diff --git a/rust/agents/relayer/src/msg/gas_payment/mod.rs b/rust/agents/relayer/src/msg/gas_payment/mod.rs
index 4ed30c9572..132fc286c2 100644
--- a/rust/agents/relayer/src/msg/gas_payment/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/agents/relayer/src/msg/gas_payment/mod.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ pub struct GasPaymentEnforcer {
 }
 
 impl GasPaymentEnforcer {
+    /// Note that `policy_configs` should not be empty. In the settings,
+    /// a default of vec![GasPaymentEnforcementConf::default()] is used.
     pub fn new(
         policy_configs: impl IntoIterator<Item = GasPaymentEnforcementConf>,
         db: HyperlaneRocksDB,
diff --git a/rust/agents/relayer/src/settings/mod.rs b/rust/agents/relayer/src/settings/mod.rs
index 4071154752..18ea52dddb 100644
--- a/rust/agents/relayer/src/settings/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/agents/relayer/src/settings/mod.rs
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ impl FromRawConf<RawRelayerSettings> for RelayerSettings {
                     matching_list,
                 })
             }).collect_vec()
-        }).unwrap_or_default();
+        }).unwrap_or_else(|_| vec![GasPaymentEnforcementConf::default()]);
 
         let whitelist = p
             .chain(&mut err)