diff --git a/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/test_blackbox.py b/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/test_blackbox.py
index 4de60ef55..70b133468 100644
--- a/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/test_blackbox.py
+++ b/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/test_blackbox.py
@@ -72,8 +72,12 @@ LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope="session")
 def GCPHandler(request, no_gcp):
     if not no_gcp:
-        GCPHandler = gcp_machine_handlers.GCPHandler()
-        GCPHandler.start_machines(" ".join(GCP_TEST_MACHINE_LIST))
+        try:
+            GCPHandler = gcp_machine_handlers.GCPHandler()
+            GCPHandler.start_machines(" ".join(GCP_TEST_MACHINE_LIST))
+        except Exception as e:
+            LOGGER.error("GCP Handler failed to initialize: %s." % e)
+            pytest.exit("Encountered an error while starting GCP machines. Stopping the tests.")
         wait_machine_bootup()
 
         def fin():
diff --git a/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/utils/gcp_machine_handlers.py b/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/utils/gcp_machine_handlers.py
index 147958fe2..95c9d1855 100644
--- a/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/utils/gcp_machine_handlers.py
+++ b/envs/monkey_zoo/blackbox/utils/gcp_machine_handlers.py
@@ -1,35 +1,47 @@
 import logging
+import os
 import subprocess
 
 LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class GCPHandler(object):
-
+    # gcloud commands
     AUTHENTICATION_COMMAND = "gcloud auth activate-service-account --key-file=%s"
     SET_PROPERTY_PROJECT = "gcloud config set project %s"
     MACHINE_STARTING_COMMAND = "gcloud compute instances start %s --zone=%s"
     MACHINE_STOPPING_COMMAND = "gcloud compute instances stop %s --zone=%s"
 
+    # Default configuration parameters
+    DEFAULT_RELATIVE_KEY_PATH = "../../gcp_keys/gcp_key.json"
+    DEFAULT_ZONE = "europe-west3-a"
+    DEFAULT_PROJECT = "guardicore-22050661"
+
     def __init__(
         self,
-        key_path="../gcp_keys/gcp_key.json",
-        zone="europe-west3-a",
-        project_id="guardicore-22050661",
+        relative_key_path=DEFAULT_RELATIVE_KEY_PATH,
+        zone=DEFAULT_ZONE,
+        project_id=DEFAULT_PROJECT,
     ):
         self.zone = zone
-        try:
-            # pass the key file to gcp
-            subprocess.call(GCPHandler.get_auth_command(key_path), shell=True)  # noqa: DUO116
-            LOGGER.info("GCP Handler passed key")
-            # set project
-            subprocess.call(  # noqa: DUO116
-                GCPHandler.get_set_project_command(project_id), shell=True
+        abs_key_path = GCPHandler.get_absolute_key_path(relative_key_path)
+        # pass the key file to gcp
+        subprocess.call(GCPHandler.get_auth_command(abs_key_path), shell=True)  # noqa: DUO116
+        LOGGER.info("GCP Handler passed key")
+        # set project
+        subprocess.call(GCPHandler.get_set_project_command(project_id), shell=True)  # noqa: DUO116
+        LOGGER.info("GCP Handler set project")
+        LOGGER.info("GCP Handler initialized successfully")
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_absolute_key_path(relative_key_path: str) -> str:
+        file_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+        absolute_key_path = os.path.join(file_dir, relative_key_path)
+        if not os.path.isfile(absolute_key_path):
+            raise FileNotFoundError(
+                "GCP key not found. " "Add a service key to envs/monkey_zoo/gcp_keys/gcp_key.json"
             )
-            LOGGER.info("GCP Handler set project")
-            LOGGER.info("GCP Handler initialized successfully")
-        except Exception as e:
-            LOGGER.error("GCP Handler failed to initialize: %s." % e)
+        return os.path.join(file_dir, relative_key_path)
 
     def start_machines(self, machine_list):
         """