diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2b5a0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// This file is part of pa11y-dashboard.
+//
+// pa11y-dashboard is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// pa11y-dashboard is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with pa11y-dashboard.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+var fs = require('fs');
+var jsonPath = './config/' + (process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development') + '.json';
+
+if (fs.existsSync(jsonPath)) {
+  module.exports = require(jsonPath);
+} else {
+  module.exports = {
+    port: Number(env('PORT', '4000')),
+    noindex: env('NOINDEX', 'true') == 'true',
+    readonly: env('READONLY', 'false') == 'true',
+
+    webservice: env('WEBSERVICE_URL', {
+      database: env('WEBSERVICE_DATABASE', 'mongodb://localhost/pa11y-webservice'),
+      host: env('WEBSERVICE_HOST', '0.0.0.0'),
+      port: Number(env('WEBSERVICE_PORT', '3000')),
+      cron: env('WEBSERVICE_CRON', false)
+    })
+  }
+}
+
+function env(name, defaultValue) {
+  var value = process.env[name];
+  return typeof value == 'string' ? value : defaultValue;
+}
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 4397d31..b3b2828 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var chalk = require('chalk');
-var config = require('./config/' + (process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development') + '.json');
+var config = require('./config');
 
 process.on('SIGINT', function() {
 	console.log('\nGracefully shutting down from SIGINT (Ctrl-C)');