diff --git a/docs/dist/documentation.md b/docs/dist/documentation.md
index d459f97fb..b223cc782 100644
--- a/docs/dist/documentation.md
+++ b/docs/dist/documentation.md
@@ -5346,13 +5346,13 @@ Central class for loading and validating properties from config and auth
 **Kind**: global constant  
 
 * [config](#config)
-    * [.getProperties([silent])](#config.getProperties) ⇒ <code>Promise.&lt;TYPE.Mcdevrc&gt;</code>
+    * [.getProperties([silent], [isInit])](#config.getProperties) ⇒ <code>Promise.&lt;TYPE.Mcdevrc&gt;</code>
     * [.checkProperties(properties, [silent])](#config.checkProperties) ⇒ <code>Promise.&lt;(boolean\|Array.&lt;string&gt;)&gt;</code>
     * [.getDefaultProperties()](#config.getDefaultProperties) ⇒ <code>Promise.&lt;TYPE.Mcdevrc&gt;</code>
 
 <a name="config.getProperties"></a>
 
-### config.getProperties([silent]) ⇒ <code>Promise.&lt;TYPE.Mcdevrc&gt;</code>
+### config.getProperties([silent], [isInit]) ⇒ <code>Promise.&lt;TYPE.Mcdevrc&gt;</code>
 loads central properties from config file
 
 **Kind**: static method of [<code>config</code>](#config)  
@@ -5361,6 +5361,7 @@ loads central properties from config file
 | Param | Type | Description |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | [silent] | <code>boolean</code> | omit throwing errors and print messages; assuming not silent if not set |
+| [isInit] | <code>boolean</code> | don't tell the user to run init |
 
 <a name="config.checkProperties"></a>
 
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index d115fbe32..ee98a608a 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ class Mcdev {
      */
     static async initProject(credentialsName) {
         Util.logger.info('mcdev:: Setting up project');
-        const properties = await config.getProperties(!!credentialsName);
+        const properties = await config.getProperties(!!credentialsName, true);
         await Init.initProject(properties, credentialsName);
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/util/config.js b/lib/util/config.js
index de2bda103..cab81b61c 100644
--- a/lib/util/config.js
+++ b/lib/util/config.js
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ const config = {
      * loads central properties from config file
      *
      * @param {boolean} [silent] omit throwing errors and print messages; assuming not silent if not set
+     * @param {boolean} [isInit] don't tell the user to run init
      * @returns {Promise.<TYPE.Mcdevrc>} central properties object
      */
-    async getProperties(silent) {
+    async getProperties(silent, isInit) {
         if (config.properties) {
             return config.properties;
         }
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ const config = {
                         return;
                     }
                 }
-            } else if (!silent) {
+            } else if (!silent && !isInit) {
                 Util.logger.error(
                     `${Util.authFileName} not found. Please run 'mcdev init' to provide the missing credential details.`
                 );
diff --git a/lib/util/init.js b/lib/util/init.js
index 368c8b3b5..43980a3ba 100644
--- a/lib/util/init.js
+++ b/lib/util/init.js
@@ -341,9 +341,9 @@ const Init = {
             let auth;
             try {
                 auth = File.readJsonSync(Util.authFileName);
-            } catch (ex) {
-                Util.logger.error(`${ex.code}: ${ex.message}`);
-                return;
+            } catch {
+                // file not found
+                auth = [];
             }
             // walk through config credentials and check if the matching credential in the auth file is missing something
             missingCredentials = Object.keys(properties.credentials).filter(
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index a9f9efff3..379d1b3af 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
     "name": "mcdev",
-    "version": "4.2.0",
+    "version": "4.2.1",
     "lockfileVersion": 2,
     "requires": true,
     "packages": {
         "": {
             "name": "mcdev",
-            "version": "4.2.0",
+            "version": "4.2.1",
             "license": "MIT",
             "dependencies": {
                 "beauty-amp-core": "0.3.7",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c6bc4400c..60f770a40 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "mcdev",
-    "version": "4.2.0",
+    "version": "4.2.1",
     "description": "Accenture Salesforce Marketing Cloud DevTools",
     "author": "Accenture: joern.berkefeld, douglas.midgley, robert.zimmermann, maciej.barnas",
     "license": "MIT",