diff --git a/cmd/generate.go b/cmd/generate.go
index d9b7fa0..ef9a666 100644
--- a/cmd/generate.go
+++ b/cmd/generate.go
@@ -32,6 +32,22 @@ var generateCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			}
 		}
 
+		// make sure that we have a token present before trying to make request
+		if config.AccessToken == "" {
+			// TODO: make request to check if request will need token
+
+			// check if OCHAMI_ACCESS_TOKEN env var is set if no access token is provided and use that instead
+			accessToken := os.Getenv("ACCESS_TOKEN")
+			if accessToken != "" {
+				config.AccessToken = accessToken
+			} else {
+				// TODO: try and fetch token first if it is needed
+				if verbose {
+					fmt.Printf("No token found. Attempting to generate config without one...\n")
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		// use config plugins if none supplied via CLI
 		if len(pluginPaths) <= 0 {
 			pluginPaths = append(pluginPaths, config.PluginDirs...)
diff --git a/cmd/serve.go b/cmd/serve.go
index 998ff36..e150b34 100644
--- a/cmd/serve.go
+++ b/cmd/serve.go
@@ -19,6 +19,22 @@ var serveCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "serve",
 	Short: "Start configurator as a server and listen for requests",
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+		// make sure that we have a token present before trying to make request
+		if config.AccessToken == "" {
+			// TODO: make request to check if request will need token
+
+			// check if OCHAMI_ACCESS_TOKEN env var is set if no access token is provided and use that instead
+			accessToken := os.Getenv("ACCESS_TOKEN")
+			if accessToken != "" {
+				config.AccessToken = accessToken
+			} else {
+				// TODO: try and fetch token first if it is needed
+				if verbose {
+					fmt.Printf("No token found. Attempting to generate config without one...\n")
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		// use config plugins if none supplied via CLI
 		if len(pluginPaths) <= 0 {
 			pluginPaths = append(pluginPaths, config.PluginDirs...)
diff --git a/internal/client.go b/internal/client.go
index 4b750c6..42a7e6e 100644
--- a/internal/client.go
+++ b/internal/client.go
@@ -76,7 +76,21 @@ func (client *SmdClient) FetchComponents(opts ...util.Option) ([]Component, erro
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to make HTTP request: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	// make sure our response is actually JSON
+	if !json.Valid(b) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("expected valid JSON response: %v", string(b))
+	}
+
 	// unmarshal response body JSON and extract in object
+	var tmp map[string]any
+	err = json.Unmarshal(b, &tmp)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal response: %v", err)
+	}
+	b, err = json.Marshal(tmp["RedfishEndpoints"].([]any))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal JSON: %v", err)
+	}
 	err = json.Unmarshal(b, &comps)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal response: %v", err)
@@ -96,15 +110,27 @@ func (client *SmdClient) FetchRedfishEndpoints(opts ...util.Option) ([]RedfishEn
 	var (
 		params  = util.GetParams(opts...)
 		verbose = util.Get[bool](params, "verbose")
-		rfs     = []RedfishEndpoint{}
+		eps     = []RedfishEndpoint{}
 	)
 
 	b, err := client.makeRequest("/Inventory/RedfishEndpoints")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to make HTTP resquest: %v", err)
 	}
+	if !json.Valid(b) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("expected valid JSON response: %v", string(b))
+	}
+	var tmp map[string]any
+	err = json.Unmarshal(b, &tmp)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal response: %v", err)
+	}
 
-	err = json.Unmarshal(b, &rfs)
+	b, err = json.Marshal(tmp["RedfishEndpoints"].([]any))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal JSON: %v", err)
+	}
+	err = json.Unmarshal(b, &eps)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal response: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -115,7 +141,7 @@ func (client *SmdClient) FetchRedfishEndpoints(opts ...util.Option) ([]RedfishEn
 		}
 	}
 
-	return rfs, nil
+	return eps, nil
 }
 
 func (client *SmdClient) makeRequest(endpoint string) ([]byte, error) {