diff --git a/simvue/api/objects/base.py b/simvue/api/objects/base.py
index 7f43904f..334af761 100644
--- a/simvue/api/objects/base.py
+++ b/simvue/api/objects/base.py
@@ -164,10 +164,14 @@ def __init__(
             )
         )
 
-        self._headers: dict[str, str] = {
-            "Authorization": f"Bearer {self._user_config.server.token.get_secret_value()}",
-            "User-Agent": _user_agent or f"Simvue Python client {__version__}",
-        }
+        self._headers: dict[str, str] = (
+            {
+                "Authorization": f"Bearer {self._user_config.server.token.get_secret_value()}",
+                "User-Agent": _user_agent or f"Simvue Python client {__version__}",
+            }
+            if not self._offline
+            else {}
+        )
 
         self._staging: dict[str, typing.Any] = {}
 
@@ -423,7 +427,7 @@ def _post(self, is_json: bool = True, **kwargs) -> dict[str, typing.Any]:
 
         _json_response = get_json_from_response(
             response=_response,
-            expected_status=[http.HTTPStatus.OK],
+            expected_status=[http.HTTPStatus.OK, http.HTTPStatus.CONFLICT],
             scenario=f"Creation of {self._label}",
         )
 
diff --git a/simvue/config/parameters.py b/simvue/config/parameters.py
index 472811f6..c6d65c93 100644
--- a/simvue/config/parameters.py
+++ b/simvue/config/parameters.py
@@ -21,19 +21,23 @@
 
 
 class ServerSpecifications(pydantic.BaseModel):
-    url: pydantic.AnyHttpUrl
-    token: pydantic.SecretStr
+    url: pydantic.AnyHttpUrl | None
+    token: pydantic.SecretStr | None
 
     @pydantic.field_validator("url")
     @classmethod
-    def url_to_api_url(cls, v: typing.Any) -> str:
+    def url_to_api_url(cls, v: typing.Any) -> str | None:
+        if not v:
+            return
         if f"{v}".endswith("/api"):
             return f"{v}"
         _url = URL(f"{v}") / "api"
         return f"{_url}"
 
     @pydantic.field_validator("token")
-    def check_token(cls, v: typing.Any) -> str:
+    def check_token(cls, v: typing.Any) -> str | None:
+        if not v:
+            return
         value = v.get_secret_value()
         if not (expiry := get_expiry(value)):
             raise AssertionError("Failed to parse Simvue token - invalid token form")
diff --git a/simvue/config/user.py b/simvue/config/user.py
index 931d2fa5..22357ce5 100644
--- a/simvue/config/user.py
+++ b/simvue/config/user.py
@@ -212,10 +212,10 @@ def fetch(
 
         _run_mode = mode or _config_dict["run"].get("mode") or "online"
 
-        if not _server_url:
+        if not _server_url and _run_mode != "offline":
             raise RuntimeError("No server URL was specified")
 
-        if not _server_token:
+        if not _server_token and _run_mode != "offline":
             raise RuntimeError("No server token was specified")
 
         _config_dict["server"]["token"] = _server_token
diff --git a/simvue/run.py b/simvue/run.py
index af7a5aa0..a618f04c 100644
--- a/simvue/run.py
+++ b/simvue/run.py
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
 
 from simvue.api.objects.alert.base import AlertBase
 from simvue.api.objects.alert.fetch import Alert
-from simvue.api.objects.folder import Folder, get_folder_from_path
-from simvue.exception import ObjectNotFoundError, SimvueRunError
+from simvue.api.objects.folder import Folder
+from simvue.exception import SimvueRunError
 from simvue.utilities import prettify_pydantic
 
 
@@ -185,9 +185,13 @@ def __init__(
             if self._user_config.metrics.resources_metrics_interval < 1
             else self._user_config.metrics.resources_metrics_interval
         )
-        self._headers: dict[str, str] = {
-            "Authorization": f"Bearer {self._user_config.server.token.get_secret_value()}"
-        }
+        self._headers: dict[str, str] = (
+            {
+                "Authorization": f"Bearer {self._user_config.server.token.get_secret_value()}"
+            }
+            if mode != "offline"
+            else {}
+        )
         self._sv_obj: RunObject | None = None
         self._pid: int | None = 0
         self._shutdown_event: threading.Event | None = None
@@ -419,7 +423,9 @@ def _create_dispatch_callback(
         if self._user_config.run.mode == "online" and not self._id:
             raise RuntimeError("Expected identifier for run")
 
-        if not self._user_config.server.url or not self._sv_obj:
+        if (
+            self._user_config.run.mode != "offline" and not self._user_config.server.url
+        ) or not self._sv_obj:
             raise RuntimeError("Cannot commence dispatch, run not initialised")
 
         def _dispatch_callback(
@@ -621,13 +627,10 @@ def init(
 
         self._term_color = not no_color
 
-        try:
-            self._folder = get_folder_from_path(path=folder)
-        except ObjectNotFoundError:
-            self._folder = Folder.new(
-                path=folder, offline=self._user_config.run.mode == "offline"
-            )
-            self._folder.commit()  # type: ignore
+        self._folder = Folder.new(
+            path=folder, offline=self._user_config.run.mode == "offline"
+        )
+        self._folder.commit()  # type: ignore
 
         if isinstance(visibility, str) and visibility not in ("public", "tenant"):
             self._error(
@@ -638,7 +641,9 @@ def init(
             self._error("invalid mode specified, must be online, offline or disabled")
             return False
 
-        if not self._user_config.server.token or not self._user_config.server.url:
+        if self._user_config.run.mode != "offline" and (
+            not self._user_config.server.token or not self._user_config.server.url
+        ):
             self._error(
                 "Unable to get URL and token from environment variables or config file"
             )