diff --git a/internal/cli/root.go b/internal/cli/root.go
index 3206dcc..a31ca3c 100644
--- a/internal/cli/root.go
+++ b/internal/cli/root.go
@@ -192,9 +192,6 @@ func statusCommand(opts *options) *cobra.Command {
 			}
 			plan, err := opts.plan()
 			if err != nil {
-				if isMissingConfigError(home, opts.configPath, err) {
-					return nil
-				}
 				return err
 			}
 			fmt.Fprint(cmd.OutOrStdout(), core.DriftSummary(plan))
@@ -580,17 +577,6 @@ func validationError(errs []error) error {
 	return errors.Join(errs...)
 }
 
-func isMissingConfigError(home, configPath string, err error) bool {
-	var pathErr *os.PathError
-	if !errors.As(err, &pathErr) || !errors.Is(pathErr.Err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-		return false
-	}
-	if configPath == "" {
-		configPath = filepath.Join(home, "kanon.yaml")
-	}
-	return filepath.Clean(pathErr.Path) == filepath.Clean(configPath)
-}
-
 func confirm(in io.Reader, out io.Writer) (bool, error) {
 	fmt.Fprint(out, "Apply these changes? [y/N] ")
 	line, err := bufio.NewReader(in).ReadString('\n')
diff --git a/internal/cli/root_test.go b/internal/cli/root_test.go
index 1058b3c..0997bd6 100644
--- a/internal/cli/root_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/root_test.go
@@ -225,6 +225,33 @@ func TestStatusReportsRemoteSkillMaterializationErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestStatusFailsWhenConfigMissing(t *testing.T) {
+	userHome := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("HOME", userHome)
+
+	home := t.TempDir()
+	if err := core.InitHome(core.InitOptions{Home: home}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	configPath := filepath.Join(home, "kanon.yaml")
+	if err := os.Remove(configPath); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cmd := NewRootCommand()
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	cmd.SetOut(&out)
+	cmd.SetErr(&out)
+	cmd.SetArgs([]string{"--home", home, "status"})
+	err := cmd.Execute()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected status to fail when %s is missing\n%s", configPath, out.String())
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), configPath) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected status error to name %s, got %v\n%s", configPath, err, out.String())
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLockCommandWritesLockfile(t *testing.T) {
 	repo, ref := newRemoteSkillRepo(t, "version one\n")
 	home := t.TempDir()