diff --git a/backend/src/models/config.rs b/backend/src/models/config.rs
index f1a9b147..7c48c2da 100644
--- a/backend/src/models/config.rs
+++ b/backend/src/models/config.rs
@@ -36,8 +36,16 @@ impl Config {
     pub fn load(config_path: &PathBuf) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
         if config_path.exists() {
             let content = std::fs::read_to_string(config_path)?;
-            let config: Config = serde_json::from_str(&content)?;
-            Ok(config)
+            
+            // Try to deserialize as is first
+            match serde_json::from_str::<Config>(&content) {
+                Ok(config) => Ok(config),
+                Err(_) => {
+                    // If full deserialization fails, merge with defaults
+                    let config = Self::load_with_defaults(&content, config_path)?;
+                    Ok(config)
+                }
+            }
         } else {
             let config = Config::default();
             config.save(config_path)?;
@@ -45,6 +53,40 @@ impl Config {
         }
     }
 
+    fn load_with_defaults(content: &str, config_path: &PathBuf) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        // Parse as generic JSON value
+        let existing_value: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(content)?;
+        
+        // Get default config as JSON value
+        let default_config = Config::default();
+        let default_value = serde_json::to_value(&default_config)?;
+        
+        // Merge existing config with defaults
+        let merged_value = Self::merge_json_values(default_value, existing_value);
+        
+        // Deserialize merged value back to Config
+        let config: Config = serde_json::from_value(merged_value)?;
+        
+        // Save the updated config with any missing defaults
+        config.save(config_path)?;
+        
+        Ok(config)
+    }
+
+    fn merge_json_values(mut base: serde_json::Value, overlay: serde_json::Value) -> serde_json::Value {
+        match (&mut base, overlay) {
+            (serde_json::Value::Object(base_map), serde_json::Value::Object(overlay_map)) => {
+                for (key, value) in overlay_map {
+                    base_map.entry(key).and_modify(|base_value| {
+                        *base_value = Self::merge_json_values(base_value.clone(), value.clone());
+                    }).or_insert(value);
+                }
+                base
+            }
+            (_, overlay) => overlay, // Use overlay value for non-objects
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn save(&self, config_path: &PathBuf) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         let content = serde_json::to_string_pretty(self)?;
         std::fs::write(config_path, content)?;