diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bd01309..9e47ee5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 !/bundle/CMakeLists.txt
 /bundle/*
 __pycache__/
+_codeql_detected_source_root
diff --git a/src/ioda-dump/README.md b/src/ioda-dump/README.md
index 303ec0f..76f0046 100644
--- a/src/ioda-dump/README.md
+++ b/src/ioda-dump/README.md
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ The program reads a single YAML file. Required keys:
   - `input files`: list of explicit file paths
 - `output file`: path to the ASCII report to write (ensure the directory exists)
 
+Optional keys:
+
+- `shared path`: path to directory containing mapping and query files for ODB files (defaults to `./` if not specified)
+- `query prefix`: prefix for query files used with ODB files
+
 ### Example: directory scan mode
 
 ```yaml
@@ -64,6 +69,7 @@ time window:
 # Scan a directory (non-recursive). Files with extensions .nc, .nc4, .h5, .hdf5, .odb are included.
 input directory: /path/to/ioda/files
 
+# Optional: only required for ODB files. Defaults to './' if not specified.
 shared path: [/path/to/ioda/shared/yaml]
 query prefix: [iodatest_odb_]
 
@@ -95,6 +101,7 @@ input files:
   - /data/ioda/sst/file3.nc4
   - /data/ioda/sst/file4.odb
 
+# Optional: only required for ODB files. Defaults to './' if not specified.
 shared path: [/path/to/ioda/shared/yaml]
 query prefix: [iodatest_odb_]
 
diff --git a/src/ioda-dump/ioda-dump.h b/src/ioda-dump/ioda-dump.h
index 59b4afa..52b9869 100644
--- a/src/ioda-dump/ioda-dump.h
+++ b/src/ioda-dump/ioda-dump.h
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ namespace dautils {
          fullConfig.get("shared path", sharedPath);
          oops::Log::info() << "Shared Path: " << sharedPath << std::endl;
       } else {
-	 throw eckit::Exception("Missing 'Shared Path' in YAML configuration");
+         // Use default value and print warning
+         sharedPath.push_back("./");
+         oops::Log::warning() << "Shared Path not defined in YAML configuration, using default: './' " << std::endl;
       }
 
       // get "query prefix" for mapping and query files
@@ -303,11 +305,6 @@ namespace dautils {
            std::string base = filename.substr(0, filename.find_last_of('.'));
            std::string instrument = base.substr(base.find_last_of("/\\") + 1);
 
-	   if (sharedPath.empty()) {
-              oops::Log::error() << "No shared path available for file " << filename << std::endl;
-              throw eckit::Exception("Shared path not available");
-           }
-
            std::string yamlDir = sharedPath[0];
 	   std::string queryFile;
 	   if (queryPrefix.empty()) {