diff --git a/src/cmd/root.go b/src/cmd/root.go
index f2f91e1da..d134675e5 100644
--- a/src/cmd/root.go
+++ b/src/cmd/root.go
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func preRun(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := utils.SetUpConfiguration(); err != nil {
+	if err := setUpConfiguration(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/utils.go b/src/cmd/utils.go
index 25b00e6b1..738a4b959 100644
--- a/src/cmd/utils.go
+++ b/src/cmd/utils.go
@@ -61,6 +61,49 @@ func askForConfirmation(prompt string) bool {
 	return retVal
 }
 
+func createErrorConfiguration(file string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "failed to read file %s\n", file)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
+func createErrorConfigurationIsDirectory(file string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "failed to read file %s\n", file)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Configuration file must be a regular file.\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
+func createErrorConfigurationPermission(file string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "failed to read file %s\n", file)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Configuration file must be readable.\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
+func createErrorConfigurationSyntax(file string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "failed to parse file %s\n", file)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Configuration file must be valid TOML.\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
+func createErrorConfigurationUserConfigDir() error {
+	return errors.New("neither $XDG_CONFIG_HOME nor $HOME are defined")
+}
+
 func createErrorContainerNotFound(container string) error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "container %s not found\n", container)
@@ -71,7 +114,7 @@ func createErrorContainerNotFound(container string) error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
-func createErrorDistroWithoutRelease(distro string) error {
+func createErrorDistroWithoutReleaseForCLI(distro string) error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "option '--release' is needed\n")
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Distribution %s doesn't match the host.\n", distro)
@@ -81,6 +124,16 @@ func createErrorDistroWithoutRelease(distro string) error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
+func createErrorDistroWithoutReleaseForConfig(distro string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "option 'release' is needed in configuration file\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Distribution %s doesn't match the host.\n", distro)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
 func createErrorInvalidContainer(containerArg string) error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '%s'\n", containerArg)
@@ -91,7 +144,7 @@ func createErrorInvalidContainer(containerArg string) error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
-func createErrorInvalidDistro(distro string) error {
+func createErrorInvalidDistroForCLI(distro string) error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '--distro'\n")
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Distribution %s is unsupported.\n", distro)
@@ -101,7 +154,17 @@ func createErrorInvalidDistro(distro string) error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
-func createErrorInvalidImageForContainerName(container string) error {
+func createErrorInvalidDistroForConfig(distro string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for 'distro' in configuration file\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Distribution %s is unsupported.\n", distro)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
+func createErrorInvalidImageForContainerNameForCLI(container string) error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '--image'\n")
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Container name %s generated from image is invalid.\n", container)
@@ -112,7 +175,18 @@ func createErrorInvalidImageForContainerName(container string) error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
-func createErrorInvalidImageWithoutBasename() error {
+func createErrorInvalidImageForContainerNameForConfig() error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for 'image' in configuration file\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Image gives an invalid container name.\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Container names must match '%s'.\n", utils.ContainerNameRegexp)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
+func createErrorInvalidImageWithoutBasenameForCLI() error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '--image'\n")
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Images must have basenames.\n")
@@ -122,7 +196,17 @@ func createErrorInvalidImageWithoutBasename() error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
-func createErrorInvalidRelease(hint string) error {
+func createErrorInvalidImageWithoutBasenameForConfig() error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for 'image' in configuration file\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Images must have basenames.\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
+func createErrorInvalidReleaseForCLI(hint string) error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '--release'\n")
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "%s\n", hint)
@@ -132,6 +216,16 @@ func createErrorInvalidRelease(hint string) error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
+func createErrorInvalidReleaseForConfig(hint string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for 'release'\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "%s\n", hint)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
 func getUsageForCommonCommands() string {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "create    Create a new toolbox container\n")
@@ -166,7 +260,7 @@ func resolveContainerAndImageNames(container, containerArg, distroCLI, imageCLI,
 				err := createErrorInvalidContainer(containerArg)
 				return "", "", "", err
 			} else if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrContainerNameFromImageInvalid) {
-				err := createErrorInvalidImageForContainerName(errContainer.Container)
+				err := createErrorInvalidImageForContainerNameForCLI(errContainer.Container)
 				return "", "", "", err
 			} else {
 				panicMsg := fmt.Sprintf("unexpected %T: %s", err, err)
@@ -174,10 +268,10 @@ func resolveContainerAndImageNames(container, containerArg, distroCLI, imageCLI,
 			}
 		} else if errors.As(err, &errDistro) {
 			if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrDistroUnsupported) {
-				err := createErrorInvalidDistro(errDistro.Distro)
+				err := createErrorInvalidDistroForCLI(errDistro.Distro)
 				return "", "", "", err
 			} else if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrDistroWithoutRelease) {
-				err := createErrorDistroWithoutRelease(errDistro.Distro)
+				err := createErrorDistroWithoutReleaseForCLI(errDistro.Distro)
 				return "", "", "", err
 			} else {
 				panicMsg := fmt.Sprintf("unexpected %T: %s", err, err)
@@ -185,14 +279,14 @@ func resolveContainerAndImageNames(container, containerArg, distroCLI, imageCLI,
 			}
 		} else if errors.As(err, &errImage) {
 			if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrImageWithoutBasename) {
-				err := createErrorInvalidImageWithoutBasename()
+				err := createErrorInvalidImageWithoutBasenameForCLI()
 				return "", "", "", err
 			} else {
 				panicMsg := fmt.Sprintf("unexpected %T: %s", err, err)
 				panic(panicMsg)
 			}
 		} else if errors.As(err, &errParseRelease) {
-			err := createErrorInvalidRelease(errParseRelease.Hint)
+			err := createErrorInvalidReleaseForCLI(errParseRelease.Hint)
 			return "", "", "", err
 		} else {
 			return "", "", "", err
@@ -202,6 +296,76 @@ func resolveContainerAndImageNames(container, containerArg, distroCLI, imageCLI,
 	return container, image, release, nil
 }
 
+func setUpConfiguration() error {
+	if err := utils.SetUpConfiguration(); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrContainerNameInvalid) {
+			panicMsg := fmt.Sprintf("invalid container when reading configuration: %s", err)
+			panic(panicMsg)
+		}
+
+		var errConfiguration *utils.ConfigurationError
+		var errContainer *utils.ContainerError
+		var errDistro *utils.DistroError
+		var errImage *utils.ImageError
+		var errParseRelease *utils.ParseReleaseError
+
+		if errors.As(err, &errConfiguration) {
+			EISDIR := errors.New("is a directory")
+
+			if errors.Is(err, EISDIR) {
+				err := createErrorConfigurationIsDirectory(errConfiguration.File)
+				return err
+			} else if errors.Is(err, os.ErrPermission) {
+				err := createErrorConfigurationPermission(errConfiguration.File)
+				return err
+			} else if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrConfigurationSyntax) {
+				err := createErrorConfigurationSyntax(errConfiguration.File)
+				return err
+			} else if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrConfigurationUserConfigDir) {
+				err := createErrorConfigurationUserConfigDir()
+				return err
+			} else {
+				err := createErrorConfiguration(errConfiguration.File)
+				return err
+			}
+		} else if errors.As(err, &errContainer) {
+			if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrContainerNameFromImageInvalid) {
+				err := createErrorInvalidImageForContainerNameForConfig()
+				return err
+			} else {
+				panicMsg := fmt.Sprintf("unexpected %T: %s", err, err)
+				panic(panicMsg)
+			}
+		} else if errors.As(err, &errDistro) {
+			if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrDistroUnsupported) {
+				err := createErrorInvalidDistroForConfig(errDistro.Distro)
+				return err
+			} else if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrDistroWithoutRelease) {
+				err := createErrorDistroWithoutReleaseForConfig(errDistro.Distro)
+				return err
+			} else {
+				panicMsg := fmt.Sprintf("unexpected %T: %s", err, err)
+				panic(panicMsg)
+			}
+		} else if errors.As(err, &errImage) {
+			if errors.Is(err, utils.ErrImageWithoutBasename) {
+				err := createErrorInvalidImageWithoutBasenameForConfig()
+				return err
+			} else {
+				panicMsg := fmt.Sprintf("unexpected %T: %s", err, err)
+				panic(panicMsg)
+			}
+		} else if errors.As(err, &errParseRelease) {
+			err := createErrorInvalidReleaseForConfig(errParseRelease.Hint)
+			return err
+		} else {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // showManual tries to open the specified manual page using man on stdout
 func showManual(manual string) error {
 	manBinary, err := exec.LookPath("man")
diff --git a/src/pkg/utils/errors.go b/src/pkg/utils/errors.go
index 2d52038cf..e2abeb066 100644
--- a/src/pkg/utils/errors.go
+++ b/src/pkg/utils/errors.go
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 )
 
+type ConfigurationError struct {
+	File string
+	Err  error
+}
+
 type ContainerError struct {
 	Container string
 	Image     string
@@ -40,6 +45,15 @@ type ParseReleaseError struct {
 	Hint string
 }
 
+func (err *ConfigurationError) Error() string {
+	errMsg := fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s", err.File, err.Err)
+	return errMsg
+}
+
+func (err *ConfigurationError) Unwrap() error {
+	return err.Err
+}
+
 func (err *ContainerError) Error() string {
 	errMsg := fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s", err.Container, err.Err)
 	return errMsg
diff --git a/src/pkg/utils/utils.go b/src/pkg/utils/utils.go
index 04b079c78..3b389903d 100644
--- a/src/pkg/utils/utils.go
+++ b/src/pkg/utils/utils.go
@@ -118,6 +118,10 @@ var (
 var (
 	ContainerNameDefault string
 
+	ErrConfigurationSyntax = errors.New("failed to parse")
+
+	ErrConfigurationUserConfigDir = errors.New("neither $XDG_CONFIG_HOME nor $HOME are defined")
+
 	ErrContainerNameFromImageInvalid = errors.New("container name generated from image is invalid")
 
 	ErrContainerNameInvalid = errors.New("container name is invalid")
@@ -558,7 +562,7 @@ func SetUpConfiguration() error {
 	userConfigDir, err := os.UserConfigDir()
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Debugf("Setting up configuration: failed to get the user config directory: %s", err)
-		return errors.New("failed to get the user config directory")
+		return &ConfigurationError{"", ErrConfigurationUserConfigDir}
 	}
 
 	userConfigPath := userConfigDir + "/containers/toolbox.conf"
@@ -580,18 +584,17 @@ func SetUpConfiguration() error {
 				continue
 			} else if errors.As(err, &errConfigParse) {
 				logrus.Debugf("Setting up configuration: failed to parse file %s: %s", configFile, err)
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to parse file %s", configFile)
+				return &ConfigurationError{configFile, ErrConfigurationSyntax}
 			} else {
 				logrus.Debugf("Setting up configuration: failed to read file %s: %s", configFile, err)
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to read file %s", configFile)
+				return &ConfigurationError{configFile, err}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
 	container, _, _, err := ResolveContainerAndImageNames("", "", "", "")
 	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Debugf("Setting up configuration: failed to resolve container name: %s", err)
-		return errors.New("failed to resolve container name")
+		return err
 	}
 
 	ContainerNameDefault = container