diff --git a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp
index da1feda7a0..f7594e97f2 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ AssignmentClient::AssignmentClient(int &argc, char **argv) :
     // connections to AccountManager for authentication
     connect(&AccountManager::getInstance(), &AccountManager::authRequired,
             this, &AssignmentClient::handleAuthenticationRequest);
+    
+    NetworkAccessManager::getInstance();
 }
 
 void AssignmentClient::sendAssignmentRequest() {
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServerSettingsManager.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServerSettingsManager.cpp
index d7e2e05ca8..f9996aa0e7 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServerSettingsManager.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServerSettingsManager.cpp
@@ -36,9 +36,12 @@ DomainServerSettingsManager::DomainServerSettingsManager() :
     
     // load the existing config file to get the current values
     QFile configFile(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath() + SETTINGS_CONFIG_FILE_RELATIVE_PATH);
-    configFile.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly);
     
-    _settingsMap = QJsonDocument::fromJson(configFile.readAll()).toVariant().toMap();
+    if (configFile.exists()) {
+        configFile.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly);
+        
+        _settingsMap = QJsonDocument::fromJson(configFile.readAll()).toVariant().toMap();
+    }
 }
 
 const QString DESCRIPTION_SETTINGS_KEY = "settings";