diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 3a336b0..3b412f2 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -219,7 +219,13 @@ async fn main() {
         Config::default()
     };
 
-    // TODO: add a map to not check for binaries twice?
+    fn check_binary(binary: &str) {
+        if !is_binary_available(binary) {
+            error!("{binary} is not available, exiting.");
+            std::process::exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+
     match cfg.gamma_backend {
         GammaBackend::Hyprctl => check_binary("hyprctl"),
         GammaBackend::Ddcutil => check_binary("ddcutil"),
@@ -341,9 +347,39 @@ async fn reload_config(notify: Arc<Notify>) {
     match Config::load(&config_path) {
         Ok(cfg) => {
             debug!("Config file reloaded successfully");
+
+            fn check_binary(binary: &str) -> bool {
+                if !is_binary_available(binary) {
+                    error!("{binary} is not available, exiting.");
+                    return false;
+                }
+                true
+            }
+
+            let gamma_check = match cfg.gamma_backend {
+                GammaBackend::Hyprctl => check_binary("hyprctl"),
+                GammaBackend::Ddcutil => check_binary("ddcutil"),
+                GammaBackend::Xsct => check_binary("xsct"),
+                GammaBackend::Redshift => check_binary("redshift"),
+                GammaBackend::Gammastep => check_binary("gammastep"),
+                GammaBackend::None => true,
+            };
+
+            let temp_check = match cfg.temp_backend {
+                TempBackend::Hyprctl => check_binary("hyprctl"),
+                TempBackend::Gammastep => check_binary("gammastep"),
+                TempBackend::Xsct => check_binary("xsct"),
+                TempBackend::Redshift => check_binary("redshift"),
+                TempBackend::None => true,
+            };
+
+            if !gamma_check || !temp_check {
+                error!("One or more binaries are not available, retaining old config.");
+                return;
+            }
+
             *config = cfg;
             reset_cache();
-            trace!("new config: {:#?}", config);
 
             let new_modified = std::fs::metadata(&config_path)
                 .and_then(|m| m.modified())
@@ -359,6 +395,7 @@ async fn reload_config(notify: Arc<Notify>) {
         }
     }
 }
+
 fn is_binary_available(binary_name: &str) -> bool {
     use std::fs;
     if let Ok(paths) = env::var("PATH") {
@@ -411,10 +448,3 @@ fn config_handle() -> Arc<RwLock<Config>> {
 fn get_time() -> Time {
     Time::now().expect("Failed to get local time")
 }
-
-fn check_binary(binary: &str) {
-    if !is_binary_available(binary) {
-        error!("{binary} is not available, exiting.");
-        std::process::exit(1);
-    }
-}