diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 1d7ca3d..4ae6f31 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -135,38 +135,33 @@ func (c *Cluster) ConfigLoad() error {
 		c.Hypervisors = append(c.Hypervisors, a)
 	}
 
-	if err := c.loadEvents(); err != nil {
+	var e *Events
+	e = new(Events)
+
+	if c.E == nil {
+		c.E = new(Events)
+	}
+	if err := e.loadEvents(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	// copy them over. is this needed? does the memory free otherwise?
+	for _, e := range e.Events {
+		c.E.Events = append(c.E.Events, e)
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *Cluster) loadEvents() error {
+func (e *Events) loadEvents() error {
 	var data []byte
 	var err error
 
-	if c == nil {
-		fmt.Println("cluster == nil")
-		os.Exit(-1)
-	}
-
-	if c.E == nil {
-		fmt.Println("cluster.E == nil")
-		c.E = new(Events)
-	}
-
-	if c.E == nil {
-		fmt.Println("cluster.E == nil")
-		os.Exit(-1)
-	}
-
 	// load the events config file
 	if data, err = loadFile("events.json"); err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("broken events.json config file")
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err = protojson.Unmarshal(data, c.E)
+	err = protojson.Unmarshal(data, e)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("broken events.json config file")
 		// json load failed. try loading prototext
@@ -175,7 +170,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) loadEvents() error {
 			fmt.Println(err)
 			return errors.New("events.text file is broken")
 		}
-		if err = prototext.Unmarshal(data, c.E); err != nil {
+		if err = prototext.Unmarshal(data, e); err != nil {
 			fmt.Println("broken events.text config file")
 			fmt.Println(err)
 			return errors.New("events.text file is broken")