diff --git a/.changeset/young-beans-scream.md b/.changeset/young-beans-scream.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f40e0ee66d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/young-beans-scream.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'houdini': patch
+'houdini-svelte': patch
+---
+
+update templates
diff --git a/packages/houdini-svelte/src/plugin/fsPatch.ts b/packages/houdini-svelte/src/plugin/fsPatch.ts
index cba7ffe74c..a5392eb332 100644
--- a/packages/houdini-svelte/src/plugin/fsPatch.ts
+++ b/packages/houdini-svelte/src/plugin/fsPatch.ts
@@ -123,18 +123,12 @@ filesystem.statSync = function (filepath: string, options: Parameters<filesystem
 
 		// we want to fake +layout.js if there is a +layout.svelte
 		else if (filepath.endsWith('+layout.js')) {
-			try {
-				_statSync(filepath.replace('+layout.js', '+layout.svelte'))
-				return mock
-			} catch (e) {}
+			return mock
 		}
 
 		// we want to fake +page.js if there is a +page.svelte
 		else if (filepath.endsWith('+page.js')) {
-			try {
-				_statSync(filepath.replace('+page.js', '+page.svelte'))
-				return mock
-			} catch (e) {}
+			return mock
 		}
 
 		// if we got this far we didn't fake the file
diff --git a/packages/houdini/src/cmd/init.ts b/packages/houdini/src/cmd/init.ts
index ce8d762a2d..908779cdea 100644
--- a/packages/houdini/src/cmd/init.ts
+++ b/packages/houdini/src/cmd/init.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@ export default async function init(
 	args: { headers?: string[]; yes: boolean },
 	withRunningCheck = true
 ): Promise<void> {
+	// before we start anything, let's make sure they have initialized their project
+	try {
+		await fs.stat(path.resolve('./src'))
+	} catch {
+		throw new Error(
+			'Please initialize your project first before running init. For svelte projects, you should follow the instructions here: https://kit.svelte.dev/'
+		)
+	}
+
 	let headers = {}
 	if ((args.headers ?? []).length > 0) {
 		headers = args.headers!.reduce((total, header) => {
@@ -48,7 +57,7 @@ export default async function init(
 			message: "What's the URL for your api?",
 			name: 'url',
 			type: 'text',
-			initial: 'http://localhost:4000/api/graphql',
+			initial: 'http://localhost:4000/graphql',
 		},
 		{
 			onCancel() {
@@ -75,6 +84,9 @@ export default async function init(
 			console.log('❌ That URL is not accepting GraphQL queries. Please try again.')
 			return await init(_path, args, false)
 		}
+
+		// make sure we can parse the response as json
+		await response.json()
 	} catch (e) {
 		console.log('❌ Something went wrong: ' + (e as Error).message)
 		return await init(_path, args, false)
diff --git a/packages/houdini/src/lib/config.ts b/packages/houdini/src/lib/config.ts
index 27aba77352..0daa0b2084 100644
--- a/packages/houdini/src/lib/config.ts
+++ b/packages/houdini/src/lib/config.ts
@@ -775,9 +775,8 @@ export async function getConfig({
 	// if there is a framework specified, tell them they need to change things
 	if (!configFile.plugins) {
 		throw new HoudiniError({
-			message: 'framework config value has been removed.',
-			description:
-				'Please visit the release notes here: http://www.houdinigraphql.com/guide/release-notes#0170',
+			message:
+				'Welcome to 0.17.0! Please following the migration guide here: http://www.houdinigraphql.com/guide/release-notes#0170',
 		})
 	}