diff --git a/game/missiongenerator/forcedoptionsgenerator.py b/game/missiongenerator/forcedoptionsgenerator.py
index 5588f6b8..3be96551 100644
--- a/game/missiongenerator/forcedoptionsgenerator.py
+++ b/game/missiongenerator/forcedoptionsgenerator.py
@@ -58,9 +58,11 @@ class ForcedOptionsGenerator:
 
     @staticmethod
     def load_forced_options() -> dict[str, Any]:
-        with open(forced_options_path(), "r+", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-            content = f.read()
-            result = dcs.lua.loads(content).get("forcedOptions", {})
+        result = {}
+        if forced_options_path().exists():
+            with open(forced_options_path(), "r+", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+                content = f.read()
+                result = dcs.lua.loads(content).get("forcedOptions", {})
         return result
 
     def generate(self) -> None:
diff --git a/game/persistency.py b/game/persistency.py
index b0876574..518b05e6 100644
--- a/game/persistency.py
+++ b/game/persistency.py
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def settings_dir() -> Path:
 
 
 def forced_options_path() -> Path:
-    return _create_dir_if_needed(base_path() / "Retribution" / "forced_options.lua")
+    return _create_dir_if_needed(base_path() / "Retribution") / "forced_options.lua"
 
 
 def airwing_dir() -> Path: