diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 685b2cd..02292b4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,4 +9,6 @@ htmlcov/
 
 dist/
 build/
-*.egg-info/
\ No newline at end of file
+*.egg-info/
+
+config.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tlapbot/__init__.py b/tlapbot/__init__.py
index 0edf3ba..996f876 100644
--- a/tlapbot/__init__.py
+++ b/tlapbot/__init__.py
@@ -1,22 +1,11 @@
-import os
+import os # for using paths in config
 
 from flask import Flask
 
-
 def create_app(test_config=None):
-    # create and configure the app
     app = Flask(__name__, instance_relative_config=True)
-    app.config.from_mapping(
-        SECRET_KEY='dev',
-        DATABASE=os.path.join(app.instance_path, 'tlapbot.sqlite'),
-    )
-
-    if test_config is None:
-        # load the instance config, if it exists, when not testing
-        app.config.from_pyfile('config.py', silent=True)
-    else:
-        # load the test config if passed in
-        app.config.from_mapping(test_config)
+    app.config.from_object('tlapbot.default_config')
+    app.config.from_object('tlapbot.config')
 
     # ensure the instance folder exists
     try:
diff --git a/tlapbot/default_config.py b/tlapbot/default_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cb5bc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tlapbot/default_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+SECRET_KEY='dev'
+DATABASE='./instance/tlapbot.sqlite'
+OWNCAST_ACCESS_TOKEN=''
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tlapbot/owncastWebhooks.py b/tlapbot/owncastWebhooks.py
index 7108629..776d46a 100644
--- a/tlapbot/owncastWebhooks.py
+++ b/tlapbot/owncastWebhooks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from flask import Flask,request,json,g,Blueprint
+from flask import Flask,request,json,g,Blueprint,current_app
 from sqlite3 import Error
 from tlapbot.db import get_db
 import requests
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def addUserToDatabase(user_id, db):
 
 def sendChat(message): # TODO: url to constant?
     url = 'http://localhost:8080/api/integrations/chat/send'
-    headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + OWNCAST_ACCESS_TOKEN}
+    headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + current_app.config['OWNCAST_ACCESS_TOKEN']}
     r = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json={"body": message})
     return r.json()