diff --git a/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py b/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py
index e39f77ea..763d5958 100644
--- a/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py
+++ b/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py
@@ -182,9 +182,10 @@ class CoreGrpcServer(core_pb2_grpc.CoreApiServicer):
         # config service configs
         for config in request.config_service_configs:
             node = self.get_node(session, config.node_id, context)
-            service = node.config_services[request.name]
-            service.set_config(config.config)
-            for name, template in config.templates.values():
+            service = node.config_services[config.name]
+            if config.config:
+                service.set_config(config.config)
+            for name, template in config.templates.items():
                 service.custom_template(name, template)
 
         # service file configs
diff --git a/daemon/core/emulator/session.py b/daemon/core/emulator/session.py
index c76cbae1..da678211 100644
--- a/daemon/core/emulator/session.py
+++ b/daemon/core/emulator/session.py
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@ class Session:
             self.services.add_services(node, node.type, options.services)
 
             # add config services
+            logging.info("setting node config services: %s", options.config_services)
             for name in options.config_services:
                 service_class = self.service_manager.get_service(name)
                 node.add_config_service(service_class)
diff --git a/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py b/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py
index 216a50a9..2c364b58 100644
--- a/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py
+++ b/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Dict, List
 
 import grpc
 
-from core.api.grpc import client, common_pb2, core_pb2
+from core.api.grpc import client, common_pb2, configservices_pb2, core_pb2
 from core.gui import appconfig
 from core.gui.dialogs.mobilityplayer import MobilityPlayer
 from core.gui.dialogs.sessions import SessionsDialog
@@ -462,6 +462,7 @@ class CoreClient:
         asymmetric_links = [
             x.asymmetric_link for x in self.links.values() if x.asymmetric_link
         ]
+        config_service_configs = self.get_config_service_configs_proto()
         if self.emane_config:
             emane_config = {x: self.emane_config[x].value for x in self.emane_config}
         else:
@@ -482,6 +483,7 @@ class CoreClient:
                 service_configs,
                 file_configs,
                 asymmetric_links,
+                config_service_configs,
             )
             logging.debug(
                 "start session(%s), result: %s", self.session_id, response.result
@@ -871,6 +873,21 @@ class CoreClient:
                     configs.append(config_proto)
         return configs
 
+    def get_config_service_configs_proto(
+        self
+    ) -> List[configservices_pb2.ConfigServiceConfig]:
+        config_service_protos = []
+        for node_id, node_config in self.config_service_configs.items():
+            for name, service_config in node_config.items():
+                config_proto = configservices_pb2.ConfigServiceConfig(
+                    node_id=node_id,
+                    name=name,
+                    templates=service_config["templates"],
+                    config=service_config.get("config"),
+                )
+                config_service_protos.append(config_proto)
+        return config_service_protos
+
     def run(self, node_id: int) -> str:
         logging.info("running node(%s) cmd: %s", node_id, self.observer)
         return self.client.node_command(self.session_id, node_id, self.observer).output
diff --git a/daemon/core/gui/dialogs/configserviceconfig.py b/daemon/core/gui/dialogs/configserviceconfig.py
index 89a07c86..abbb26fc 100644
--- a/daemon/core/gui/dialogs/configserviceconfig.py
+++ b/daemon/core/gui/dialogs/configserviceconfig.py
@@ -297,8 +297,9 @@ class ConfigServiceConfigDialog(Dialog):
         try:
             node_config = self.service_configs.setdefault(self.node_id, {})
             service_config = node_config.setdefault(self.service_name, {})
-            self.config_frame.parse_config()
-            service_config["config"] = self.config
+            if self.config_frame:
+                self.config_frame.parse_config()
+                service_config["config"] = self.config
             templates_config = service_config.setdefault("templates", {})
             for file in self.modified_files:
                 templates_config[file] = self.temp_service_files[file]
@@ -343,7 +344,8 @@ class ConfigServiceConfigDialog(Dialog):
         filename = self.templates_combobox.get()
         self.template_text.text.delete(1.0, "end")
         self.template_text.text.insert("end", self.temp_service_files[filename])
-        self.config_frame.set_values(self.default_config)
+        if self.config_frame:
+            self.config_frame.set_values(self.default_config)
         self.startup_commands_listbox.delete(0, tk.END)
         self.validate_commands_listbox.delete(0, tk.END)
         self.shutdown_commands_listbox.delete(0, tk.END)