diff --git a/commands/commands.go b/commands/commands.go
index 4bdc7f6..f0d0b84 100644
--- a/commands/commands.go
+++ b/commands/commands.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package commands
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+
 	"github.com/bwmarrin/discordgo"
 )
 
@@ -8,6 +10,16 @@ var Commands []*discordgo.ApplicationCommand
 var CommandHandlers = map[string]func(client *discordgo.Session, interaction *discordgo.InteractionCreate){}
 
 func RegisterCommands(client *discordgo.Session, TestGuildId string) {
+	botID := client.State.User.ID
+	if botID == "" {
+		me, err := client.User("@me")
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println("Unable to determine bot user for command registration:", err)
+			return
+		}
+		botID = me.ID
+	}
+
 	Commands = []*discordgo.ApplicationCommand{
 		{
 			Name:        "ping",
@@ -103,13 +115,13 @@ func RegisterCommands(client *discordgo.Session, TestGuildId string) {
 	registeredCommands := make([]*discordgo.ApplicationCommand, len(Commands))
 	for i, command := range Commands {
 		if TestGuildId == "" {
-			registeredCommand, err := client.ApplicationCommandCreate(client.State.User.ID, "", command)
+			registeredCommand, err := client.ApplicationCommandCreate(botID, "", command)
 			if err != nil {
 				println("Error adding command:", err)
 			}
 			registeredCommands[i] = registeredCommand
 		} else {
-			registeredCommand, err := client.ApplicationCommandCreate(client.State.User.ID, TestGuildId, command)
+			registeredCommand, err := client.ApplicationCommandCreate(botID, TestGuildId, command)
 			if err != nil {
 				println("Error adding command:", err)
 			}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index d966ded..49ce03c 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -14,23 +14,29 @@ import (
 var Client *discordgo.Session
 
 func main() {
-	ConfigErr, config := utils.LoadConfig()
-	if ConfigErr != nil {
+	config, err := utils.LoadConfig()
+	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
 
-	Client, err := discordgo.New("Bot " + config.BotToken)
+	Client, err = discordgo.New("Bot " + config.BotToken)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("error starting Discord bot,", err)
 		return
 	}
 
+	Client.Identify.Intents = discordgo.IntentsGuilds |
+		discordgo.IntentsGuildMessages |
+		discordgo.IntentsGuildMessageReactions |
+		discordgo.IntentsMessageContent
+
+	events.RegisterEvents(Client)
+
 	err = Client.Open()
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("error opening connection to Discord,", err)
 		return
 	}
-	events.RegisterEvents(Client)
 	commands.RegisterCommands(Client, config.TestGuildId)
 
 	fmt.Println("Bot is now running.  Press CTRL-C to exit.")
diff --git a/utils/config.go b/utils/config.go
index 490f36d..7d89356 100644
--- a/utils/config.go
+++ b/utils/config.go
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@ var Config ConfigType
 var RedisCtx = context.Background()
 var RedisClient *redis.Client
 
-func LoadConfig() (*error, *ConfigType) {
+func LoadConfig() (*ConfigType, error) {
 
 	// Get from config.json
 	configFile, err := os.Open("config.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(err.Error() + " - Please create a config.json file or repair it.")
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	defer func(configFile *os.File) {
 		err := configFile.Close()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -35,15 +39,12 @@ func LoadConfig() (*error, *ConfigType) {
 			fmt.Println("error closing config file")
 		}
 	}(configFile)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println(err.Error() + " - Please create a config.json file or repair it.")
-		return &err, nil
-	}
+
 	jsonParser := json.NewDecoder(configFile)
 	err = jsonParser.Decode(&Config)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err.Error() + " - Please create a config.json file or repair it.")
-		return &err, nil
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	fmt.Println("Loaded config.json")
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ func LoadConfig() (*error, *ConfigType) {
 		DB:       Config.RedisDb,       // use default DB
 	})
 
-	return nil, &Config
+	return &Config, nil
 }
 
 func ReadJsonFile(path string, target interface{}) error {