diff --git a/common/args.py b/common/args.py
index 7d2427f..7c09646 100644
--- a/common/args.py
+++ b/common/args.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import argparse
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
 from common.config_models import TabbyConfigModel
-from common.utils import is_list_type
+from common.utils import is_list_type, unwrap_optional
 
 
 def add_field_to_group(group, field_name, field_type, field) -> None:
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def init_argparser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
 
     # Loop through each top-level field in the config
     for field_name, field_info in TabbyConfigModel.model_fields.items():
-        field_type = field_info.annotation
+        field_type = unwrap_optional(field_info.annotation)
         group = parser.add_argument_group(
             field_name, description=f"Arguments for {field_name}"
         )
diff --git a/common/config_models.py b/common/config_models.py
index 2c888f8..653280b 100644
--- a/common/config_models.py
+++ b/common/config_models.py
@@ -439,22 +439,32 @@ class DeveloperConfig(BaseConfigModel):
 class TabbyConfigModel(BaseModel):
     """Base model for a TabbyConfig."""
 
-    config: ConfigOverrideConfig = Field(
+    config: Optional[ConfigOverrideConfig] = Field(
         default_factory=ConfigOverrideConfig.model_construct
     )
-    network: NetworkConfig = Field(default_factory=NetworkConfig.model_construct)
-    logging: LoggingConfig = Field(default_factory=LoggingConfig.model_construct)
-    model: ModelConfig = Field(default_factory=ModelConfig.model_construct)
-    draft_model: DraftModelConfig = Field(
+    network: Optional[NetworkConfig] = Field(
+        default_factory=NetworkConfig.model_construct
+    )
+    logging: Optional[LoggingConfig] = Field(
+        default_factory=LoggingConfig.model_construct
+    )
+    model: Optional[ModelConfig] = Field(default_factory=ModelConfig.model_construct)
+    draft_model: Optional[DraftModelConfig] = Field(
         default_factory=DraftModelConfig.model_construct
     )
-    lora: LoraConfig = Field(default_factory=LoraConfig.model_construct)
-    embeddings: EmbeddingsConfig = Field(
+    lora: Optional[LoraConfig] = Field(default_factory=LoraConfig.model_construct)
+    embeddings: Optional[EmbeddingsConfig] = Field(
         default_factory=EmbeddingsConfig.model_construct
     )
-    sampling: SamplingConfig = Field(default_factory=SamplingConfig.model_construct)
-    developer: DeveloperConfig = Field(default_factory=DeveloperConfig.model_construct)
-    actions: UtilityActions = Field(default_factory=UtilityActions.model_construct)
+    sampling: Optional[SamplingConfig] = Field(
+        default_factory=SamplingConfig.model_construct
+    )
+    developer: Optional[DeveloperConfig] = Field(
+        default_factory=DeveloperConfig.model_construct
+    )
+    actions: Optional[UtilityActions] = Field(
+        default_factory=UtilityActions.model_construct
+    )
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(validate_assignment=True, protected_namespaces=())
 
diff --git a/common/tabby_config.py b/common/tabby_config.py
index 2f0481d..1dacac0 100644
--- a/common/tabby_config.py
+++ b/common/tabby_config.py
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import yaml
 import pathlib
 from loguru import logger
 from typing import Optional
-from os import getenv
+from os import getenv, replace
 
 from common.utils import unwrap, merge_dicts
-from common.config_models import TabbyConfigModel
+from common.config_models import TabbyConfigModel, generate_config_file
 
 
 class TabbyConfig(TabbyConfigModel):
@@ -46,10 +46,25 @@ class TabbyConfig(TabbyConfigModel):
     def _from_file(self, config_path: pathlib.Path):
         """loads config from a given file path"""
 
+        legacy = False
+        cfg = {}
+
         # try loading from file
         try:
             with open(str(config_path.resolve()), "r", encoding="utf8") as config_file:
-                return unwrap(yaml.safe_load(config_file), {})
+                cfg = yaml.safe_load(config_file)
+
+                # FIXME: remove legacy config mapper
+                # load legacy config files
+                model = cfg.get("model", {})
+
+                if model.get("draft"):
+                    legacy = True
+                    cfg["draft"] = model["draft"]
+                if model.get("lora"):
+                    legacy = True
+                    cfg["lora"] = model["lora"]
+
         except FileNotFoundError:
             logger.info(f"The '{config_path.name}' file cannot be found")
         except Exception as exc:
@@ -58,8 +73,21 @@ class TabbyConfig(TabbyConfigModel):
                 f"the following error:\n\n{exc}"
             )
 
-        # if no config file was loaded
-        return {}
+        if legacy:
+            logger.warning(
+                "legacy config.yml files are deprecated"
+                "Please upadte to the new version"
+                "Attempting auto migrationy"
+            )
+            new_cfg = TabbyConfigModel.model_validate(cfg)
+
+            try:
+                replace(config_path, f"{config_path}.bak")
+                generate_config_file(model=new_cfg, filename=config_path)
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Auto migration failed: {e}")
+
+        return unwrap(cfg, {})
 
     def _from_args(self, args: dict):
         """loads config from the provided arguments"""
diff --git a/common/utils.py b/common/utils.py
index d933fb6..acc0fc9 100644
--- a/common/utils.py
+++ b/common/utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Common utility functions"""
 
-from typing import get_args, get_origin
+from types import NoneType
+from typing import Optional, Type, Union, get_args, get_origin
 
 
 def unwrap(wrapped, default=None):
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ def flat_map(input_list):
     return [item for sublist in input_list for item in sublist]
 
 
-def is_list_type(type_hint):
+def is_list_type(type_hint) -> bool:
     """Checks if a type contains a list."""
 
     if get_origin(type_hint) is list:
@@ -59,3 +60,16 @@ def is_list_type(type_hint):
         return any(is_list_type(arg) for arg in type_args)
 
     return False
+
+
+def unwrap_optional(type_hint) -> Type:
+    """unwrap Optional[type] annotations"""
+
+    if get_origin(type_hint) is Union:
+        args = get_args(type_hint)
+        if NoneType in args:
+            for arg in args:
+                if arg is not NoneType:
+                    return arg
+
+    return type_hint