diff --git a/dist/popnhax/popnhax.xml b/dist/popnhax/popnhax.xml
index 63921fd..95f3bed 100644
--- a/dist/popnhax/popnhax.xml
+++ b/dist/popnhax/popnhax.xml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     <!-- Premium free (unlimited stages per credit) -->
     <pfree __type="bool">0</pfree>
     <!-- Press numpad 9 in song to retire instantly, or on result screen to leave game session (thank you for playing) -->
-    <!-- quick_retire with pfree also enables quick retry: press numpad 8 during song or on result screen to retry (keep holding during option select to skip it) -->
+    <!-- quick_retire with pfree also enables quick retry: press numpad 8 during song or on result screen to retry (keep holding to skip option select) -->
     <quick_retire __type="bool">0</quick_retire>
 
   <!-- Network features -->
@@ -59,17 +59,22 @@
     <!-- HD resolution for pcb_type=0 (0: no, 1: keep texts as on HD cab (smaller LCD mod), 2: center texts (32" LCD mod) ) -->
     <force_hd_resolution __type="u8">0</force_hd_resolution>
 
-  <!-- END OF USER SETTINGS -->
+  <!-- ====================
+       END OF USER SETTINGS
+       ==================== -->
 
   <!-- EXPERIMENTAL PATCHES -->
     <!-- Enable practice mode menu, (r-ran, constant chart speed, slow motion, etc...) -->
     <!-- PLEASE USE OFFLINE ONLY -->
     <practice_mode __type="bool">0</practice_mode>
-    <!-- Press 9 on option select screen to go back to song selection (requires pfree and quick_retire) -->
+    <!-- Press 9 on option select screen to go back to song selection (requires quick_retire) -->
     <!-- Note: causes issues with sounds on song select -->
     <back_to_song_select __type="bool">0</back_to_song_select>
 
-  <!-- DEBUG OPTIONS FOLLOW (GENERALLY SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING) -->
+
+  <!-- ========================================================================================
+       DEBUG OPTIONS FOLLOW (GENERALLY SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING)
+       ======================================================================================== -->
 
   <!-- Datecode and Multiboot -->
     <!-- Force a different datecode than the one found in ea3-config (yyyymmdd00) -->
diff --git a/popnhax/dllmain.cc b/popnhax/dllmain.cc
index da2011d..3730d7b 100644
--- a/popnhax/dllmain.cc
+++ b/popnhax/dllmain.cc
@@ -3897,7 +3897,11 @@ BOOL APIENTRY DllMain(HMODULE hModule, DWORD ul_reason_for_call, LPVOID lpReserv
         LOG("popnhax: game dll: %s\n",g_game_dll_fn);
         LOG("popnhax: config file: %s\n",g_config_fn);
 
-        _load_config(g_config_fn, &config, config_psmap);
+        if (!_load_config(g_config_fn, &config, config_psmap))
+        {
+            LOG("FATAL ERROR: Could not parse %s\n", g_config_fn);
+            return FALSE;
+        }
 
         if (force_trans_debug)
             config.translation_debug = true;
diff --git a/util/xmlprop.hpp b/util/xmlprop.hpp
index f988089..081b081 100644
--- a/util/xmlprop.hpp
+++ b/util/xmlprop.hpp
@@ -84,17 +84,20 @@ struct property *load_prop_file(const char *filename) {
     return config_data;
 }
 
-void _load_config(const char *filename, void *dest, const struct property_psmap *psmap) {
+bool _load_config(const char *filename, void *dest, const struct property_psmap *psmap) {
     struct property *config_xml = load_prop_file(filename);
 
     if (!config_xml) {
         printf("Couldn't load xml file: %s\n", filename);
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     if (!(property_psmap_import(config_xml, nullptr, dest, psmap))) {
         printf("Couldn't parse psmap\n");
+        return false;
     }
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file