diff --git a/lua/ideaDrop/core/config.lua b/lua/ideaDrop/core/config.lua
index e59a658..e796ea2 100644
--- a/lua/ideaDrop/core/config.lua
+++ b/lua/ideaDrop/core/config.lua
@@ -31,7 +31,25 @@ M.options = {
 ---@param user_opts IdeaDropOptions|nil User configuration options
 ---@return nil
 function M.setup(user_opts)
-	M.options = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", M.options, user_opts or {})
+	user_opts = user_opts or {}
+
+	-- Handle nil idea_dir (don't override default with nil)
+	if user_opts.idea_dir == nil then
+		user_opts.idea_dir = M.options.idea_dir
+	end
+
+	-- Expand environment variables and ~ in idea_dir
+	if user_opts.idea_dir then
+		user_opts.idea_dir = vim.fn.expand(user_opts.idea_dir)
+	end
+
+	M.options = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", M.options, user_opts)
+end
+
+---Gets the idea directory path (expanded)
+---@return string
+function M.get_idea_dir()
+	return vim.fn.expand(M.options.idea_dir or "")
 end
 
 return M
diff --git a/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/data.lua b/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/data.lua
index 1247d59..674244b 100644
--- a/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/data.lua
+++ b/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/data.lua
@@ -92,13 +92,45 @@ end
 ---Builds the complete graph from markdown files
 ---@return GraphData
 function M.build_graph()
-	local idea_dir = config.options.idea_dir
+	-- Get idea_dir using the getter function if available, otherwise direct access
+	local idea_dir = config.get_idea_dir and config.get_idea_dir() or config.options.idea_dir
 	local graph = types.create_graph_data()
 
-	-- Find all markdown files
-	local files = vim.fn.glob(idea_dir .. "/**/*.md", false, true)
+	-- Validate idea_dir
+	if not idea_dir or idea_dir == "" then
+		vim.notify("❌ idea_dir is not configured. Please set it in setup().", vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+		return graph
+	end
+
+	-- Expand any environment variables or ~ in path (in case getter wasn't used)
+	idea_dir = vim.fn.expand(idea_dir)
+
+	-- Remove trailing slash if present
+	idea_dir = idea_dir:gsub("/$", "")
+
+	-- Check if directory exists
+	if vim.fn.isdirectory(idea_dir) == 0 then
+		vim.notify("❌ idea_dir does not exist: " .. idea_dir, vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+		return graph
+	end
+
+	-- Find all markdown files (try recursive first, then flat)
+	local glob_pattern = idea_dir .. "/**/*.md"
+	local files = vim.fn.glob(glob_pattern, false, true)
+
+	-- Fallback: try non-recursive if recursive finds nothing
+	if #files == 0 then
+		local files_flat = vim.fn.glob(idea_dir .. "/*.md", false, true)
+		if #files_flat > 0 then
+			files = files_flat
+		end
+	end
 
 	if #files == 0 then
+		vim.notify(
+			string.format("📂 No .md files found in: %s", idea_dir),
+			vim.log.levels.WARN
+		)
 		return graph
 	end
 
diff --git a/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/init.lua b/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/init.lua
index 0ea56f1..542dd3b 100644
--- a/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/init.lua
+++ b/lua/ideaDrop/ui/graph/init.lua
@@ -437,11 +437,17 @@ function M.open(opts)
 	vim.api.nvim_win_set_option(state.win, "cursorline", false)
 
 	-- Build graph data
-	vim.notify("Building graph...", vim.log.levels.INFO)
+	local config = require("ideaDrop.core.config")
+	local idea_dir = vim.fn.expand(config.options.idea_dir or "")
+	vim.notify(string.format("Building graph from: %s", idea_dir), vim.log.levels.INFO)
+	
 	state.graph = data.build_graph()
 
 	if #state.graph.node_list == 0 then
-		vim.notify("No notes found to visualize", vim.log.levels.WARN)
+		vim.notify(
+			string.format("No notes found to visualize in: %s", idea_dir),
+			vim.log.levels.WARN
+		)
 		M.close()
 		return
 	end