4 files changed, 22 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/src/util/string.h b/src/util/string.h
index b26facc502..5617e4acc1 100644
--- a/src/util/string.h
+++ b/src/util/string.h
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ inline std::string Join(const std::vector<std::string>& list, const std::string&
 }
 
 /**
+ * Create an unordered multi-line list of items.
+ */
+inline std::string MakeUnorderedList(const std::vector<std::string>& items)
+{
+    return Join(items, "\n", [](const std::string& item) { return "- " + item; });
+}
+
+/**
  * Check if a string does not contain any embedded NUL (\0) characters
  */
 [[nodiscard]] inline bool ValidAsCString(const std::string& str) noexcept
diff --git a/src/util/system.cpp b/src/util/system.cpp
index 258ba2f235..4e16a83c87 100644
--- a/src/util/system.cpp
+++ b/src/util/system.cpp
@@ -502,11 +502,11 @@ bool ArgsManager::InitSettings(std::string& error)
 
     std::vector<std::string> errors;
     if (!ReadSettingsFile(&errors)) {
-        error = strprintf("Failed loading settings file:\n- %s\n", Join(errors, "\n- "));
+        error = strprintf("Failed loading settings file:\n%s\n", MakeUnorderedList(errors));
         return false;
     }
     if (!WriteSettingsFile(&errors)) {
-        error = strprintf("Failed saving settings file:\n- %s\n", Join(errors, "\n- "));
+        error = strprintf("Failed saving settings file:\n%s\n", MakeUnorderedList(errors));
         return false;
     }
     return true;
@@ -904,6 +904,11 @@ bool ArgsManager::ReadConfigFiles(std::string& error, bool ignore_invalid_keys)
     const std::string confPath = GetArg("-conf", BITCOIN_CONF_FILENAME);
     fsbridge::ifstream stream(GetConfigFile(confPath));
 
+    // not ok to have a config file specified that cannot be opened
+    if (IsArgSet("-conf") && !stream.good()) {
+        error = strprintf("specified config file \"%s\" could not be opened.", confPath);
+        return false;
+    }
     // ok to not have a config file
     if (stream.good()) {
         if (!ReadConfigStream(stream, confPath, error, ignore_invalid_keys)) {
diff --git a/src/util/system.h b/src/util/system.h
index 3547bad585..3c1399629c 100644
--- a/src/util/system.h
+++ b/src/util/system.h
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ protected:
      */
     bool UseDefaultSection(const std::string& arg) const EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_args);
 
+ public:
     /**
      * Get setting value.
      *
@@ -219,7 +220,6 @@ protected:
      */
     std::vector<util::SettingsValue> GetSettingsList(const std::string& arg) const;
 
-public:
     ArgsManager();
     ~ArgsManager();
 
diff --git a/src/util/translation.h b/src/util/translation.h
index 99899ef3c2..62388b568c 100644
--- a/src/util/translation.h
+++ b/src/util/translation.h
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ struct bilingual_str {
     {
         return original.empty();
     }
+
+    void clear()
+    {
+        original.clear();
+        translated.clear();
+    }
 };
 
 inline bilingual_str operator+(bilingual_str lhs, const bilingual_str& rhs)