diff --git a/lib/teracy-dev/util.rb b/lib/teracy-dev/util.rb
index 66f129e4..a18f3365 100644
--- a/lib/teracy-dev/util.rb
+++ b/lib/teracy-dev/util.rb
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def self.load_yaml_file(file_path)
       if File.exist? file_path
         # TODO: exception handling
         result = YAML.load_file(file_path)
-        if result == false
+        if result == false || result.nil?
           @logger.debug("#{file_path} is empty")
           result = {}
         end
@@ -177,8 +177,11 @@ def self.require_version_valid?(version, requirements)
     # TODO: refactor this into a new module (merger.rb), currently, maintaining this is a nightmare
     def self.override(origin_hash, source_hash)
       # immutable
-      origin_hash = origin_hash.clone
-      source_hash = source_hash.clone
+      origin_hash = origin_hash.clone unless origin_hash.nil?
+      source_hash = source_hash.clone unless source_hash.nil?
+
+      origin_hash ||= {}
+      source_hash ||= {}
 
       source_hash.each do |key, value|
         next if value.nil?
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6d97b4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+require 'bundler/setup'
+
+RSpec.configure do |config|
+  config.example_status_persistence_file_path = '.rspec_status'
+end
diff --git a/spec/teracy-dev/fixtures/teracy-dev/util/empty.yaml b/spec/teracy-dev/fixtures/teracy-dev/util/empty.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c62a4a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/teracy-dev/fixtures/teracy-dev/util/empty.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# this file contains only comments and should be treated as empty YAML
+# expected to load as an empty hash
diff --git a/spec/teracy-dev/utility_spec.rb b/spec/teracy-dev/utility_spec.rb
index f62bcdb3..d173a633 100644
--- a/spec/teracy-dev/utility_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/teracy-dev/utility_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,22 @@
       end
     end
 
+    context 'given a nil obj2' do
+      it 'returns the same obj1' do
+        obj1 = { 'msg' => 'hello' }
+        new_obj = TeracyDev::Util.override(obj1, nil)
+        expect(new_obj).to eql(obj1)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when loading an empty YAML file' do
+      it 'returns an empty hash' do
+        file = File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/fixtures/teracy-dev/util/empty.yaml'
+        result = TeracyDev::Util.load_yaml_file(file)
+        expect(result).to eql({})
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'given a simple obj2' do
       it 'returns the new obj' do
         obj1 = { 'msg' => 'hello' }