diff --git a/cli/src/cache.rs b/cli/src/cache.rs
index 7a216524..fd530c8d 100644
--- a/cli/src/cache.rs
+++ b/cli/src/cache.rs
@@ -34,16 +34,10 @@ impl BuildCache {
     /// Loads the cache database from the build directory.
     pub fn load(cache_dir: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
         let db_path = cache_dir.join("fingerprints.json");
-        let db = if db_path.exists() {
-            if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(&db_path) {
-                serde_json::from_str(&content).unwrap_or_else(|_| CacheDatabase {
-                    fingerprints: HashMap::new(),
-                })
-            } else {
-                CacheDatabase {
-                    fingerprints: HashMap::new(),
-                }
-            }
+        let db = if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(&db_path) {
+            serde_json::from_str(&content).unwrap_or_else(|_| CacheDatabase {
+                fingerprints: HashMap::new(),
+            })
         } else {
             CacheDatabase {
                 fingerprints: HashMap::new(),
@@ -98,8 +92,7 @@ impl BuildCache {
             .cache_dir
             .join("ir")
             .join(hash_path_filename(path) + ".ir");
-        if cache_file.exists() {
-            let data = std::fs::read(cache_file)?;
+        if let Ok(data) = std::fs::read(cache_file) {
             let module = bincode::deserialize(&data)
                 .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("Deserialization failed: {}", e))?;
             Ok(Some(module))
@@ -132,8 +125,7 @@ impl BuildCache {
             .cache_dir
             .join("bytecode")
             .join(hash_path_filename(path) + ".tsb");
-        if cache_file.exists() {
-            let data = std::fs::read(cache_file)?;
+        if let Ok(data) = std::fs::read(cache_file) {
             let module = techscript_bytecode::BytecodeSerializer::deserialize(&data)
                 .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("Bytecode deserialization failed: {}", e))?;
             Ok(Some(module))
diff --git a/cli/src/config.rs b/cli/src/config.rs
index 5c96c3ea..3c6de852 100644
--- a/cli/src/config.rs
+++ b/cli/src/config.rs
@@ -99,11 +99,9 @@ impl ConfigManager {
         // 2. Global user config (~/.techscript/config.toml)
         if let Some(home) = dirs::home_dir() {
             let global_path = home.join(".techscript").join("config.toml");
-            if global_path.exists() {
-                if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(global_path) {
-                    if let Ok(toml_cfg) = toml::from_str::<TomlConfig>(&content) {
-                        apply_toml(&mut base, &toml_cfg);
-                    }
+            if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(global_path) {
+                if let Ok(toml_cfg) = toml::from_str::<TomlConfig>(&content) {
+                    apply_toml(&mut base, &toml_cfg);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -111,15 +109,12 @@ impl ConfigManager {
         // 3. Workspace config
         if let Some(ws) = workspace_root {
             let ws_manifest = ws.join("tech.toml");
-            if ws_manifest.exists() {
-                if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(ws_manifest) {
-                    if let Ok(manifest_toml) = toml::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&content) {
-                        if let Some(cfg_val) = manifest_toml.get("config") {
-                            if let Ok(toml_cfg) =
-                                serde_json::from_value::<TomlConfig>(cfg_val.clone())
-                            {
-                                apply_toml(&mut base, &toml_cfg);
-                            }
+            if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(ws_manifest) {
+                if let Ok(manifest_toml) = toml::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&content) {
+                    if let Some(cfg_val) = manifest_toml.get("config") {
+                        if let Ok(toml_cfg) = serde_json::from_value::<TomlConfig>(cfg_val.clone())
+                        {
+                            apply_toml(&mut base, &toml_cfg);
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -129,15 +124,12 @@ impl ConfigManager {
         // 4. Project config
         if let Some(proj) = project_root {
             let proj_manifest = proj.join("tech.toml");
-            if proj_manifest.exists() {
-                if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(proj_manifest) {
-                    if let Ok(manifest_toml) = toml::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&content) {
-                        if let Some(cfg_val) = manifest_toml.get("config") {
-                            if let Ok(toml_cfg) =
-                                serde_json::from_value::<TomlConfig>(cfg_val.clone())
-                            {
-                                apply_toml(&mut base, &toml_cfg);
-                            }
+            if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(proj_manifest) {
+                if let Ok(manifest_toml) = toml::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&content) {
+                    if let Some(cfg_val) = manifest_toml.get("config") {
+                        if let Ok(toml_cfg) = serde_json::from_value::<TomlConfig>(cfg_val.clone())
+                        {
+                            apply_toml(&mut base, &toml_cfg);
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/cli/src/project.rs b/cli/src/project.rs
index 3e10ab78..8b15e1c7 100644
--- a/cli/src/project.rs
+++ b/cli/src/project.rs
@@ -75,28 +75,34 @@ impl ProjectBuildGraph {
         let mut packages = HashMap::new();
         let mut members = Vec::new();
 
-        if manifest_path.exists() {
-            let content = std::fs::read_to_string(&manifest_path)?;
-            let manifest: Manifest = toml::from_str(&content)?;
-
-            if let Some(workspace_cfg) = &manifest.workspace {
-                // Workspace mode
-                members = workspace_cfg.members.clone();
-                for member_glob in &members {
-                    // Simulating directory lookup for member folders
-                    let member_dir = root.join(member_glob);
-                    if member_dir.exists() {
-                        let pkg = load_package(&member_dir)?;
-                        packages.insert(pkg.name.clone(), pkg);
+        match std::fs::read_to_string(&manifest_path) {
+            Ok(content) => {
+                let manifest: Manifest = toml::from_str(&content)?;
+
+                if let Some(workspace_cfg) = &manifest.workspace {
+                    // Workspace mode
+                    members = workspace_cfg.members.clone();
+                    for member_glob in &members {
+                        // Simulating directory lookup for member folders
+                        let member_dir = root.join(member_glob);
+                        if member_dir.exists() {
+                            let pkg = load_package(&member_dir)?;
+                            packages.insert(pkg.name.clone(), pkg);
+                        }
                     }
+                } else {
+                    // Single package mode
+                    let pkg = load_package(root)?;
+                    packages.insert(pkg.name.clone(), pkg);
                 }
-            } else {
-                // Single package mode
-                let pkg = load_package(root)?;
-                packages.insert(pkg.name.clone(), pkg);
             }
-        } else {
-            // No tech.toml, single file virtual package mode
+            Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {
+                // No tech.toml, single file virtual package mode
+            }
+            Err(e) => return Err(e.into()),
+        }
+
+        if packages.is_empty() {
             let entry = root.to_path_buf();
             let parent = entry.parent().unwrap_or(root).to_path_buf();
             let pkg = Package {
@@ -148,12 +154,10 @@ impl ProjectBuildGraph {
 
         // 1. Add all entry points to compilation list
         for pkg in self.workspace.packages.values_mut() {
-            if pkg.entry_file.exists() {
-                if let Ok(source) = std::fs::read_to_string(&pkg.entry_file) {
-                    let fid = source_mgr.add_file(pkg.entry_file.clone(), source.clone());
-                    pkg.entry_file_id = Some(fid);
-                    to_resolve.push((fid, pkg.entry_file.clone(), pkg.name.clone()));
-                }
+            if let Ok(source) = std::fs::read_to_string(&pkg.entry_file) {
+                let fid = source_mgr.add_file(pkg.entry_file.clone(), source.clone());
+                pkg.entry_file_id = Some(fid);
+                to_resolve.push((fid, pkg.entry_file.clone(), pkg.name.clone()));
             }
         }
 
@@ -269,12 +273,10 @@ impl ProjectBuildGraph {
                     }
                 }
 
-                if import_file.exists() {
-                    if let Ok(source) = std::fs::read_to_string(&import_file) {
-                        let dep_fid = source_mgr.add_file(import_file.clone(), source);
-                        dep_fids.push(dep_fid);
-                        to_resolve.push((dep_fid, import_file, pkg_name.clone()));
-                    }
+                if let Ok(source) = std::fs::read_to_string(&import_file) {
+                    let dep_fid = source_mgr.add_file(import_file.clone(), source);
+                    dep_fids.push(dep_fid);
+                    to_resolve.push((dep_fid, import_file, pkg_name.clone()));
                 }
             }