diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 26d8a1e..6a315c5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+*.conf
 bottle.py
 __pycache__
 __pycache__/*
diff --git a/app.conf.sample b/app.conf.sample
index 513a954..4e090ec 100644
--- a/app.conf.sample
+++ b/app.conf.sample
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
-[cookies]
-cookie_secret='somesecretkey'
-cookie_max_age=1800 #seconds
-cookie_name='accounts'
+# accounts sample configfile
+# rename this file app.conf
 
-[app]
-app_name='SocialNerds Accounts'
-static_files="/home/david/Git/accounts/static"
+[DEFAULT]
+cookie_secret=something secret like this 0TE5vYvF 0rDbjFIo ZHh28kmk 12jtcRW0
+cookie_max_age=1800
+cookie_name=accounts
 
-[miab]
-miab_admin='someadmin@socialnerds.org'
-miab_passwd='xxxxx'
-miab_url='https://excelsior.socialnerds.org/admin'
+app_name=Accounts
+static_files=static
+
+miab_admin=miabadmin@domain.tld
+miab_passwd=miabadminpassword
+miab_url=https://miaburl.domain.tld/admin
 
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 5cc328f..a9e72f3 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -1,10 +1,58 @@
 # imports
+
 import requests
+from configparser import ConfigParser
 from bottle import route, run, template, error, get, \
                    post, request, response, redirect, \
                    static_file
 
 
+# config
+
+configfile = "app.conf"
+config = ConfigParser()
+config.read(configfile)
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['miab_admin']:
+    miab_admin = config['DEFAULT']['miab_admin']
+else:
+    miab_admin = "norealadmin@domain.ltd"
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['miab_passwd']:
+    miab_passwd = config['DEFAULT']['miab_passwd']
+else:
+    miab_passwd = "norealpassword"
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['miab_url']:
+    miab_url = config['DEFAULT']['miab_url']
+else:
+    miab_url = "https://norealmiab.domain.tld"
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['app_name']:
+    app_name = config['DEFAULT']['app_name']
+else:
+    app_name = "Accounts"
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['static_files']:
+    static_files = config['DEFAULT']['static_files']
+else:
+    static_files = "static"
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['cookie_secret']:
+    cookie_secret = config['DEFAULT']['cookie_secret']
+else:
+    cookie_secret = "norealsecretDTR46SNI2390LGFsnDTRLASED2309h"
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['cookie_max_age']:
+    cookie_max_age = int(config['DEFAULT']['cookie_max_age'])
+else:
+    cookie_max_age=1800
+
+if config['DEFAULT']['cookie_name']:
+    cookie_name = config['DEFAULT']['cookie_name']
+else:
+    cookie_name = "accounts"
+
 
 # functions