diff --git a/bugwarrior/config/load.py b/bugwarrior/config/load.py
index 97bcbc76..e7454c1d 100644
--- a/bugwarrior/config/load.py
+++ b/bugwarrior/config/load.py
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@ def parse_file(configpath: str) -> dict:
 def load_config(main_section, interactive, quiet) -> Config:
     configpath = get_config_path()
     rawconfig = parse_file(configpath)
-    rawconfig['flavor'][main_section]['interactive'] = interactive
+    for flavor in rawconfig['flavor'].values():
+        flavor['interactive'] = interactive
     config = validate_config(rawconfig, main_section, configpath)
     configure_logging(
         config.main.log_file, 'WARNING' if quiet else config.main.log_level
diff --git a/bugwarrior/config/schema.py b/bugwarrior/config/schema.py
index b92f6765..4f9f20f8 100644
--- a/bugwarrior/config/schema.py
+++ b/bugwarrior/config/schema.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class MainSectionConfig(BaseConfig):
 
     # added during configuration loading
     #: Interactive status.
-    interactive: bool = False
+    interactive: bool
 
     @computed_field
     @property
diff --git a/bugwarrior/config/validation.py b/bugwarrior/config/validation.py
index dc8ea7f1..781121ea 100644
--- a/bugwarrior/config/validation.py
+++ b/bugwarrior/config/validation.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ def validate_config(config: dict, main_section: str, config_path: str) -> "Confi
                 f"[{flavor_name}]\ntargets = {flavor.targets}  <- No [{target}] section found\n"
             )
 
-    main = flavors.get(main_section, MainSectionConfig(targets=[]))
+    main = flavors.get(main_section, MainSectionConfig(targets=[], interactive=False))
     filtered_service_configs = [
         service_config
         for service_config in service_configs
diff --git a/tests/config/test_load.py b/tests/config/test_load.py
index 986f3590..2e15c940 100644
--- a/tests/config/test_load.py
+++ b/tests/config/test_load.py
@@ -263,3 +263,31 @@ def test_ini_wrong_prefix(self):
 
         with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
             load.parse_file(config_path)
+
+
+class TestLoadConfig(LoadTest):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.basedir = Path(__file__).parent
+        super().setUp()
+
+    def test_main_section_does_not_exist(self):
+        config_path = self.create(".bugwarriorrc")
+        with open(config_path, 'w') as fout:
+            fout.write(
+                textwrap.dedent("""
+                [redmine]
+                service = redmine
+                redmine.url = example.com
+            """)
+            )
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+            load.load_config("general", False, False)
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.caplog.records), 1)
+        self.assertIn("No section: 'general'", self.caplog.records[0].message)
+
+    def test_interactive_flag_propagated(self):
+        os.environ['BUGWARRIORRC'] = str(self.basedir / 'example-bugwarriorrc')
+        config = load.load_config('general', interactive=True, quiet=False)
+        self.assertTrue(config.main.interactive)
diff --git a/tests/config/test_validation.py b/tests/config/test_validation.py
index 60820e2b..0c60a325 100644
--- a/tests/config/test_validation.py
+++ b/tests/config/test_validation.py
@@ -141,7 +141,9 @@ def test_deprecated_project_name(self):
         self.validate()
 
     def test_flavors(self):
-        self.config['flavor'] = {'myflavor': {'targets': ['my_service', 'my_gitlab']}}
+        self.config['flavor'] = {
+            'myflavor': {'targets': ['my_service', 'my_gitlab'], 'interactive': False}
+        }
         self.validate()
 
     def test_quoted_flavor_key_error(self):
@@ -175,6 +177,10 @@ def test_load_and_validate_example_files(self):
             for main_section, expected_configs in expected_by_flavor.items():
                 with self.subTest(config=config_path.name, main_section=main_section):
                     formatted_config = parse_file(str(config_path))
+
+                    for flavor in formatted_config['flavor'].values():
+                        flavor['interactive'] = False
+
                     config = validation.validate_config(
                         formatted_config, main_section, str(config_path)
                     )