diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9e2b5b0..07eface 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ This app uses the MQTT broker bundled with [TeslaMate](https://github.com/adrian
 
 ## How to use
 ### Docker
-This app is provided as a docker image. You will need to download the [config.example.yml](config.example.yml) file (or the simplified [config.simple.example.yml](config.simple.example.yml)), edit it appropriately, and then mount it to the container at runtime. For example:
+This app is provided as a docker image. You will need to download the [config.example.yml](config.example.yml) file (or the simplified [config.simple.example.yml](config.simple.example.yml)), edit it appropriately (***make sure to preserve the leading spaces, they are important***), and then mount it to the container at runtime. For example:
 
 ```bash
 # see docker compose example below for parameter explanations
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ docker run --rm \
 ### Geofence Types
 You can define 3 different types of geofences to trigger garage operations. You must configure *one and only one* geofence type for each garage door. Each geofence type has separate `open` and `close` configurations (though they can be set to the same values). This is useful for situations where you might want a smaller geofence that closes the door so you can visually confirm it's closing, but you want a larger geofence that opens the door so it will start sooner and be fully opened when you actually arrive.
 
+Note you do not need to define both `open` and `close` for a geofence, you may only define one or the other if you don't wish to have Tesla-YouQ both open and close your garage.
+
 #### Circular Geofence
 This is the simplist geofence to configure. You provide a latitude and longitude coordinate as the center point, and the distance from the center point to trigger the garage action (in kilometers). You can use a tool such as [FreeMapTools](https://www.freemaptools.com/radius-around-point.htm) to determine what the center latitude and longitude coordinates are, as well as how big your want your radius to be. An example of a garage door configured with this type of geofence would look like this:
 
diff --git a/config.example.yml b/config.example.yml
index 3d36471..0f6ba51 100644
--- a/config.example.yml
+++ b/config.example.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 # Anytime a garage door is operated by this app, it will wait the configured 5 minutes "cooldown" before allowing
 # further operations on that specific garage door.
 
+## NOTE ##
+# Spacing is very important in this file, particularly the leading spacing (indentations). Failure to properly indent may cause config parsing to fail silently
+
 global:
   mqtt_host: localhost # dns, container name, or IP of teslamate's mqtt host
   mqtt_port: 1883
diff --git a/internal/geo/geo.go b/internal/geo/geo.go
index 9ac0d73..3ac46ec 100644
--- a/internal/geo/geo.go
+++ b/internal/geo/geo.go
@@ -164,9 +164,13 @@ func getDistanceChangeAction(config util.ConfigStruct, car *util.Car) (action st
 	car.CurDistance = distance(car.CurrentLocation, car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.Center)
 
 	// check if car has crossed a geofence and set an appropriate action
-	if prevDistance <= car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.CloseDistance && car.CurDistance > car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.CloseDistance { // car was within close geofence, but now beyond it (car left geofence)
+	if car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.CloseDistance > 0 && // is valid close distance defined
+		prevDistance <= car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.CloseDistance &&
+		car.CurDistance > car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.CloseDistance { // car was within close geofence, but now beyond it (car left geofence)
 		action = myq.ActionClose
-	} else if prevDistance >= car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.OpenDistance && car.CurDistance < car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.OpenDistance { // car was outside of open geofence, but is now within it (car entered geofence)
+	} else if car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.OpenDistance > 0 && // is valid open distance defined
+		prevDistance >= car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.OpenDistance &&
+		car.CurDistance < car.GarageDoor.CircularGeofence.OpenDistance { // car was outside of open geofence, but is now within it (car entered geofence)
 		action = myq.ActionOpen
 	}
 	return
@@ -174,10 +178,12 @@ func getDistanceChangeAction(config util.ConfigStruct, car *util.Car) (action st
 
 // gets action based on if there was a relevant geofence event change
 func getGeoChangeEventAction(config util.ConfigStruct, car *util.Car) (action string) {
-	if car.PrevGeofence == car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Close.From &&
+	if car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Close.IsTriggerDefined() &&
+		car.PrevGeofence == car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Close.From &&
 		car.CurGeofence == car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Close.To {
 		action = "close"
-	} else if car.PrevGeofence == car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Open.From &&
+	} else if car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Open.IsTriggerDefined() &&
+		car.PrevGeofence == car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Open.From &&
 		car.CurGeofence == car.GarageDoor.TeslamateGeofence.Open.To {
 		action = "open"
 	}
@@ -188,15 +194,15 @@ func getGeoChangeEventAction(config util.ConfigStruct, car *util.Car) (action st
 // uses ray-casting algorithm, assumes a simple geofence (no holes or border cross points)
 func getPolygonGeoChangeEventAction(config util.ConfigStruct, car *util.Car) (action string) {
 	if !car.CurrentLocation.IsPointDefined() {
-		return "" // need valid lat and long to check geofence
+		return // need valid lat and long to check geofence
 	}
 
 	isInsideCloseGeo := isInsidePolygonGeo(car.CurrentLocation, car.GarageDoor.PolygonGeofence.Close)
 	isInsideOpenGeo := isInsidePolygonGeo(car.CurrentLocation, car.GarageDoor.PolygonGeofence.Open)
 
-	if car.InsidePolyCloseGeo && !isInsideCloseGeo { // if we were inside the close geofence and now we're not, then close
+	if car.GarageDoor.PolygonGeofence.Close != nil && car.InsidePolyCloseGeo && !isInsideCloseGeo { // if we were inside the close geofence and now we're not, then close
 		action = "close"
-	} else if !car.InsidePolyOpenGeo && isInsideOpenGeo { // if we were not inside the open geo and now we are, then open
+	} else if car.GarageDoor.PolygonGeofence.Open != nil && !car.InsidePolyOpenGeo && isInsideOpenGeo { // if we were not inside the open geo and now we are, then open
 		action = "open"
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/util/config.go b/internal/util/config.go
index e3960a5..e7df2b0 100644
--- a/internal/util/config.go
+++ b/internal/util/config.go
@@ -147,15 +147,20 @@ func (f *CustomFormatter) Format(entry *logger.Entry) ([]byte, error) {
 
 // checks for valid geofence values for a garage door
 // preferred priority is polygon > circular > teslamate
+// at least one open OR one close must be defined to identify a geofence type
 func (g GarageDoor) GetGeofenceType() string {
-	if g.PolygonGeofence != nil && len(g.PolygonGeofence.Open) > 0 && len(g.PolygonGeofence.Close) > 0 {
+	if g.PolygonGeofence != nil &&
+		(len(g.PolygonGeofence.Open) > 0 ||
+			len(g.PolygonGeofence.Close) > 0) {
 		return PolygonGeofenceType
-	} else if g.CircularGeofence != nil && g.CircularGeofence.Center.IsPointDefined() && g.CircularGeofence.OpenDistance > 0 && g.CircularGeofence.CloseDistance > 0 {
+	} else if g.CircularGeofence != nil &&
+		g.CircularGeofence.Center.IsPointDefined() &&
+		(g.CircularGeofence.OpenDistance > 0 ||
+			g.CircularGeofence.CloseDistance > 0) {
 		return CircularGeofenceType
-	} else if g.TeslamateGeofence != nil && g.TeslamateGeofence.Close.From != "" &&
-		g.TeslamateGeofence.Close.To != "" &&
-		g.TeslamateGeofence.Open.From != "" &&
-		g.TeslamateGeofence.Open.To != "" {
+	} else if g.TeslamateGeofence != nil &&
+		(g.TeslamateGeofence.Close.IsTriggerDefined() ||
+			g.TeslamateGeofence.Open.IsTriggerDefined()) {
 		return TeslamateGeofenceType
 	} else {
 		return ""
@@ -167,6 +172,10 @@ func (p Point) IsPointDefined() bool {
 	return p.Lat != 0 && p.Lng != 0
 }
 
+func (t TeslamateGeofenceTrigger) IsTriggerDefined() bool {
+	return t.From != "" && t.To != ""
+}
+
 // load yaml config
 func LoadConfig(configFile string) {
 	logger.Debugf("Attempting to read config file: %v", configFile)