diff --git a/cmd/config.go b/cmd/config.go
index 2344a9d63..3f3c9c8c2 100644
--- a/cmd/config.go
+++ b/cmd/config.go
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ func DefaultConfig(memo string) *Config {
 
 // GlobalConfig describes any global relayer settings
 type GlobalConfig struct {
-	APIListenPort     string `yaml:"api-listen-addr" json:"api-listen-addr"`
+	DebugListenPort   string `yaml:"debug-listen-addr" json:"debug-listen-addr"`
 	MetricsListenPort string `yaml:"metrics-listen-addr" json:"metrics-listen-addr"`
 	Timeout           string `yaml:"timeout" json:"timeout"`
 	Memo              string `yaml:"memo" json:"memo"`
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ type GlobalConfig struct {
 // newDefaultGlobalConfig returns a global config with defaults set
 func newDefaultGlobalConfig(memo string) GlobalConfig {
 	return GlobalConfig{
-		APIListenPort:     "127.0.0.1:5183",
+		DebugListenPort:   "127.0.0.1:5183",
 		MetricsListenPort: "127.0.0.1:5184",
 		Timeout:           "10s",
 		LightCacheSize:    20,
diff --git a/cmd/config_test.go b/cmd/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..767ac4624
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package cmd_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/cosmos/relayer/v2/cmd"
+	"github.com/cosmos/relayer/v2/internal/relayertest"
+	"github.com/cosmos/relayer/v2/relayer/chains/cosmos"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestDefaultConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	sys := relayertest.NewSystem(t)
+
+	_ = sys.MustRun(t, "config", "init")
+
+	sys.MustAddChain(t, "testChain", cmd.ProviderConfigWrapper{
+		Type: "cosmos",
+		Value: cosmos.CosmosProviderConfig{
+			ChainID:        "testcosmos",
+			KeyringBackend: "test",
+			Timeout:        "10s",
+		},
+	})
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		setting       string
+		wantedPresent bool
+	}{
+		{
+			"debug-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:5183",
+			true,
+		},
+		{
+			"metrics-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:5184",
+			true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.setting, func(t *testing.T) {
+			sys := setupRelayer(t)
+
+			configFile := fmt.Sprintf("%s/config/config.yaml", sys.HomeDir)
+			data, err := os.ReadFile(configFile)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			config := string(data)
+
+			require.Contains(t, config, tt.setting)
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/start.go b/cmd/start.go
index ff26dfacb..c233109f0 100644
--- a/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/start.go
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ func setupMetricsServer(cmd *cobra.Command, a *appState, err error, chains map[s
 }
 
 func setupDebugServer(cmd *cobra.Command, a *appState, err error) error {
-	debugAddr := a.config.Global.APIListenPort
+	debugAddr := a.config.Global.DebugListenPort
 
 	flagEnableDebugServer, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool(flagEnableDebugServer)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func setupDebugServer(cmd *cobra.Command, a *appState, err error) error {
 	}
 
 	if flagEnableDebugServer == false || debugAddr == "" {
-		a.log.Warn("Disabled debug server due to missing api-listen-addr setting in config file.")
+		a.log.Warn("Disabled debug server due to missing debug-listen-addr setting in config file.")
 	} else {
 		a.log.Warn("SECURITY WARNING! Debug server is enabled. It should only be used with caution and proper security.")
 		ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", debugAddr)
diff --git a/cmd/start_test.go b/cmd/start_test.go
index df7f1c982..1301e82b0 100644
--- a/cmd/start_test.go
+++ b/cmd/start_test.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func TestDebugServerConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			[]string{"start", "--enable-debug-server"},
-			"api-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:6183",
+			"debug-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:6183",
 			6183,
 			true,
 		},
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func TestDebugServerConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(strings.Join(tt.args, " "), func(t *testing.T) {
 			sys := setupRelayer(t)
 
-			updateConfig(t, sys, "api-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:5183", tt.newSetting)
+			updateConfig(t, sys, "debug-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:5183", tt.newSetting)
 
 			logs, logger := setupLogger()
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func requireDisabledMetricsServer(t *testing.T, logs *observer.ObservedLogs, por
 		defer conn.Close()
 	}
 	require.Error(t, err, "Server should be disabled")
-	require.Len(t, logs.FilterMessage("Disabled debug server due to missing api-listen-addr setting in config file.").All(), 1)
+	require.Len(t, logs.FilterMessage("Disabled debug server due to missing debug-listen-addr setting in config file.").All(), 1)
 }
 
 func requireRunningMetricsServer(t *testing.T, logs *observer.ObservedLogs, port int) {
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func requireDisabledDebugServer(t *testing.T, logs *observer.ObservedLogs, port
 		defer conn.Close()
 	}
 	require.Error(t, err, "Server should be disabled")
-	require.Len(t, logs.FilterMessage("Disabled debug server due to missing api-listen-addr setting in config file.").All(), 1)
+	require.Len(t, logs.FilterMessage("Disabled debug server due to missing debug-listen-addr setting in config file.").All(), 1)
 }
 
 func requireRunningDebugServer(t *testing.T, logs *observer.ObservedLogs, port int) {
diff --git a/examples/config_EXAMPLE.yaml b/examples/config_EXAMPLE.yaml
index e3a67f79c..ff78a5145 100644
--- a/examples/config_EXAMPLE.yaml
+++ b/examples/config_EXAMPLE.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 global:
-    api-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:5183
+    debug-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:5183
     metrics-listen-addr: 127.0.0.1:5184
     timeout: 10s
     memo: ""