diff --git a/griptape/config/__init__.py b/griptape/config/__init__.py
index b242d80a7..4a87c2d01 100644
--- a/griptape/config/__init__.py
+++ b/griptape/config/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from .anthropic_driver_config import AnthropicDriverConfig
 from .google_driver_config import GoogleDriverConfig
 from .cohere_driver_config import CohereDriverConfig
+from .logging_config import LoggingConfig
 from .config import config
 
 
@@ -22,5 +23,6 @@
     "AnthropicDriverConfig",
     "GoogleDriverConfig",
     "CohereDriverConfig",
+    "LoggingConfig",
     "config",
 ]
diff --git a/griptape/config/base_config.py b/griptape/config/base_config.py
index 9209aa4a4..ef62a4e9b 100644
--- a/griptape/config/base_config.py
+++ b/griptape/config/base_config.py
@@ -1,14 +1,22 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 from abc import ABC
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional
 
-from attrs import define
+from attrs import define, field
 
 from griptape.mixins.serializable_mixin import SerializableMixin
 
-from .base_driver_config import BaseDriverConfig
-from .logging_config import LoggingConfig
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from .base_driver_config import BaseDriverConfig
+    from .logging_config import LoggingConfig
 
 
 @define(kw_only=True)
 class BaseConfig(SerializableMixin, ABC):
-    drivers: BaseDriverConfig
-    logging: LoggingConfig
+    _logging: Optional[LoggingConfig] = field(alias="logging")
+    _drivers: Optional[BaseDriverConfig] = field(alias="drivers")
+
+    def reset(self) -> None:
+        self._logging = None
+        self._drivers = None
diff --git a/griptape/config/config.py b/griptape/config/config.py
index 97d501abb..7b70df409 100644
--- a/griptape/config/config.py
+++ b/griptape/config/config.py
@@ -1,15 +1,42 @@
-from attrs import Factory, define, field
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional
+
+from attrs import define, field
 
 from .base_config import BaseConfig
-from .base_driver_config import BaseDriverConfig
 from .logging_config import LoggingConfig
 from .openai_driver_config import OpenAiDriverConfig
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from .base_driver_config import BaseDriverConfig
 
-@define
+
+@define(kw_only=True)
 class _Config(BaseConfig):
-    drivers: BaseDriverConfig = field(default=Factory(lambda: OpenAiDriverConfig()), kw_only=True)
-    logging: LoggingConfig = field(default=Factory(lambda: LoggingConfig()), kw_only=True)
+    _logging: Optional[LoggingConfig] = field(default=None, alias="logging")
+    _drivers: Optional[BaseDriverConfig] = field(default=None, alias="drivers")
+
+    @property
+    def drivers(self) -> BaseDriverConfig:
+        """Lazily instantiates the drivers configuration to avoid client errors like missing API key."""
+        if self._drivers is None:
+            self._drivers = OpenAiDriverConfig()
+        return self._drivers
+
+    @drivers.setter
+    def drivers(self, drivers: BaseDriverConfig) -> None:
+        self._drivers = drivers
+
+    @property
+    def logging(self) -> LoggingConfig:
+        if self._logging is None:
+            self._logging = LoggingConfig()
+        return self._logging
+
+    @logging.setter
+    def logging(self, logging: LoggingConfig) -> None:
+        self._logging = logging
 
 
 config = _Config()
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/test_config.py b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ecd02e1a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import pytest
+
+from griptape.config.openai_driver_config import OpenAiDriverConfig
+
+
+class TestConfig:
+    @pytest.mark.skip_mock_config()
+    def test_init(self):
+        from griptape.config import LoggingConfig, config
+
+        assert isinstance(config.drivers, OpenAiDriverConfig)
+        assert isinstance(config.logging, LoggingConfig)
+
+    @pytest.mark.skip_mock_config()
+    def test_lazy_init(self):
+        from griptape.config import config
+
+        assert config._drivers is None
+        assert config._logging is None
+
+        assert config.drivers is not None
+        assert config.logging is not None
+
+        assert config._drivers is not None
+        assert config._logging is not None
diff --git a/tests/unit/conftest.py b/tests/unit/conftest.py
index 8a37f6d28..db881bc20 100644
--- a/tests/unit/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/unit/conftest.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import pytest
 
-from griptape.config import config
-from griptape.events import event_bus
 from tests.mocks.mock_driver_config import MockDriverConfig
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
 def mock_event_bus():
+    from griptape.events import event_bus
+
     event_bus.clear_event_listeners()
 
     yield event_bus
@@ -15,7 +15,19 @@ def mock_event_bus():
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
-def mock_config():
+def mock_config(request):
+    from griptape.config import config
+
+    config.reset()
+
+    # Some tests we don't want to use the autouse fixture's MockDriverConfig
+    if "skip_mock_config" in request.keywords:
+        yield
+
+        return
+
     config.drivers = MockDriverConfig()
 
-    return config
+    yield config
+
+    config.reset()