diff --git a/cmd/gpu-turnstile/main.go b/cmd/gpu-turnstile/main.go
index 85ad834..393b660 100644
--- a/cmd/gpu-turnstile/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gpu-turnstile/main.go
@@ -299,6 +299,9 @@ func forceUpdateCommand(configPath string, elevatedChild bool) int {
 		defer waitForEnter()
 	}
 	cfg, err := loadMergedConfig(configPath)
+	if errors.Is(err, config.ErrNoConsumer) {
+		err = nil // update settings do not depend on a consumer URL
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s\n\ngpu-turnstile: %v\n", versionLine(), err)
 		return 1
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index d5efa85..1cb0f52 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log/slog"
@@ -84,6 +85,11 @@ func Defaults() Config {
 	}
 }
 
+// ErrNoConsumer is returned by Load when neither OLLAMA_URL nor COMFY_URL
+// is set. Commands that never talk to an upstream (--force-update) may
+// ignore it and proceed with the rest of the configuration.
+var ErrNoConsumer = errors.New("at least one of OLLAMA_URL or COMFY_URL must be set (each URL enables its consumer)")
+
 // ParseEnvFile parses a .env-style file: KEY=VALUE lines, blank lines and
 // #-comments are ignored, no quoting. A line without '=' is an error.
 func ParseEnvFile(r io.Reader) (map[string]string, error) {
@@ -219,7 +225,7 @@ func Load(getenv func(string) string) (Config, error) {
 		return cfg, fmt.Errorf("LOG_FORMAT: must be \"text\" or \"json\"")
 	}
 	if cfg.OllamaURL == "" && cfg.ComfyURL == "" {
-		return cfg, fmt.Errorf("at least one of OLLAMA_URL or COMFY_URL must be set (each URL enables its consumer)")
+		return cfg, ErrNoConsumer
 	}
 	return cfg, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 17411cd..0b21cba 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"log/slog"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ func TestLoadRequiresConsumer(t *testing.T) {
 	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "OLLAMA_URL") {
 		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want missing-consumer error", err)
 	}
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrNoConsumer) {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want errors.Is(err, ErrNoConsumer)", err)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestParseEnvFile(t *testing.T) {