoNotice "Checking for existing workspace ${fgLtCya}$webssh_workspace_name${fgLtWhi}"
+runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost tmsh list ilx workspace $webssh_workspace_name one-line 2>&1"
 
-if [ $result -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  echo "Workspace: $webssh_workspace_name not found, are you sure that's the right one?"
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  echo "Terminating."
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  exit 255
-fi
+echoNotice "Pulling ${fgLtCya}$webssh_workspace_name${fgLtWhi} from ${fgLtCya}$webssh_ilxhost${fgLtWhi}"
+runCommand "rsync -e 'ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes -ax' -avq --include=\"extensions/ephemeral_auth/node_modules/f5-*\" --exclude=\".DS_Store\" --exclude=\"extensions/ephemeral_auth/node_modules/*\" $webssh_ilxhost:/var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/. workspace/. 2>&1"
 
-output=$(rsync -e 'ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes -ax' -avq --include="extensions/ephemeral_auth/node_modules/f5-*" --exclude=".DS_Store" --exclude="extensions/ephemeral_auth/node_modules/*" $webssh_ilxhost:/var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/. workspace/. 2>&1)
-result="$?" 2>&1
+echo -e "\n👍 Pull complete 👍\n"
 
-if [ $result -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  echo "Something went wrong with the rsync..."
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  echo "Terminating."
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  exit 255
-fi
\ No newline at end of file
+exit 0
diff --git a/scripts/push.sh b/scripts/push.sh
index 03d0269..02a641a 100755
--- a/scripts/push.sh
+++ b/scripts/push.sh
@@ -6,81 +6,56 @@
 #
 # Pushes ./workspace to a BIG-IP ILX workspace
 #
-
 source ./scripts/env.sh
-
 source ./scripts/util.sh
 
 # get version of package from package.json
 PACKAGE_VERSION=$(jq -r ".version" workspace/extensions/webssh2/package.json 2>&1)
-
 # creates new workspace name with version 
 webssh_workspace_name=$webssh_workspace_name-$PACKAGE_VERSION
 
-echo -e "\n"
-echo "Checking $webssh_ilxhost for workspace $webssh_workspace_name"
+echo "Push ${fgLtCya}$webssh_workspace_name${fgLtWhi} to ${fgLtCya}$webssh_ilxhost${fgLtWhi}"
+
+echoNotice "Checking $webssh_ilxhost for workspace $webssh_workspace_name"
 output=$(ssh  -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost tmsh list ilx workspace $webssh_workspace_name one-line 2>&1)
 result="$?" 2>&1
-
 if [ $result -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo -e "\n"
-  echo "Workspace: $webssh_workspace_name not found, attempting to create"
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  output=$(ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost "tmsh create ilx workspace $webssh_workspace_name node-version 6.9.1" 2>&1)
-  result="$?" 2>&1
-  if [ $result -ne 0 ]; then
-    echo -e "\n\n"
-    echo "Error creating workspace: $webssh_workspace_name... I give up, not sure what's going on..."
-    echo -e "\n\n"
-    exit 255
-  fi
+  echo "❌"
+  echoNotice "Attempting to create workspace"
+  runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost \"tmsh create ilx workspace $webssh_workspace_name node-version 6.9.1\" 2>&1"
+else
+  echo "✅"
 fi
 
-echo -e "\n"
-echo "Pushing ./workspace to $webssh_ilxhost at $webssh_workspace_name"
-rsync -e 'ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes -ax' -avq --delete --exclude='.DS_Store' --exclude extensions/webssh2/node_modules workspace/. $webssh_ilxhost:/var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/.
+echoNotice "Pushing ./workspace to $webssh_ilxhost at $webssh_workspace_name"
+runCommand "rsync -e 'ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes -ax' -avq --delete --exclude='.DS_Store' --exclude extensions/webssh2/node_modules workspace/. $webssh_ilxhost:/var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/."
 
-echo -e "\n"
-echo "Setting permissions at $webssh_workspace_name on $webssh_ilxhost"
-output=$(ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost "chown -R root.sdm /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/; \
+echoNotice "Installing node modules at $webssh_workspace_name on $webssh_ilxhost"
+runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost \"cd /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/extensions/webssh2; npm i --production\" 2>&1"
+
+echoNotice "Setting permissions at $webssh_workspace_name on $webssh_ilxhost"
+runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost \"chown -R root.sdm /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/; \
   chmod -R ug+rwX,o-w /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/; \
   chmod u+rw,go-w /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/version; \
-  chmod u+rw,go-w /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/node_version" 2>&1)
-result="$?" 2>&1
-if [ $result -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  echo "Error setting permissions... I give up, not sure what's going on..."
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  exit 255
-fi
+  chmod u+rw,go-w /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/node_version\" 2>&1"
 
-echo -e "\n"
-echo "Installing node modules at $webssh_workspace_name on $webssh_ilxhost"
-output=$(ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost "cd /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/extensions/webssh2; npm i --production" 2>&1)
-result="$?" 2>&1
+echoNotice "Deleting $webssh_workspace_name/node_modules/.bin on $webssh_ilxhost"
+runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost \"cd /var/ilx/workspaces/Common/$webssh_workspace_name/extensions/webssh2; rm -rf node_modules/.bin\" 2>&1"
 
-if [ $result -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo -e "\n"
-  echo "Error installing modules \"npm i --production\", process incomplete."
-  echo -e "\n"
-  echo "See output below:"
-  echo -e "\n"
-  echo $output
-
-  exit 255
-fi
-
-echo "Switching plugin to new workspace..."
 # switch plugin to new workspace
-output=$(ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost tmsh modify ilx plugin WebSSH_plugin from-workspace $webssh_workspace_name 2>&1)
+echoNotice "Checking to see if plugin exists"
+output=$(ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost tmsh list ilx plugin WebSSH_plugin one-line 2>&1)
 result="$?" 2>&1
 if [ $result -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  echo "I give up, not sure what's going on..."
-  echo -e "\n\n"
-  exit 255
+  echo "❌"
+  echoNotice "Attempting to create plugin"
+  runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost tmsh create ilx plugin WebSSH_plugin from-workspace $webssh_workspace_name extensions { webssh2 { concurrency-mode single ilx-logging enabled } } 2>&1"
+else
+  echo "✅"
+  echoNotice "Switching plugin to $webssh_workspace_name"
+  runCommand "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes $webssh_ilxhost tmsh modify ilx plugin WebSSH_plugin from-workspace $webssh_workspace_name extensions { webssh2 { concurrency-mode single ilx-logging enabled } } 2>&1"
 fi
 
-echo -e "\n"
-echo "Push complete, associated $auth_workspace_name with a WebSSH_plugin plugin. Test and validate."
-echo -e "\n"
+echo -e "\n👍 Push complete 👍\n"
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/scripts/util.sh b/scripts/util.sh
index 7fdb206..3029a27 100755
--- a/scripts/util.sh
+++ b/scripts/util.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,19 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # Utility functions / scripts
 
+echoNotice () { echo -e -n "\n$@... "; }
+
+fgLtRed=$(tput bold;tput setaf 1)
+fgLtGrn=$(tput bold;tput setaf 2)
+fgLtYel=$(tput bold;tput setaf 3)
+fgLtBlu=$(tput bold;tput setaf 4)
+fgLtMag=$(tput bold;tput setaf 5)
+fgLtCya=$(tput bold;tput setaf 6)
+fgLtWhi=$(tput bold;tput setaf 7)
+fgLtGry=$(tput bold;tput setaf 8)
+
+echo ${fgLtWhi}
+
 # check for jq and try to install...
 output=$(which jq 2>&1)
 if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
@@ -27,4 +40,35 @@ if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
       exit 255
     fi
   fi
-fi
\ No newline at end of file
+fi
+
+# checks the output of a command to get the status and report/handle failure
+checkOutput() {
+  if [ $result -eq 0 ]; then
+    # success
+    #echo "${fgLtGrn}[OK]${fgLtWhi}"
+    echo "✅"
+    return
+  else
+    # failure
+    tput bel;tput bel;tput bel;tput bel
+    #echo "${fgLtRed}[FAILED]${fgLtWhi}"
+    echo "❌"
+    echo -e "\nPrevious command failed in ${script_path}/${scriptname} with error level: ${result}"
+    echo -e "\nCommand:\n"
+    echo "  ${command}"
+    echo -e "\nSTDOUT/STDERR:\n"
+    echo ${output}
+    exit 255
+  fi
+}
+
+# run a comand and check call checkOutput
+runCommand() {
+  # $1 command
+  command=$@
+  output=$((eval $command) 2>&1)
+  result="$?" 2>&1
+  prevline=$(($LINENO-2))
+  checkOutput
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testing/BIG-IP-13.1.0.2-ILX-webssh2-0.2.3.tgz b/testing/BIG-IP-13.1.0.2-ILX-webssh2-0.2.3.tgz
deleted file mode 100644
index b463679..0000000
Binary files a/testing/BIG-IP-13.1.0.2-ILX-webssh2-0.2.3.tgz and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/workspace/extensions/webssh2/ChangeLog.md b/workspace/extensions/webssh2/ChangeLog.md
index 19eb6ca..a5f17d0 100644
--- a/workspace/extensions/webssh2/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/workspace/extensions/webssh2/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
 # Change Log
+## [0.2.8] 2019-05-25
+### Changes
+- Fixes issue if no password is entered, browser must be closed and restart to attempt to re-auth. See issue [#118](../../issues/118). Thanks @smilesm2 for the idea.
+- fixes broken `npm run (build|builddev)`
+  - update font-awesome fonts to 5.6.3
+  - update webpack and dependancies
+  - update xterm to 3.8.0
+
+### Fixes
+- ILX workspace may not always import properly due to symbolic links (specifically ./node_modules/.bin). This is removed from the ILX package
+
 ## [0.2.7] 2018-11-11
 ### Changes
 - `config.reauth` was not respected if initial auth presented was incorrect, regardless of `reauth` setting in `config.json` reauth would always be attempted. fixes [#117](../../issues/117) 
diff --git a/workspace/extensions/webssh2/config.json.sample b/workspace/extensions/webssh2/config.json.sample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a90f18b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspace/extensions/webssh2/config.json.sample
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+{
+  "listen": {
+    "ip": "127.0.0.1",
+    "port": 2222
+  },
+  "user": {
+    "name": null,
+    "password": null
+  },
+  "ssh": {
+    "host": null,
+    "port": 22,
+    "term": "xterm-color",
+    "readyTimeout": 20000,
+    "keepaliveInterval": 120000,
+    "keepaliveCountMax": 10
+  },
+  "terminal": {
+    "cursorBlink": true,
+    "scrollback": 10000,
+    "tabStopWidth": 8,
+    "bellStyle": "sound"
+  },
+  "header": {
+    "text": null,
+    "background": "green"
+  },
+  "session": {
+    "name": "WebSSH2",
+    "secret": "mysecret"
+  },
+  "options": {
+    "challengeButton": true,
+    "allowreauth": true
+  },
+  "algorithms": {
+    "kex": [
+      "ecdh-sha2-nistp256",
+      "ecdh-sha2-nistp384",
+      "ecdh-sha2-nistp521",
+      "diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256",
+      "diffie-hellman-group14-sha1"
+    ],
+    "cipher": [
+      "aes128-ctr",
+      "aes192-ctr",
+      "aes256-ctr",
+      "aes128-gcm",
+      "aes128-gcm@openssh.com",
+      "aes256-gcm",
+      "aes256-gcm@openssh.com",
+      "aes256-cbc"
+    ],
+    "hmac": [
+      "hmac-sha2-256",
+      "hmac-sha2-512",
+      "hmac-sha1"
+    ],
+    "compress": [
+      "none",
+      "zlib@openssh.com",
+      "zlib"
+    ]
+  },
+  "serverlog": {
+    "client": false,
+    "server": false
+  },
+  "accesslog": false,
+  "verify": false
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/workspace/extensions/webssh2/server/app.js b/workspace/extensions/webssh2/server/app.js
index bd4ffe1..f7b5676 100644
--- a/workspace/extensions/webssh2/server/app.js
+++ b/workspace/extensions/webssh2/server/app.js
@@ -3,14 +3,102 @@
 // app.js
 
 var path = require('path')
-// configPath = path.join(__dirname, 'config.json')
 var nodeRoot = path.dirname(require.main.filename)
 var configPath = path.join(nodeRoot, 'config.json')
 var publicPath = path.join(nodeRoot, 'client', 'public')
 console.log('WebSSH2 service reading config from: ' + configPath)
-var config = require('read-config')(configPath)
 var express = require('express')
 var logger = require('morgan')
+
+// sane defaults if config.json or parts are missing
+let config = {
+  'listen': {
+    'ip': '127.0.0.1',
+    'port': 2222
+  },
+  'user': {
+    'name': null,
+    'password': null
+  },
+  'ssh': {
+    'host': null,
+    'port': 22,
+    'term': 'xterm-color',
+    'readyTimeout': 20000,
+    'keepaliveInterval': 120000,
+    'keepaliveCountMax': 10
+  },
+  'terminal': {
+    'cursorBlink': true,
+    'scrollback': 10000,
+    'tabStopWidth': 8,
+    'bellStyle': 'sound'
+  },
+  'header': {
+    'text': null,
+    'background': 'green'
+  },
+  'session': {
+    'name': 'WebSSH2',
+    'secret': 'mysecret'
+  },
+  'options': {
+    'challengeButton': true,
+    'allowreauth': true
+  },
+  'algorithms': {
+    'kex': [
+      'ecdh-sha2-nistp256',
+      'ecdh-sha2-nistp384',
+      'ecdh-sha2-nistp521',
+      'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
+      'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1'
+    ],
+    'cipher': [
+      'aes128-ctr',
+      'aes192-ctr',
+      'aes256-ctr',
+      'aes128-gcm',
+      'aes128-gcm@openssh.com',
+      'aes256-gcm',
+      'aes256-gcm@openssh.com',
+      'aes256-cbc'
+    ],
+    'hmac': [
+      'hmac-sha2-256',
+      'hmac-sha2-512',
+      'hmac-sha1'
+    ],
+    'compress': [
+      'none',
+      'zlib@openssh.com',
+      'zlib'
+    ]
+  },
+  'serverlog': {
+    'client': false,
+    'server': false
+  },
+  'accesslog': false,
+  'verify': false
+}
+
+// test if config.json exists, if not provide error message but try to run
+// anyway
+try {
+  if (fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
+    console.log('ephemeral_auth service reading config from: ' + configPath)
+    config = require('read-config')(configPath)
+  } else {
+    console.error('\n\nERROR: Missing config.json for webssh. Current config: ' + JSON.stringify(config))
+    console.error('\n  See config.json.sample for details\n\n')
+  }
+} catch (err) {
+  console.error('\n\nERROR: Missing config.json for webssh. Current config: ' + JSON.stringify(config))
+  console.error('\n  See config.json.sample for details\n\n')
+  console.error('ERROR:\n\n  ' + err)
+}
+
 var session = require('express-session')({
   secret: config.session.secret,
   name: config.session.name,
@@ -28,7 +116,7 @@ var socket = require('./socket')
 var expressOptions = require('./expressOptions')
 
 // express
-app.use(compression({level: 9}))
+app.use(compression({ level: 9 }))
 app.use(session)
 app.use(myutil.basicAuth)
 if (config.accesslog) app.use(logger('common'))
@@ -50,7 +138,7 @@ app.get('/ssh/host/:host?', function (req, res, next) {
       (validator.isFQDN(req.params.host) && req.params.host) ||
       (/^(([a-z]|[A-Z]|[0-9]|[!^(){}\-_~])+)?\w$/.test(req.params.host) &&
       req.params.host) || config.ssh.host,
-    port: (validator.isInt(req.query.port + '', {min: 1, max: 65535}) &&
+    port: (validator.isInt(req.query.port + '', { min: 1, max: 65535 }) &&
       req.query.port) || config.ssh.port,
     header: {
       name: req.query.header || config.header.text,
@@ -63,8 +151,8 @@ app.get('/ssh/host/:host?', function (req, res, next) {
       req.query.sshterm) || config.ssh.term,
     terminal: {
       cursorBlink: (validator.isBoolean(req.query.cursorBlink + '') ? myutil.parseBool(req.query.cursorBlink) : config.terminal.cursorBlink),
-      scrollback: (validator.isInt(req.query.scrollback + '', {min: 1, max: 200000}) && req.query.scrollback) ? req.query.scrollback : config.terminal.scrollback,
-      tabStopWidth: (validator.isInt(req.query.tabStopWidth + '', {min: 1, max: 100}) && req.query.tabStopWidth) ? req.query.tabStopWidth : config.terminal.tabStopWidth,
+      scrollback: (validator.isInt(req.query.scrollback + '', { min: 1, max: 200000 }) && req.query.scrollback) ? req.query.scrollback : config.terminal.scrollback,
+      tabStopWidth: (validator.isInt(req.query.tabStopWidth + '', { min: 1, max: 100 }) && req.query.tabStopWidth) ? req.query.tabStopWidth : config.terminal.tabStopWidth,
       bellStyle: ((req.query.bellStyle) && (['sound', 'none'].indexOf(req.query.bellStyle) > -1)) ? req.query.bellStyle : config.terminal.bellStyle
     },
     allowreplay: config.options.challengeButton || (validator.isBoolean(req.headers.allowreplay + '') ? myutil.parseBool(req.headers.allowreplay) : false),
@@ -74,7 +162,7 @@ app.get('/ssh/host/:host?', function (req, res, next) {
       client: config.serverlog.client || false,
       server: config.serverlog.server || false
     },
-    readyTimeout: (validator.isInt(req.query.readyTimeout + '', {min: 1, max: 300000}) &&
+    readyTimeout: (validator.isInt(req.query.readyTimeout + '', { min: 1, max: 300000 }) &&
       req.query.readyTimeout) || config.ssh.readyTimeout
   }
   if (req.session.ssh.header.name) validator.escape(req.session.ssh.header.name)
@@ -101,4 +189,4 @@ io.use(function (socket, next) {
 // bring up socket
 io.on('connection', socket)
 
-module.exports = {server: server, config: config}
+module.exports = { server: server, config: config }