diff --git a/src/datachain/config.py b/src/datachain/config.py
index f5a73905..6a997c28 100644
--- a/src/datachain/config.py
+++ b/src/datachain/config.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 from contextlib import contextmanager
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, Union
 
 from tomlkit import TOMLDocument, dump, load
 
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ def init(self):
         d = DataChainDir(self.get_dir(self.level))
         d.init()
 
-        with open(d.config, "w"):
-            return self
-
     def load_one(self, level: Optional[str] = None) -> TOMLDocument:
         config_path = DataChainDir(self.get_dir(level)).config
 
@@ -125,10 +122,10 @@ def get_remote_config(self, remote: str = "") -> Mapping[str, str]:
         return remote_conf
 
 
-def merge(into, update):
+def merge(into: Union[TOMLDocument, dict], update: Union[TOMLDocument, dict]):
     """Merges second dict into first recursively"""
     for key, val in update.items():
         if isinstance(into.get(key), dict) and isinstance(val, dict):
-            merge(into[key], val)
+            merge(into[key], val)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
         else:
             into[key] = val