diff --git a/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sContext.java b/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sContext.java
index f97b39ad..d2fc263c 100644
--- a/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sContext.java
+++ b/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sContext.java
@@ -96,18 +96,20 @@ public static K8sContext create(Connection connection) {
       info = "Using token authentication.";
       apiClient = Config.fromToken(server, token);
       apiClient.setApiKeyPrefix("Bearer");
-    } else if (kubeconfig == null) {
-      info = "Using default configuration from ./kube/config.";
-      try {
-        apiClient = Config.defaultClient();
-      } catch (IOException e) {
-        throw new RuntimeException(e);
-      }
     } else {
+      if (kubeconfig == null) {
+        kubeconfig = System.getProperty("user.home") + "/.kube/config";
+      }
       info = "Using kubeconfig from " + kubeconfig + ".";
       try (Reader r = Files.newBufferedReader(Paths.get(kubeconfig))) {
         KubeConfig kubeConfig = KubeConfig.loadKubeConfig(r);
         kubeConfig.setFile(new File(kubeconfig));
+        if (namespace == null) {
+          namespace = kubeConfig.getNamespace();
+        }
+        if (namespace == null) {
+          namespace = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE;
+        }
         apiClient = ClientBuilder.kubeconfig(kubeConfig).build();
       } catch (IOException e) {
         throw new RuntimeException(e);
@@ -119,6 +121,8 @@ public static K8sContext create(Connection connection) {
       apiClient.setBasePath(server);
     }
 
+    info += " Using namespace " + namespace + ".";
+
     if (truststore != null) {
       try {
         InputStream in = Files.newInputStream(Paths.get(truststore));
@@ -259,6 +263,6 @@ private static String getPodNamespace() {
     if (namespace != null) {
       return namespace;
     }
-    return DEFAULT_NAMESPACE;
+    return null;
   }
 }
diff --git a/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sPipelineTable.java b/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sPipelineTable.java
index d96292f8..1724a1b6 100644
--- a/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sPipelineTable.java
+++ b/hoptimator-k8s/src/main/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/k8s/K8sPipelineTable.java
@@ -37,9 +37,19 @@ public K8sPipelineTable(K8sContext context) {
 
   @Override
   public Row toRow(V1alpha1Pipeline obj) {
-    V1alpha1PipelineStatus status = Objects.requireNonNull(obj.getStatus());
-    return new Row(Objects.requireNonNull(obj.getMetadata()).getName(), Boolean.TRUE.equals(status.getReady()),
-        Boolean.TRUE.equals(status.getFailed()), status.getMessage());
+    final boolean ready;
+    final boolean failed;
+    final String msg;
+    if (obj.getStatus() != null) {
+      ready = Boolean.TRUE.equals(obj.getStatus().getReady());
+      failed = Boolean.TRUE.equals(obj.getStatus().getFailed());
+      msg = obj.getStatus().getMessage();
+    } else {
+      ready = false;
+      failed = false;
+      msg = null;
+    }
+    return new Row(Objects.requireNonNull(obj.getMetadata()).getName(), ready, failed, msg);
   }
 
   @Override