diff --git a/runhouse/main.py b/runhouse/main.py
index a11bd670b..f5be1001f 100644
--- a/runhouse/main.py
+++ b/runhouse/main.py
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ def _start_server(
         flags.append(default_env_flag)
 
     conda_env_flag = f" --conda-env {conda_env}" if conda_env else ""
-    if default_env_flag:
+    if conda_env_flag:
         logger.info(f"Creating runtime env for conda env: {conda_env}")
         flags.append(conda_env_flag)
 
diff --git a/runhouse/resources/packages/package.py b/runhouse/resources/packages/package.py
index 9c9776046..da7d92b1a 100644
--- a/runhouse/resources/packages/package.py
+++ b/runhouse/resources/packages/package.py
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ def _install(self, env: Union[str, "Env"] = None, cluster: "Cluster" = None):
                     path = self.install_target.path
                 else:
                     path = self.to(cluster).install_target.path
+                    install_cmd = self._install_cmd(cluster=cluster)
 
                 if not path:
                     return
diff --git a/runhouse/rns/defaults.py b/runhouse/rns/defaults.py
index 49cfd4131..1c06be742 100644
--- a/runhouse/rns/defaults.py
+++ b/runhouse/rns/defaults.py
@@ -236,7 +236,9 @@ def set(self, key: str, value: Any, config_path: Optional[str] = None):
 
     def set_nested(self, key: str, value: Any, config_path: Optional[str] = None):
         """Set a config key that has multiple key/value pairs"""
-        self.defaults_cache.setdefault(key, {}).update(value)
+        if not self.defaults_cache.get(key):
+            self.defaults_cache.setdefault(key, {})
+        self.defaults_cache[key].update(value)
         self.save_defaults(config_path=config_path)
 
     def set_many(self, key_value_pairs: Dict, config_path: Optional[str] = None):