diff --git a/index.ts b/index.ts
index b574bc2..9f61713 100644
--- a/index.ts
+++ b/index.ts
@@ -31,14 +31,17 @@ async function main() {
   const newConvo = args.new ?? args.n;
   const plainOut = args.plainOut ?? args.plain ?? !process.stdout.isTTY;
   const plainErr = args.plainErr ?? args.plain ?? !process.stderr.isTTY;
+  const modelFlag = args.model ?? args.m;
   const saveConfigFlag = args.save ?? args.s;
 
-  const { config } = await loadConfig();
+  const config = await loadConfig();
 
-  config.model = args.model ?? args.m ?? config.model;
+  config.model = modelFlag ?? config.model;
 
   if (!config.model) {
-    console.error("Please specify a model with --model/-m at least one time.");
+    console.error(
+      "Please run 'aicl --model <model> --save' to set a default model.",
+    );
     process.exit(1);
   }
 
@@ -65,7 +68,7 @@ async function main() {
     convo = await loadConversation(config.model);
 
     if (args.model || args.m) {
-      convo.model = args.model ?? args.m ?? config.model;
+      convo.model = modelFlag ?? config.model;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/config/index.ts b/src/config/index.ts
index e7188b6..cb40117 100644
--- a/src/config/index.ts
+++ b/src/config/index.ts
@@ -8,16 +8,14 @@ export interface AppConfig {
   model?: string;
 }
 
-export async function loadConfig(): Promise<{
-  config: AppConfig;
-}> {
+export async function loadConfig(): Promise<AppConfig> {
   let config: AppConfig;
   try {
     config = await configFile.json();
   } catch {
     config = {};
   }
-  return { config };
+  return config;
 }
 
 export async function saveConfig(config: AppConfig): Promise<void> {