diff --git a/lib/configuration.js b/lib/configuration.js
index 4922345eb..ef445fc2e 100644
--- a/lib/configuration.js
+++ b/lib/configuration.js
@@ -102,13 +102,16 @@ function applyConfiguration(config) {
 
   configuration.options = applyLoggingOptions(configuration.options);
 
-  if (config.hooksData || config.options.b || config.options.sandbox) {
-    throw new Error('DEPRECATED: Dredd does not support '
-      + 'sandboxed JS hooks anymore. Use standard JS hooks instead.');
-  }
-  if (config.blueprintPath) {
-    throw new Error('DEPRECATED: Dredd does not support '
-      + "the 'blueprintPath' option anymore. Use 'path' instead.");
+  if (config) {
+    if (config.hooksData
+      || (config.options && (config.options.b || config.options.sandbox))) {
+      throw new Error('DEPRECATED: Dredd does not support '
+        + 'sandboxed JS hooks anymore. Use standard JS hooks instead.');
+    }
+    if (config.blueprintPath) {
+      throw new Error('DEPRECATED: Dredd does not support '
+        + "the 'blueprintPath' option anymore. Use 'path' instead.");
+    }
   }
 
   return configuration;