diff --git a/lua/chadrc.lua b/lua/chadrc.lua
index acb5012..7c98cd3 100644
--- a/lua/chadrc.lua
+++ b/lua/chadrc.lua
@@ -144,6 +144,4 @@ M.mappings = {
    },
 }
 
-M = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", require "default_config", M)
-
 return M
diff --git a/lua/mappings.lua b/lua/mappings.lua
index 14740aa..bcf5e96 100644
--- a/lua/mappings.lua
+++ b/lua/mappings.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local user_map = require("chadrc").mappings
+local user_map = require("utils").load_config().mappings
 local miscMap = user_map.misc
 
 local cmd = vim.cmd
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ M.misc = function()
    map("n", "<Esc>", ":noh<CR>", opt)
 
    -- navigation within insert mode
-   local check_insertNav = require("chadrc").options.enable_insertNav
+   local check_insertNav = require("utils").load_config().options.enable_insertNav
 
    if check_insertNav == true then
       local m = user_map.insert_nav
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ M.misc = function()
    end
 
    -- check the theme toggler
-   local theme_toggler = require("chadrc").ui.theme_toggler
+   local theme_toggler = require("utils").load_config().ui.theme_toggler
    if theme_toggler == true then
       local m = user_map.misc.theme_toggle
 
-      map("n", m, ":lua require('utils').toggle_theme(require('chadrc').ui.fav_themes)<CR>", opt)
+      map("n", m, ":lua require('utils').toggle_theme(require('utils').load_config().ui.fav_themes)<CR>", opt)
    end
 
    -- Packer commands till because we are not loading it at startup
diff --git a/lua/options.lua b/lua/options.lua
index c64589b..e0aff03 100644
--- a/lua/options.lua
+++ b/lua/options.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-local options = require("chadrc").options
 local opt = vim.opt
 local g = vim.g
 
+-- export user config as a global varibale
+g.nvchad_user_config = "chadrc"
+
+local options = require("utils").load_config().options
+
 opt.completeopt = { "menuone", "noselect" }
 opt.undofile = options.permanent_undo
 opt.ruler = options.ruler
@@ -76,7 +80,7 @@ vim.cmd [[ au TermOpen term://* setlocal nonumber norelativenumber ]]
 
 -- Don't show status line on certain windows
 vim.cmd [[ au TermOpen term://* setfiletype terminal ]]
-vim.cmd [[ let hidden_statusline = luaeval('require("chadrc").ui.hidden_statusline') | autocmd BufEnter,BufWinEnter,WinEnter,CmdwinEnter,TermEnter * nested if index(hidden_statusline, &ft) >= 0 | set laststatus=0 | else | set laststatus=2 | endif ]]
+vim.cmd [[ let hidden_statusline = luaeval('require("utils").load_config().ui.hidden_statusline') | autocmd BufEnter,BufWinEnter,WinEnter,CmdwinEnter,TermEnter * nested if index(hidden_statusline, &ft) >= 0 | set laststatus=0 | else | set laststatus=2 | endif ]]
 
 -- Open a file from its last left off position
 -- vim.cmd [[ au BufReadPost * if expand('%:p') !~# '\m/\.git/' && line("'\"") > 1 && line("'\"") <= line("$") | exe "normal! g'\"" | endif ]]
diff --git a/lua/pluginList.lua b/lua/pluginList.lua
index df3cdcf..5c56855 100644
--- a/lua/pluginList.lua
+++ b/lua/pluginList.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local plugin_status = require("chadrc").plugin_status
+local plugin_status = require("utils").load_config().plugin_status
 
 local present, _ = pcall(require, "packerInit")
 local packer
diff --git a/lua/plugins/chadsheet.lua b/lua/plugins/chadsheet.lua
index 4ccd2b5..21862c1 100644
--- a/lua/plugins/chadsheet.lua
+++ b/lua/plugins/chadsheet.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ if not present then
    return
 end
 
-local mappings = require("chadrc").mappings
+local mappings = require("utils").load_config().mappings
 
 -- add user mappings to the cheetsheet
 for section, data in pairs(mappings) do
diff --git a/lua/theme.lua b/lua/theme.lua
index 04f0871..3002ac2 100644
--- a/lua/theme.lua
+++ b/lua/theme.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local chad_theme = require("chadrc").ui.theme
+local chad_theme = require("utils").load_config().ui.theme
 vim.g.nvchad_theme = chad_theme
 
 local present, base16 = pcall(require, "base16")
diff --git a/lua/utils.lua b/lua/utils.lua
index afde106..fb7c13f 100644
--- a/lua/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/utils.lua
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ M.change_theme = function(current_theme, new_theme)
       return
    end
 
-   local file = vim.fn.stdpath "config" .. "/lua/chadrc.lua"
+   local user_config = vim.g.nvchad_user_config
+   local file = vim.fn.stdpath "config" .. "/lua/" .. user_config .. ".lua"
    -- store in data variable
    local data = assert(M.file("r", file))
    -- escape characters which can be parsed as magic chars
@@ -195,6 +196,89 @@ M.list_themes = function(return_type)
    return themes
 end
 
+-- Base code: https://gist.github.com/revolucas/184aec7998a6be5d2f61b984fac1d7f7
+-- Changes over it: preserving table 1 contents and also update with table b, without duplicating
+-- 1st arg - base table, 2nd arg - table to merge
+M.merge_table = function(into, from)
+   -- make sure both are table
+   if type(into) ~= "table" or type(from) ~= "table" then
+      return 1
+   end
+   local stack, seen = {}, {}
+   local table1, table2 = into, from
+   while true do
+      for k, v in pairs(table2) do
+         if type(v) == "table" and type(table1[k]) == "table" then
+            table.insert(stack, { table1[k], table2[k] })
+         else
+            local present = seen[v] or false
+            if not present then
+               -- add the value to seen table until value is found
+               -- todo: maybe improve this
+               for _, value in pairs(table1) do
+                  if value == v then
+                     present = true
+                     break
+                  end
+               end
+            end
+            seen[v] = true
+            if not present then
+               -- if type is number, then it is a sub table value, so append
+               if type(k) == "number" then
+                  table1[#table1 + 1] = v
+               else
+                  table1[k] = v
+               end
+            end
+         end
+      end
+      if #stack > 0 then
+         local t = stack[#stack]
+         table1, table2 = t[1], t[2]
+         stack[#stack] = nil
+      else
+         break
+      end
+   end
+   return into
+end
+
+-- load config
+-- 1st arg = boolean - whether to force reload
+-- Modifies _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG global variable
+M.load_config = function(reload)
+   -- only do the stuff below one time, otherwise just return the set config
+   if _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS ~= nil and not (reload or false) then
+      return _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS
+   end
+
+   -- don't enclose in pcall, it better break when default config is faulty
+   _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS = require "default_config"
+
+   -- user config is not required to run nvchad but a optional
+   -- Make sure the config doesn't break the whole system if user config is not present or in bad state or not a table
+   -- print warning texts if user config file is  present
+   local config_name = vim.g.nvchad_user_config or "chadrc"
+   local config_file = vim.fn.stdpath "config" .. "/lua/" .. config_name .. ".lua"
+   -- check if the user config is present
+   if vim.fn.empty(vim.fn.glob(config_file)) < 1 then
+      local present, config = pcall(require, config_name)
+      if present then
+         -- make sure the returned value is table
+         if type(config) == "table" then
+            -- data = require(config_name)
+            _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS = require("utils").merge_table(_G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS, config)
+         else
+            print("Warning: " .. config_name .. " sourced successfully but did not return a lua table.")
+         end
+      else
+         print("Warning: " .. config_file .. " is present but sourcing failed.")
+      end
+   end
+   return _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS
+end
+
 -- reload a plugin ( will try to load even if not loaded)
 -- can take a string or list ( table )
 -- return true or false