diff --git a/cmd/drone-helm/main.go b/cmd/drone-helm/main.go
index e42cb1e..a6a4d09 100644
--- a/cmd/drone-helm/main.go
+++ b/cmd/drone-helm/main.go
@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@ import (
 )
 
 func main() {
-	var c helm.Config
+	cfg, err := helm.NewConfig()
 
-	if err := c.Populate(); err != nil {
+	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s\n", err.Error())
 		return
 	}
 
 	// Make the plan
-	plan, err := helm.NewPlan(c)
+	plan, err := helm.NewPlan(*cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%w\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/internal/helm/config.go b/internal/helm/config.go
index 9e88dab..54d0d42 100644
--- a/internal/helm/config.go
+++ b/internal/helm/config.go
@@ -35,23 +35,24 @@ type Config struct {
 	Force              bool     ``                                   // Pass --force to applicable helm commands
 }
 
-// Populate reads environment variables into the Config, accounting for several possible formats.
-func (cfg *Config) Populate() error {
-	if err := envconfig.Process("plugin", cfg); err != nil {
-		return err
+// NewConfig creates a Config and reads environment variables into it, accounting for several possible formats.
+func NewConfig() (*Config, error) {
+	cfg := Config{}
+	if err := envconfig.Process("plugin", &cfg); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	prefix := cfg.Prefix
 
-	if err := envconfig.Process("", cfg); err != nil {
-		return err
+	if err := envconfig.Process("", &cfg); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	if prefix != "" {
-		if err := envconfig.Process(cfg.Prefix, cfg); err != nil {
-			return err
+		if err := envconfig.Process(cfg.Prefix, &cfg); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return &cfg, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/helm/config_test.go b/internal/helm/config_test.go
index db556e8..88d1933 100644
--- a/internal/helm/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/helm/config_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func TestConfigTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
 	suite.Run(t, new(ConfigTestSuite))
 }
 
-func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPopulateWithPluginPrefix() {
+func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestNewConfigWithPluginPrefix() {
 	suite.unsetenv("PLUGIN_PREFIX")
 	suite.unsetenv("HELM_COMMAND")
 	suite.unsetenv("UPDATE_DEPENDENCIES")
@@ -27,15 +27,15 @@ func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPopulateWithPluginPrefix() {
 	suite.setenv("PLUGIN_UPDATE_DEPENDENCIES", "true")
 	suite.setenv("PLUGIN_DEBUG", "true")
 
-	cfg := Config{}
-	suite.Require().NoError(cfg.Populate())
+	cfg, err := NewConfig()
+	suite.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	suite.Equal("execute order 66", cfg.Command)
 	suite.True(cfg.UpdateDependencies)
 	suite.True(cfg.Debug)
 }
 
-func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPopulateWithNoPrefix() {
+func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestNewConfigWithNoPrefix() {
 	suite.unsetenv("PLUGIN_PREFIX")
 	suite.unsetenv("PLUGIN_HELM_COMMAND")
 	suite.unsetenv("PLUGIN_UPDATE_DEPENDENCIES")
@@ -45,23 +45,23 @@ func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPopulateWithNoPrefix() {
 	suite.setenv("UPDATE_DEPENDENCIES", "true")
 	suite.setenv("DEBUG", "true")
 
-	cfg := Config{}
-	suite.Require().NoError(cfg.Populate())
+	cfg, err := NewConfig()
+	suite.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	suite.Equal("execute order 66", cfg.Command)
 	suite.True(cfg.UpdateDependencies)
 	suite.True(cfg.Debug)
 }
 
-func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPopulateWithConfigurablePrefix() {
+func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestNewConfigWithConfigurablePrefix() {
 	suite.unsetenv("API_SERVER")
 	suite.unsetenv("PLUGIN_API_SERVER")
 
 	suite.setenv("PLUGIN_PREFIX", "prix_fixe")
 	suite.setenv("PRIX_FIXE_API_SERVER", "your waiter this evening")
 
-	cfg := Config{}
-	suite.Require().NoError(cfg.Populate())
+	cfg, err := NewConfig()
+	suite.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	suite.Equal("prix_fixe", cfg.Prefix)
 	suite.Equal("your waiter this evening", cfg.APIServer)
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPrefixSettingDoesNotAffectPluginPrefix() {
 	suite.setenv("PLUGIN_HELM_COMMAND", "wake me up")
 	suite.setenv("IXFREP_PLUGIN_HELM_COMMAND", "send me to sleep inside")
 
-	cfg := Config{}
-	suite.Require().NoError(cfg.Populate())
+	cfg, err := NewConfig()
+	suite.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	suite.Equal("wake me up", cfg.Command)
 }
@@ -84,13 +84,13 @@ func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPrefixSettingMustHavePluginPrefix() {
 	suite.setenv("HELM_COMMAND", "gimme more")
 	suite.setenv("REFPIX_HELM_COMMAND", "gimme less")
 
-	cfg := Config{}
-	suite.Require().NoError(cfg.Populate())
+	cfg, err := NewConfig()
+	suite.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	suite.Equal("gimme more", cfg.Command)
 }
 
-func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPopulateWithConflictingVariables() {
+func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestNewConfigWithConflictingVariables() {
 	suite.setenv("PLUGIN_HELM_COMMAND", "execute order 66")
 	suite.setenv("HELM_COMMAND", "defend the jedi") // values from the `environment` block override those from `settings`
 
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestPopulateWithConflictingVariables() {
 	suite.setenv("TIMEOUT", "5m0s")
 	suite.setenv("PROD_TIMEOUT", "2m30s") // values from prefixed env vars override those from non-prefixed ones
 
-	cfg := Config{}
-	suite.Require().NoError(cfg.Populate())
+	cfg, err := NewConfig()
+	suite.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	suite.Equal("defend the jedi", cfg.Command)
 	suite.Equal("2m30s", cfg.Timeout)