diff --git a/src/cmd/destroy.go b/src/cmd/destroy.go
index 28ceb1c632..6951efd96b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/destroy.go
+++ b/src/cmd/destroy.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ var destroyCmd = &cobra.Command{
 				// Try to remove the script, but ignore any errors and debug log them
 				err = os.Remove(script)
 				if err != nil {
-					message.Debug("Unable to remove script", "script", script, "error", err)
+					message.WarnErr(err, fmt.Sprintf("Unable to remove script. script=%s", script))
 				}
 			}
 		} else {
diff --git a/src/cmd/dev.go b/src/cmd/dev.go
index f4283522ed..ab0a262589 100644
--- a/src/cmd/dev.go
+++ b/src/cmd/dev.go
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ var devSha256SumCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			return errors.Join(hashErr, err)
 		}
 		fmt.Println(hash)
-		return err // Must return err for defer errors.Join
+		return nil
 	},
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/initialize.go b/src/cmd/initialize.go
index 3b9f10c1f6..7316183e5d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/initialize.go
+++ b/src/cmd/initialize.go
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ func downloadInitPackage(ctx context.Context, cacheDirectory string) (string, er
 		return "", lang.ErrInitNotFound
 	}
 
-	var confirmDownload bool
 	url := zoci.GetInitPackageURL(config.CLIVersion)
 
 	// Give the user the choice to download the init-package and note that this does require an internet connection
@@ -137,15 +136,12 @@ func downloadInitPackage(ctx context.Context, cacheDirectory string) (string, er
 
 	message.Note(lang.CmdInitPullNote)
 
-	// Prompt the user if --confirm not specified
-	// REVIEW(mkcp): It looks like this condition can't be met - maybe --confirm was removed at some point?
-	if !confirmDownload {
-		prompt := &survey.Confirm{
-			Message: lang.CmdInitPullConfirm,
-		}
-		if err := survey.AskOne(prompt, &confirmDownload); err != nil {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("confirm download canceled: %w", err)
-		}
+	var confirmDownload bool
+	prompt := &survey.Confirm{
+		Message: lang.CmdInitPullConfirm,
+	}
+	if err := survey.AskOne(prompt, &confirmDownload); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("confirm download canceled: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// If the user wants to download the init-package, download it
diff --git a/src/internal/gitea/gitea.go b/src/internal/gitea/gitea.go
index e354399e55..48bfdfaae1 100644
--- a/src/internal/gitea/gitea.go
+++ b/src/internal/gitea/gitea.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func (g *Client) DoRequest(ctx context.Context, method string, path string, body
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, 0, err
 	}
-	return b, resp.StatusCode, err // must return err for defer errors.Join
+	return b, resp.StatusCode, nil
 }
 
 // CreateReadOnlyUser creates a non-admin Zarf user.
diff --git a/src/pkg/layout/package.go b/src/pkg/layout/package.go
index 48d999e55a..7824d34ba9 100644
--- a/src/pkg/layout/package.go
+++ b/src/pkg/layout/package.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (pp *PackagePaths) MigrateLegacy() (err error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	return err // must return err here for defer errors.Join
+	return nil
 }
 
 // IsLegacyLayout returns true if the package is using the legacy layout.
diff --git a/src/pkg/layout/split.go b/src/pkg/layout/split.go
index c8bd64274b..6afc82d398 100644
--- a/src/pkg/layout/split.go
+++ b/src/pkg/layout/split.go
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ func splitFile(srcPath string, chunkSize int) (err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	defer func() {
+		err2 := srcFile.Close()
+		errors.Join(err, err2)
+	}()
+
 	fi, err := srcFile.Stat()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -66,10 +71,6 @@ func splitFile(srcPath string, chunkSize int) (err error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		err = dstFile.Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
 
 		// EOF error could be returned on 0 bytes written.
 		if written == 0 {
@@ -86,11 +87,7 @@ func splitFile(srcPath string, chunkSize int) (err error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Remove original file
-	err = srcFile.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	// Done, lets cleanup the src
 	err = os.Remove(srcPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -112,5 +109,5 @@ func splitFile(srcPath string, chunkSize int) (err error) {
 	}
 	progressBar.Successf("Package split across %d files", fileCount+1)
 
-	return err // must return err for defer errors.Join
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/utils/auth.go b/src/pkg/utils/auth.go
index 93ca4f5f2d..04e4a7302b 100644
--- a/src/pkg/utils/auth.go
+++ b/src/pkg/utils/auth.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func FindAuthForHost(baseURL string) (*Credential, error) {
 }
 
 // credentialParser parses a user's .git-credentials file to find git creds for hosts.
-func credentialParser(path string) ([]Credential, error) {
+func credentialParser(path string) (_ []Credential, err error) {
 	file, err := os.Open(path)
 	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		return nil, nil
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ func credentialParser(path string) ([]Credential, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	defer func() {
+		err2 := file.Close()
+		errors.Join(err, err2)
+	}()
 
 	var credentials []Credential
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
@@ -81,10 +85,6 @@ func credentialParser(path string) ([]Credential, error) {
 		}
 		credentials = append(credentials, credential)
 	}
-	err = file.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	return credentials, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pkg/utils/network.go b/src/pkg/utils/network.go
index 78c3cd1e5c..5858431430 100644
--- a/src/pkg/utils/network.go
+++ b/src/pkg/utils/network.go
@@ -122,5 +122,5 @@ func httpGetFile(url string, destinationFile *os.File) (err error) {
 
 	title = fmt.Sprintf("Downloaded %s", url)
 	progressBar.Successf("%s", title)
-	return err // Must return err for defer errors.Join
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/variables/templates.go b/src/pkg/variables/templates.go
index 74129c6c84..5f8c9b940c 100644
--- a/src/pkg/variables/templates.go
+++ b/src/pkg/variables/templates.go
@@ -139,5 +139,5 @@ func (vc *VariableConfig) ReplaceTextTemplate(path string) (err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return err // must return err for defer errors.Join
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/zoci/copier.go b/src/pkg/zoci/copier.go
index 627843626c..597da7776e 100644
--- a/src/pkg/zoci/copier.go
+++ b/src/pkg/zoci/copier.go
@@ -58,5 +58,5 @@ func CopyPackage(ctx context.Context, src *Remote, dst *Remote, concurrency int)
 	}
 
 	src.Log().Info(fmt.Sprintf("Published %s to %s", src.Repo().Reference, dst.Repo().Reference))
-	return err // must return err for defer errors.Join
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/zoci/pull.go b/src/pkg/zoci/pull.go
index 270c0300d3..1984f87ffd 100644
--- a/src/pkg/zoci/pull.go
+++ b/src/pkg/zoci/pull.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func (r *Remote) PullPackage(ctx context.Context, destinationDir string, concurr
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return layersToPull, err // must return err for defer errors.Join
+	return layersToPull, nil
 }
 
 // LayersFromRequestedComponents returns the descriptors for the given components from the root manifest.
diff --git a/src/pkg/zoci/push.go b/src/pkg/zoci/push.go
index 609aa56bd9..5727849ae2 100644
--- a/src/pkg/zoci/push.go
+++ b/src/pkg/zoci/push.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func (r *Remote) PublishPackage(ctx context.Context, pkg *v1alpha1.ZarfPackage,
 	}
 
 	progressBar.Successf("Published %s [%s]", r.Repo().Reference, ZarfLayerMediaTypeBlob)
-	return err // must return err for defer errors.Join
+	return nil
 }
 
 func annotationsFromMetadata(metadata *v1alpha1.ZarfMetadata) map[string]string {