diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/flags.go b/cmd/cue/cmd/flags.go
index cfc4b9b..815ec79 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/flags.go
@@ -53,9 +53,6 @@
 }
 
 func addGlobalFlags(f *pflag.FlagSet) {
-	f.StringVar(&cfgFile, "config", "", "config file (default is $HOME/.cue)")
-	f.Bool("root", false, "load a CUE package from its root")
-
 	f.Bool(string(flagDebug), false,
 		"give detailed error info")
 	f.Bool(string(flagTrace), false,
diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/root.go b/cmd/cue/cmd/root.go
index 59b262f..11db921 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/root.go
@@ -17,14 +17,11 @@
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	logger "log"
 	"os"
 
-	homedir "github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 // TODO: commands
@@ -194,34 +191,3 @@
 func exit() {
 	panic(panicError{errors.New("terminating because of errors")})
 }
-
-func init() {
-	cobra.OnInitialize(initConfig)
-
-}
-
-// initConfig reads in config file and ENV variables if set.
-func initConfig() {
-	if cfgFile != "" {
-		// Use config file from the flag.
-		viper.SetConfigFile(cfgFile)
-	} else {
-		// Find home directory.
-		home, err := homedir.Dir()
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println(err)
-			os.Exit(1)
-		}
-
-		// Search config in home directory with name ".cue" (without extension).
-		viper.AddConfigPath(home)
-		viper.SetConfigName(".cue")
-	}
-
-	viper.AutomaticEnv() // read in environment variables that match
-
-	// If a config file is found, read it in.
-	if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err == nil {
-		fmt.Println("Using config file:", viper.ConfigFileUsed())
-	}
-}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 76019c9..feb1209 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 module cuelang.org/go
 
 require (
-	github.com/BurntSushi/toml v0.3.1 // indirect
 	github.com/cockroachdb/apd v1.1.0
 	github.com/emicklei/proto v1.6.11
 	github.com/ghodss/yaml v1.0.0
@@ -9,14 +8,13 @@
 	github.com/kr/pretty v0.1.0
 	github.com/kylelemons/godebug v1.1.0
 	github.com/lib/pq v1.0.0 // indirect
-	github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir v1.0.0
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.8.0 // indirect
 	github.com/retr0h/go-gilt v0.0.0-20190206215556-f73826b37af2
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v0.0.3
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.3
-	github.com/spf13/viper v1.3.1
 	golang.org/x/exp/errors v0.0.0-20181221233300-b68661188fbf
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181108010431-42b317875d0f
 	golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20181210225255-6a3e9aa2ab77
 	golang.org/x/xerrors v0.0.0-20190410155217-1f06c39b4373
+	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 4b480ba..e17baed 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,24 +1,12 @@
-github.com/BurntSushi/toml v0.3.1 h1:WXkYYl6Yr3qBf1K79EBnL4mak0OimBfB0XUf9Vl28OQ=
-github.com/BurntSushi/toml v0.3.1/go.mod h1:xHWCNGjB5oqiDr8zfno3MHue2Ht5sIBksp03qcyfWMU=
-github.com/armon/consul-api v0.0.0-20180202201655-eb2c6b5be1b6/go.mod h1:grANhF5doyWs3UAsr3K4I6qtAmlQcZDesFNEHPZAzj8=
 github.com/cockroachdb/apd v1.1.0 h1:3LFP3629v+1aKXU5Q37mxmRxX/pIu1nijXydLShEq5I=
 github.com/cockroachdb/apd v1.1.0/go.mod h1:8Sl8LxpKi29FqWXR16WEFZRNSz3SoPzUzeMeY4+DwBQ=
-github.com/coreos/etcd v3.3.10+incompatible/go.mod h1:uF7uidLiAD3TWHmW31ZFd/JWoc32PjwdhPthX9715RE=
-github.com/coreos/go-etcd v2.0.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:Jez6KQU2B/sWsbdaef3ED8NzMklzPG4d5KIOhIy30Tk=
-github.com/coreos/go-semver v0.2.0/go.mod h1:nnelYz7RCh+5ahJtPPxZlU+153eP4D4r3EedlOD2RNk=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
-github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
-github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/emicklei/proto v1.6.11 h1:KZHE0+iwVLth2D/K8jat9rs70K6TFWyol8ihrOdrbM0=
 github.com/emicklei/proto v1.6.11/go.mod h1:rn1FgRS/FANiZdD2djyH7TMA9jdRDcYQ9IEN9yvjX0A=
-github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.4.7 h1:IXs+QLmnXW2CcXuY+8Mzv/fWEsPGWxqefPtCP5CnV9I=
-github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.4.7/go.mod h1:jwhsz4b93w/PPRr/qN1Yymfu8t87LnFCMoQvtojpjFo=
 github.com/ghodss/yaml v1.0.0 h1:wQHKEahhL6wmXdzwWG11gIVCkOv05bNOh+Rxn0yngAk=
 github.com/ghodss/yaml v1.0.0/go.mod h1:4dBDuWmgqj2HViK6kFavaiC9ZROes6MMH2rRYeMEF04=
 github.com/google/go-cmp v0.2.0 h1:+dTQ8DZQJz0Mb/HjFlkptS1FeQ4cWSnN941F8aEG4SQ=
 github.com/google/go-cmp v0.2.0/go.mod h1:oXzfMopK8JAjlY9xF4vHSVASa0yLyX7SntLO5aqRK0M=
-github.com/hashicorp/hcl v1.0.0 h1:0Anlzjpi4vEasTeNFn2mLJgTSwt0+6sfsiTG8qcWGx4=
-github.com/hashicorp/hcl v1.0.0/go.mod h1:E5yfLk+7swimpb2L/Alb/PJmXilQ/rhwaUYs4T20WEQ=
 github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0 h1:Z8tu5sraLXCXIcARxBp/8cbvlwVa7Z1NHg9XEKhtSvM=
 github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0/go.mod h1:PxqpIevigyE2G7u3NXJIT2ANytuPF1OarO4DADm73n8=
 github.com/kami-zh/go-capturer v0.0.0-20171211120116-e492ea43421d/go.mod h1:P2viExyCEfeWGU259JnaQ34Inuec4R38JCyBx2edgD0=
@@ -32,52 +20,27 @@
 github.com/lib/pq v1.0.0 h1:X5PMW56eZitiTeO7tKzZxFCSpbFZJtkMMooicw2us9A=
 github.com/lib/pq v1.0.0/go.mod h1:5WUZQaWbwv1U+lTReE5YruASi9Al49XbQIvNi/34Woo=
 github.com/logrusorgru/aurora v0.0.0-20180419164547-d694e6f975a9/go.mod h1:7rIyQOR62GCctdiQpZ/zOJlFyk6y+94wXzv6RNZgaR4=
-github.com/magiconair/properties v1.8.0 h1:LLgXmsheXeRoUOBOjtwPQCWIYqM/LU1ayDtDePerRcY=
-github.com/magiconair/properties v1.8.0/go.mod h1:PppfXfuXeibc/6YijjN8zIbojt8czPbwD3XqdrwzmxQ=
-github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir v1.0.0 h1:vKb8ShqSby24Yrqr/yDYkuFz8d0WUjys40rvnGC8aR0=
-github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir v1.0.0/go.mod h1:SfyaCUpYCn1Vlf4IUYiD9fPX4A5wJrkLzIz1N1q0pr0=
-github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure v1.1.2 h1:fmNYVwqnSfB9mZU6OS2O6GsXM+wcskZDuKQzvN1EDeE=
-github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure v1.1.2/go.mod h1:FVVH3fgwuzCH5S8UJGiWEs2h04kUh9fWfEaFds41c1Y=
-github.com/pelletier/go-toml v1.2.0 h1:T5zMGML61Wp+FlcbWjRDT7yAxhJNAiPPLOFECq181zc=
-github.com/pelletier/go-toml v1.2.0/go.mod h1:5z9KED0ma1S8pY6P1sdut58dfprrGBbd/94hg7ilaic=
 github.com/pkg/errors v0.8.0 h1:WdK/asTD0HN+q6hsWO3/vpuAkAr+tw6aNJNDFFf0+qw=
 github.com/pkg/errors v0.8.0/go.mod h1:bwawxfHBFNV+L2hUp1rHADufV3IMtnDRdf1r5NINEl0=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
 github.com/retr0h/go-gilt v0.0.0-20190206215556-f73826b37af2 h1:vZ42M1tDiMLtirFA1K5k2QVFhWRqR4BjdSw0IMclzH4=
 github.com/retr0h/go-gilt v0.0.0-20190206215556-f73826b37af2/go.mod h1:7PJr6TwZ6FwyTMn8zrm5QbMfH7yCiv56Wi9hRPhpWSM=
-github.com/spf13/afero v1.1.2 h1:m8/z1t7/fwjysjQRYbP0RD+bUIF/8tJwPdEZsI83ACI=
-github.com/spf13/afero v1.1.2/go.mod h1:j4pytiNVoe2o6bmDsKpLACNPDBIoEAkihy7loJ1B0CQ=
-github.com/spf13/cast v1.3.0 h1:oget//CVOEoFewqQxwr0Ej5yjygnqGkvggSE/gB35Q8=
-github.com/spf13/cast v1.3.0/go.mod h1:Qx5cxh0v+4UWYiBimWS+eyWzqEqokIECu5etghLkUJE=
 github.com/spf13/cobra v0.0.1/go.mod h1:1l0Ry5zgKvJasoi3XT1TypsSe7PqH0Sj9dhYf7v3XqQ=
 github.com/spf13/cobra v0.0.3 h1:ZlrZ4XsMRm04Fr5pSFxBgfND2EBVa1nLpiy1stUsX/8=
 github.com/spf13/cobra v0.0.3/go.mod h1:1l0Ry5zgKvJasoi3XT1TypsSe7PqH0Sj9dhYf7v3XqQ=
-github.com/spf13/jwalterweatherman v1.0.0 h1:XHEdyB+EcvlqZamSM4ZOMGlc93t6AcsBEu9Gc1vn7yk=
-github.com/spf13/jwalterweatherman v1.0.0/go.mod h1:cQK4TGJAtQXfYWX+Ddv3mKDzgVb68N+wFjFa4jdeBTo=
 github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.0/go.mod h1:DYY7MBk1bdzusC3SYhjObp+wFpr4gzcvqqNjLnInEg4=
 github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.3 h1:zPAT6CGy6wXeQ7NtTnaTerfKOsV6V6F8agHXFiazDkg=
 github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.3/go.mod h1:DYY7MBk1bdzusC3SYhjObp+wFpr4gzcvqqNjLnInEg4=
-github.com/spf13/viper v1.3.1 h1:5+8j8FTpnFV4nEImW/ofkzEt8VoOiLXxdYIDsB73T38=
-github.com/spf13/viper v1.3.1/go.mod h1:ZiWeW+zYFKm7srdB9IoDzzZXaJaI5eL9QjNiN/DMA2s=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.2.0/go.mod h1:a8OnRcib4nhh0OaRAV+Yts87kKdq0PP7pXfy6kDkUVs=
-github.com/stretchr/testify v1.2.2 h1:bSDNvY7ZPG5RlJ8otE/7V6gMiyenm9RtJ7IUVIAoJ1w=
-github.com/stretchr/testify v1.2.2/go.mod h1:a8OnRcib4nhh0OaRAV+Yts87kKdq0PP7pXfy6kDkUVs=
-github.com/ugorji/go/codec v0.0.0-20181204163529-d75b2dcb6bc8/go.mod h1:VFNgLljTbGfSG7qAOspJ7OScBnGdDN/yBr0sguwnwf0=
 github.com/xeipuuv/gojsonpointer v0.0.0-20170225233418-6fe8760cad35/go.mod h1:N2zxlSyiKSe5eX1tZViRH5QA0qijqEDrYZiPEAiq3wU=
 github.com/xeipuuv/gojsonreference v0.0.0-20150808065054-e02fc20de94c/go.mod h1:GwrjFmJcFw6At/Gs6z4yjiIwzuJ1/+UwLxMQDVQXShQ=
 github.com/xeipuuv/gojsonschema v0.0.0-20171230112544-511d08a359d1/go.mod h1:5yf86TLmAcydyeJq5YvxkGPE2fm/u4myDekKRoLuqhs=
-github.com/xordataexchange/crypt v0.0.3-0.20170626215501-b2862e3d0a77/go.mod h1:aYKd//L2LvnjZzWKhF00oedf4jCCReLcmhLdhm1A27Q=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20181203042331-505ab145d0a9/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
 golang.org/x/exp/errors v0.0.0-20181221233300-b68661188fbf h1:4SQtY0VxhI0RZe/PFmCCfHyaPVuC5DgyXEqehsAWjwc=
 golang.org/x/exp/errors v0.0.0-20181221233300-b68661188fbf/go.mod h1:YgqsNsAu4fTvlab/7uiYK9LJrCIzKg/NiZUIH1/ayqo=
 golang.org/x/lint v0.0.0-20181011164241-5906bd5c48cd/go.mod h1:UVdnD1Gm6xHRNCYTkRU2/jEulfH38KcIWyp/GAMgvoE=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181108010431-42b317875d0f h1:Bl/8QSvNqXvPGPGXa2z5xUTmV7VDcZyvRZ+QQXkXTZQ=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181108010431-42b317875d0f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20181205085412-a5c9d58dba9a h1:1n5lsVfiQW3yfsRGu98756EH1YthsFqr/5mxHduZW2A=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20181205085412-a5c9d58dba9a/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
-golang.org/x/text v0.3.0 h1:g61tztE5qeGQ89tm6NTjjM9VPIm088od1l6aSorWRWg=
-golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20181018182439-def26773749b/go.mod h1:n7NCudcB/nEzxVGmLbDWY5pfWTLqBcC2KZ6jyYvM4mQ=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20181210225255-6a3e9aa2ab77 h1:s+6psEFi3o1QryeA/qyvUoVaHMCQkYVvZ0i2ZolwSJc=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20181210225255-6a3e9aa2ab77/go.mod h1:n7NCudcB/nEzxVGmLbDWY5pfWTLqBcC2KZ6jyYvM4mQ=