diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Unreleased
 
+# 0.5.0.0
+
+* Allow empty config files.
+* Forcibly connect to a GTK display if none is currently open.
+
 # 0.4.0.0
 
 * Rewrite the GTK main loop effects for better resilience when no display is available (yet).
diff --git a/helic.cabal b/helic.cabal
--- a/helic.cabal
+++ b/helic.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           helic
-version:        0.4.0.0
+version:        0.5.0.0
 synopsis:       Clipboard Manager
 description:    See <https://hackage.haskell.org/package/helic/docs/Helic.html>
 category:       Clipboard
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
       Helic.Data.NetConfig
       Helic.Data.Selection
       Helic.Data.TmuxConfig
+      Helic.Data.X11Config
       Helic.Data.XClipboardEvent
       Helic.Data.YankConfig
       Helic.Effect.Agent
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@
       Helic.Interpreter.History
       Helic.Interpreter.InstanceName
       Helic.Interpreter.XClipboard
+      Helic.Json
       Helic.List
       Helic.Listen
       Helic.Net.Api
@@ -137,7 +139,8 @@
       ViewPatterns
   ghc-options: -Wall -Wredundant-constraints -Wunused-packages -fplugin=Polysemy.Plugin
   build-depends:
-      base ==4.*
+      aeson >=1.5
+    , base ==4.*
     , chronos >=1.1.1
     , exon >=0.3
     , gi-gdk >=3
diff --git a/lib/Helic/App.hs b/lib/Helic/App.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/App.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/App.hs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
 listenApp ::
   Config ->
   Sem AppStack ()
-listenApp (Config name tmux net maxHistory _) =
+listenApp (Config name tmux net x11 maxHistory _) =
   runReader (fromMaybe def tmux) $
   runReader (fromMaybe def net) $
   interpretEventsChan @XClipboardEvent $
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
   interpretAtomic mempty $
   interpretInstanceName name $
   interpretManager $
-  interpretGtk $
+  interpretGtk (fromMaybe def x11) $
   interpretGtkMain (MilliSeconds 500) (Seconds 10) $
   interpretGtkClipboard $
   gtkMainLoop subscribeEvents $
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
   Config ->
   YankConfig ->
   Sem AppStack ()
-yankApp (Config name _ net _ _) yankConfig =
+yankApp (Config name _ net _ _ _) yankConfig =
   interpretManager $
   interpretInstanceName name $
   runReader (fromMaybe def net) $
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
   Config ->
   ListConfig ->
   Sem AppStack ()
-listApp (Config _ _ net _ _) listConfig =
+listApp (Config _ _ net _ _ _) listConfig =
   runReader listConfig $
   runClient net $
   list
@@ -113,6 +113,6 @@
   Config ->
   LoadConfig ->
   Sem AppStack ()
-loadApp (Config _ _ net _ _) (LoadConfig event) =
+loadApp (Config _ _ net _ _ _) (LoadConfig event) =
   runClient net $
   (void . fromEither =<< Client.load event)
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Config/File.hs b/lib/Helic/Config/File.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Config/File.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Config/File.hs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   Sem r Config
 parseFileConfig (toFilePath -> path) = do
   Log.debug [exon|Reading config file #{toText path}|]
-  fromEither =<< first formatError <$> embed (decodeFileEither path)
+  fromEither =<< bimap formatError (fromMaybe def) <$> embed (decodeFileEither path)
   where
     formatError exc =
       toText [exon|invalid config file: #{prettyPrintParseException exc}|]
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Data/Config.hs b/lib/Helic/Data/Config.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Data/Config.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Data/Config.hs
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@
 
 import Helic.Data.NetConfig (NetConfig)
 import Helic.Data.TmuxConfig (TmuxConfig)
+import Helic.Data.X11Config (X11Config)
 
 data Config =
   Config {
     name :: Maybe Text,
     tmux :: Maybe TmuxConfig,
     net :: Maybe NetConfig,
+    x11 :: Maybe X11Config,
     maxHistory :: Maybe Int,
     verbose :: Maybe Bool
   }
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Data/X11Config.hs b/lib/Helic/Data/X11Config.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Helic/Data/X11Config.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{-# options_haddock prune #-}
+
+-- |X11Config Data Type, Internal
+module Helic.Data.X11Config where
+
+import Helic.Json (json, unaryJson)
+
+newtype DisplayId =
+  DisplayId { unDisplayId :: Text }
+  deriving stock (Eq, Show, Generic)
+  deriving newtype (IsString)
+
+json ''DisplayId
+
+data X11Config =
+  X11Config {
+    display :: Maybe DisplayId
+  }
+  deriving stock (Eq, Show, Generic)
+  deriving anyclass (Default)
+
+unaryJson ''X11Config
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Gtk.hs b/lib/Helic/Gtk.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Gtk.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Gtk.hs
@@ -6,10 +6,8 @@
 import Exon (exon)
 import qualified GI.GLib as Glib
 import qualified GI.Gdk as GiGdk
-import qualified GI.Gdk as Gdk
 import GI.Gdk (Display)
 import qualified GI.Gtk as GiGtk
-import qualified GI.Gtk as GI
 import Polysemy.Final (withWeavingToFinal)
 import qualified Polysemy.Log as Log
 
@@ -33,7 +31,7 @@
     recovering :: IO x -> IO x
     recovering =
       flip Base.onException (putMVar result Nothing)
-  _ <- tryStop $ recovering $ Gdk.threadsAddIdle Glib.PRIORITY_DEFAULT do
+  _ <- tryStop $ recovering $ GiGdk.threadsAddIdle Glib.PRIORITY_DEFAULT do
     putMVar result . Just =<< recovering ma
     pure False
   stopNote [exon|Gtk ui thread computation '#{desc}' failed|] =<< embed (takeMVar result)
@@ -44,24 +42,24 @@
   MonadIO m =>
   Display ->
   Selection ->
-  m GI.Clipboard
+  m GiGtk.Clipboard
 unsafeGtkClipboard display name = do
-  selection <- Gdk.atomIntern (Selection.toXString name) False
-  GI.clipboardGetForDisplay display selection
+  selection <- GiGdk.atomIntern (Selection.toXString name) False
+  GiGtk.clipboardGetForDisplay display selection
 
 -- |Return a GTK clipboard, converting all exceptions to 'Stop'.
 gtkClipboard ::
   Members [Stop Text, Embed IO] r =>
   Display ->
   Selection ->
-  Sem r GI.Clipboard
+  Sem r GiGtk.Clipboard
 gtkClipboard display name =
   tryStop (unsafeGtkClipboard display name)
 
 -- |Request the text contents of a GTK clipboard, catching all exceptions, and passing the result to a handler.
 -- If the clipboard is empty or an exception was thrown, the value passed to the handler is 'Left', otherwise 'Right'.
 clipboardRequest ::
-  GI.Clipboard ->
+  GiGtk.Clipboard ->
   (Either Text Text -> IO ()) ->
   IO ()
 clipboardRequest clipboard handle =
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@
     handle (Left (show e))
   where
     run =
-      GI.clipboardRequestText clipboard (const (handle . maybeToRight "no clipboard text"))
+      GiGtk.clipboardRequestText clipboard (const (handle . maybeToRight "no clipboard text"))
 
 -- |Registers a callback for the "owner change" event of a GTK clipboard, which is triggered whenever a client updates
 -- the text.
@@ -77,39 +75,39 @@
 -- exception was thrown.
 subscribeWith ::
   Member (Final IO) r =>
-  GI.Clipboard ->
+  GiGtk.Clipboard ->
   (Either Text Text -> Sem r ()) ->
   Sem r ()
 subscribeWith clipboard handle =
   withWeavingToFinal \ s wv _ -> do
     let lower ma = void (wv (ma <$ s))
-    s <$ GI.onClipboardOwnerChange clipboard \ _ ->
+    s <$ GiGtk.onClipboardOwnerChange clipboard \ _ ->
       clipboardRequest clipboard (lower . handle)
 
 -- |Safely request the text contents of a clipboard by scheduling an action on the UI thread and converting exceptions
 -- into 'Stop'.
 readClipboard ::
   Members [Log, Stop Text, Embed IO] r =>
-  GI.Clipboard ->
+  GiGtk.Clipboard ->
   Sem r (Maybe Text)
 readClipboard =
-  gtkUi "readClipboard" . GI.clipboardWaitForText
+  gtkUi "readClipboard" . GiGtk.clipboardWaitForText
 
 -- |Update the text contents of a clipboard.
 -- Does not catch exceptions.
 unsafeSetClipboard ::
   MonadIO m =>
-  GI.Clipboard ->
+  GiGtk.Clipboard ->
   Text ->
   m ()
 unsafeSetClipboard clipboard text =
-  GI.clipboardSetText clipboard text (-1)
+  GiGtk.clipboardSetText clipboard text (-1)
 
 -- |Safely update the text contents of a clipboard by scheduling an action on the UI thread and converting exceptions
 -- into 'Stop'.
 writeClipboard ::
   Members [Stop Text, Embed IO] r =>
-  GI.Clipboard ->
+  GiGtk.Clipboard ->
   Text ->
   Sem r ()
 writeClipboard clipboard =
@@ -140,10 +138,11 @@
 subscribeToClipboard f selection = do
   cb <- getClipboard selection
   subscribeWith cb \case
-    Right t ->
+    Right t -> do
+      Log.debug [exon|GTK subscriber for #{show selection}: received #{t}|]
       f selection t
     Left e ->
-      Log.warn [exon|GTK: #{e}|]
+      Log.warn [exon|GTK subscriber for #{show selection}: #{e}|]
 
 -- |Fetch the text contents of the GTK clipboard corresponding to the specified X11 selection, converting exceptions
 -- into 'Stop'.
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Interpreter/Gtk.hs b/lib/Helic/Interpreter/Gtk.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Interpreter/Gtk.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Interpreter/Gtk.hs
@@ -2,28 +2,51 @@
 -- Internal.
 module Helic.Interpreter.Gtk where
 
+import Exon (exon)
 import qualified GI.Gdk as GiGdk
-import GI.Gdk (Display)
 import qualified GI.Gtk as GiGtk
 import Polysemy.Conc (interpretScopedResumable)
 import qualified Polysemy.Log as Log
 
+import Helic.Data.X11Config (DisplayId (DisplayId), X11Config (X11Config))
 import qualified Helic.Effect.Gtk as Gtk
 import Helic.Effect.Gtk (Gtk)
 import Helic.Gtk (getDisplay)
 import Helic.Stop (tryStop)
 
+tryOpenDisplay ::
+  Members [Stop Text, Log, Embed IO] r =>
+  DisplayId ->
+  GiGdk.DisplayManager ->
+  Sem r ()
+tryOpenDisplay (DisplayId fallbackDisplay) dm = do
+  Log.warn [exon|No default display available. Trying to connect to #{fallbackDisplay}|]
+  tryStop (GiGdk.displayManagerOpenDisplay dm fallbackDisplay) >>= \case
+    Just _ ->
+      Log.info [exon|Connected to display #{fallbackDisplay}|]
+    Nothing ->
+      stop [exon|Could not connect to display #{fallbackDisplay}|]
+
+noDisplayAvailable ::
+  Members [Stop Text, Embed IO] r =>
+  GiGdk.DisplayManager ->
+  Sem r Bool
+noDisplayAvailable dm =
+  tryStop (isNothing <$> GiGdk.displayManagerGetDefaultDisplay dm)
+
 -- |Initialize GTK, run the scoped action, then tear down the GTK environment.
 bracketGtk ::
   Members [Resource, Log, Embed IO] r =>
-  (Display -> Sem (Stop Text : r) a) ->
+  DisplayId ->
+  (GiGdk.Display -> Sem (Stop Text : r) a) ->
   Sem (Stop Text : r) a
-bracketGtk =
+bracketGtk fallbackDisplay =
   bracket acquire release
   where
     acquire = do
       unlessM (fst <$> tryStop (GiGtk.initCheck Nothing)) do
-        stop "GTK intialization failed"
+        dm <- tryStop GiGdk.displayManagerGet
+        ifM (noDisplayAvailable dm) (tryOpenDisplay fallbackDisplay dm) (stop "GTK intialization failed")
       getDisplay
     release display = do
       Log.debug "Quitting the GTK main loop"
@@ -36,9 +59,10 @@
 -- This uses 'Scoped' to bracket the initialization and termination of the GTK environment.
 interpretGtk ::
   Members [Resource, Log, Embed IO] r =>
-  InterpreterFor (Scoped Display (Gtk Display) !! Text) r
-interpretGtk =
-  interpretScopedResumable bracketGtk \ display -> \case
+  X11Config ->
+  InterpreterFor (Scoped GiGdk.Display (Gtk GiGdk.Display) !! Text) r
+interpretGtk (X11Config fallbackDisplay) =
+  interpretScopedResumable (bracketGtk (fromMaybe ":0" fallbackDisplay)) \ display -> \case
     Gtk.Main ->
       GiGtk.main
     Gtk.Resource ->
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Json.hs b/lib/Helic/Json.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Helic/Json.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+-- |Aeson TH deriving, Internal
+module Helic.Json where
+
+import qualified Data.Aeson as Aeson
+import Data.Aeson.TH (deriveJSON)
+import qualified Language.Haskell.TH as TH
+
+-- |Derive Aeson codecs for single-field types with custom settings.
+unaryJson :: TH.Name -> TH.Q [TH.Dec]
+unaryJson =
+  deriveJSON Aeson.defaultOptions {
+    Aeson.fieldLabelModifier = dropWhile ('_' ==)
+  }
+
+-- |Derive Aeson codecs with custom settings.
+json :: TH.Name -> TH.Q [TH.Dec]
+json =
+  deriveJSON Aeson.defaultOptions {
+    Aeson.fieldLabelModifier = dropWhile ('_' ==),
+    Aeson.unwrapUnaryRecords = True
+  }
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Listen.hs b/lib/Helic/Listen.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Listen.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Listen.hs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 listen =
   Conc.subscribe do
     Sync.putBlock Listening
-    (forever (History.receive =<< Conc.consume))
+    forever (History.receive =<< Conc.consume)
 
 -- |Run an action with 'listen' in a thread, waiting for the event subscriber to be up and running before executing the
 -- action.
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@
 |`tmux.enable`|`true`|Whether to send events to *tmux*.|
 |`tmux.package`|`pkgs.tmux`|Only for *NixOS*: The `nixpkgs` package used for the *tmux* executable.|
 |`tmux.exe`|`tmux`|Only for YAML file: The path to the *tmux* executable|
+|`x11.display`|`:0`|Only for YAML file: The path to the *tmux* executable|
 
 # Neovim
 
diff --git a/test/Helic/Dev.hs b/test/Helic/Dev.hs
--- a/test/Helic/Dev.hs
+++ b/test/Helic/Dev.hs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 conf :: Config
 conf =
-  Config (Just "dev") (Just def) (Just (NetConfig (Just 11111) Nothing Nothing)) Nothing (Just True)
+  Config (Just "dev") (Just def) (Just (NetConfig (Just 11111) Nothing Nothing)) Nothing Nothing (Just True)
 
 main :: IO ()
 main =
diff --git a/test/Helic/Test/ConfigFileTest.hs b/test/Helic/Test/ConfigFileTest.hs
--- a/test/Helic/Test/ConfigFileTest.hs
+++ b/test/Helic/Test/ConfigFileTest.hs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-{-# options_ghc -Wno-unused-imports #-}
-
 module Helic.Test.ConfigFileTest where
 
 import Path (Abs, File, Rel, absfile, relfile)
@@ -11,15 +9,18 @@
 import Helic.Data.Config (Config (Config))
 import Helic.Data.NetConfig (NetConfig (NetConfig))
 import Helic.Data.TmuxConfig (TmuxConfig (TmuxConfig))
+import Helic.Data.X11Config (X11Config (X11Config))
 
 target :: Config
 target =
-  Config (Just "name") (Just tmux) (Just net) (Just 1000) (Just False)
+  Config (Just "name") (Just tmux) (Just net) (Just x) (Just 1000) (Just False)
   where
     tmux =
       TmuxConfig (Just True) (Just [absfile|/bin/tmux|])
     net =
       NetConfig (Just 10001) (Just 5) (Just ["remote:1000"])
+    x =
+      X11Config (Just ":1")
 
 test_readConfigFile :: UnitTest
 test_readConfigFile = do