diff --git a/crates/settings/src/config.rs b/crates/settings/src/config.rs
index 81e36c45f..bbe724303 100644
--- a/crates/settings/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/settings/src/config.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub sentry: Option<bool>,
     pub raindex_version: Option<String>,
     #[typeshare(typescript(type = "Record<string, string>"))]
-    pub watchlist: HashMap<String, Arc<String>>,
+    pub watchlist: Option<HashMap<String, Arc<String>>>,
 }
 
 pub type Subgraph = Url;
@@ -171,11 +171,11 @@ impl TryFrom<ConfigSource> for Config {
             })
             .collect::<Result<HashMap<String, Arc<Chart>>, ParseConfigSourceError>>()?;
 
-        let watchlist = item
-            .watchlist
-            .into_iter()
-            .map(|(name, address)| Ok((name, Arc::new(address))))
-            .collect::<Result<HashMap<String, Arc<String>>, ParseConfigSourceError>>()?;
+        let watchlist = item.watchlist.map(|wl| {
+            wl.into_iter()
+                .map(|(name, address)| (name, Arc::new(address)))
+                .collect::<HashMap<String, Arc<String>>>()
+        });
 
         let config = Config {
             raindex_version: item.raindex_version,
@@ -282,7 +282,10 @@ mod tests {
         let charts = HashMap::new();
         let deployments = HashMap::new();
         let sentry = Some(true);
-        let watchlist = HashMap::from([("name-one".to_string(), "address-one".to_string())]);
+        let watchlist = Some(HashMap::from([(
+            "name-one".to_string(),
+            "address-one".to_string(),
+        )]));
 
         let config_string = ConfigSource {
             raindex_version: Some("0x123".to_string()),
@@ -359,9 +362,10 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(config.raindex_version, Some("0x123".to_string()));
 
         // Verify watchlist
-        assert!(!config.watchlist.is_empty());
-        assert_eq!(config.watchlist.len(), 1);
-        let (name, address) = config.watchlist.iter().next().unwrap();
+        assert!(config.watchlist.is_some());
+        let watchlist = config.watchlist.as_ref().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(watchlist.len(), 1);
+        let (name, address) = watchlist.iter().next().unwrap();
         assert_eq!(name, "name-one");
         assert_eq!(address.as_str(), "address-one");
     }
diff --git a/crates/settings/src/config_source.rs b/crates/settings/src/config_source.rs
index bc95263cc..95e143d40 100644
--- a/crates/settings/src/config_source.rs
+++ b/crates/settings/src/config_source.rs
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ pub struct ConfigSource {
     pub sentry: Option<bool>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub raindex_version: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "HashMap::is_empty")]
-    pub watchlist: HashMap<String, String>,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub watchlist: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
 }
 
 #[typeshare]
@@ -483,8 +483,9 @@ watchlist:
 
         assert_eq!(config.raindex_version, Some("123".to_string()));
 
-        assert_eq!(config.watchlist.get("name-one").unwrap(), "address-one");
-        assert_eq!(config.watchlist.get("name-two").unwrap(), "address-two");
+        let watchlist = config.watchlist.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(watchlist.get("name-one").unwrap(), "address-one");
+        assert_eq!(watchlist.get("name-two").unwrap(), "address-two");
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/crates/settings/src/merge.rs b/crates/settings/src/merge.rs
index fef697723..feb2f67b0 100644
--- a/crates/settings/src/merge.rs
+++ b/crates/settings/src/merge.rs
@@ -151,12 +151,19 @@ impl ConfigSource {
         }?;
 
         // Watchlist
-        let watchlist = &mut self.watchlist;
-        for (key, value) in other.watchlist {
-            if watchlist.contains_key(&key) {
-                return Err(MergeError::WatchlistCollision(key));
+        match (&mut self.watchlist, other.watchlist) {
+            (Some(watchlist), Some(other_watchlist)) => {
+                for (key, value) in other_watchlist {
+                    if watchlist.contains_key(&key) {
+                        return Err(MergeError::WatchlistCollision(key));
+                    }
+                    watchlist.insert(key, value);
+                }
             }
-            watchlist.insert(key, value);
+            (None, Some(other_watchlist)) => {
+                self.watchlist = Some(other_watchlist);
+            }
+            _ => {}
         }
 
         Ok(())
@@ -264,12 +271,19 @@ impl Config {
         }?;
 
         // Watchlist
-        let watchlist = &mut self.watchlist;
-        for (key, value) in other.watchlist {
-            if watchlist.contains_key(&key) {
-                return Err(MergeError::WatchlistCollision(key));
+        match (&mut self.watchlist, other.watchlist) {
+            (Some(watchlist), Some(other_watchlist)) => {
+                for (key, value) in other_watchlist {
+                    if watchlist.contains_key(&key) {
+                        return Err(MergeError::WatchlistCollision(key));
+                    }
+                    watchlist.insert(key, value);
+                }
+            }
+            (None, Some(other_watchlist)) => {
+                self.watchlist = Some(other_watchlist);
             }
-            watchlist.insert(key, value);
+            _ => {}
         }
 
         Ok(())
@@ -298,7 +312,7 @@ mod tests {
             networks: HashMap::new(),
             deployments: HashMap::new(),
             sentry: None,
-            watchlist: HashMap::new(),
+            watchlist: None,
         };
 
         let other = ConfigSource {
@@ -315,7 +329,7 @@ mod tests {
             networks: HashMap::new(),
             deployments: HashMap::new(),
             sentry: None,
-            watchlist: HashMap::new(),
+            watchlist: None,
         };
 
         assert_eq!(config.merge(other), Ok(()));
@@ -337,7 +351,7 @@ mod tests {
             networks: HashMap::new(),
             deployments: HashMap::new(),
             sentry: None,
-            watchlist: HashMap::new(),
+            watchlist: None,
         };
 
         let mut other = ConfigSource {
@@ -354,7 +368,7 @@ mod tests {
             networks: HashMap::new(),
             deployments: HashMap::new(),
             sentry: None,
-            watchlist: HashMap::new(),
+            watchlist: None,
         };
 
         // Add a collision to cause an unsuccessful merge
@@ -390,7 +404,7 @@ mod tests {
             networks: HashMap::new(),
             deployments: HashMap::new(),
             sentry: None,
-            watchlist: HashMap::new(),
+            watchlist: None,
         };
 
         let mut other = ConfigSource {
@@ -407,7 +421,7 @@ mod tests {
             networks: HashMap::new(),
             deployments: HashMap::new(),
             sentry: None,
-            watchlist: HashMap::new(),
+            watchlist: None,
         };
 
         other.metaboards.insert(
diff --git a/crates/settings/src/scenario.rs b/crates/settings/src/scenario.rs
index 6c6c84eef..6d457d6df 100644
--- a/crates/settings/src/scenario.rs
+++ b/crates/settings/src/scenario.rs
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ mod tests {
             charts: HashMap::new(), // Assuming no charts for simplification
             deployments: HashMap::new(),
             sentry: None,
-            watchlist: HashMap::new(), // Assuming no watchlist for simplification
+            watchlist: None, // Assuming no watchlist for simplification
         };
 
         // Perform the conversion