diff --git a/crates/configuration/src/network.rs b/crates/configuration/src/network.rs
index 6efda8c27b13caa13b12aac9dcb30c3b05a56f05..d0a976b2fba083ed2b80a98bebe44c5271a73f68 100644
--- a/crates/configuration/src/network.rs
+++ b/crates/configuration/src/network.rs
@@ -147,14 +147,6 @@ impl NetworkConfig {
 
         // Validation checks for parachains
         network_config.parachains().iter().for_each(|parachain| {
-            let _ = TryInto::<Chain>::try_into(
-                parachain
-                    .chain()
-                    .ok_or("chain name must exist")
-                    .unwrap()
-                    .as_str(),
-            );
-
             if parachain.default_image().is_some() {
                 let _ = TryInto::<Image>::try_into(parachain.default_image().unwrap().as_str());
             }
diff --git a/crates/configuration/src/parachain.rs b/crates/configuration/src/parachain.rs
index ad31a5703e5caa4ce03df86c495cc7558da6795a..ca29aa0b443fd78ab215ffeb6dd781d2bc5236d8 100644
--- a/crates/configuration/src/parachain.rs
+++ b/crates/configuration/src/parachain.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ pub struct ParachainConfig {
         default = "default_as_true"
     )]
     onboard_as_parachain: bool,
-    #[serde(rename = "balance")]
+    #[serde(rename = "balance", default)]
     initial_balance: U128,
     default_command: Option<Command>,
     default_image: Option<Image>,