diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 4279438..fc49565 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -32,16 +32,16 @@ struct Args {
 #[derive(Debug, Subcommand)]
 enum Commands {
   Start {
-    #[arg(short, long, value_parser, default_value = "~/.config/simpledns/dns.config.yaml")]
-    config: String,
+    #[arg(short, long, value_parser)]
+    config: Option<String>,
   },
   Init {
-    #[arg(short, long, value_parser, default_value = "~/.config/simpledns/dns.config.yaml")]
-    config: String,
+    #[arg(short, long, value_parser)]
+    config: Option<String>,
   },
   Add {
-    #[arg(short, long, value_parser, default_value = "~/.config/simpledns/dns.config.yaml")]
-    config: String,
+    #[arg(short, long, value_parser)]
+    config: Option<String>,
     #[arg(short, long, action)]
     interactive: bool,
     #[arg(long, value_parser, required_unless_present("interactive"))]
@@ -74,8 +74,12 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
 
   match args.command {
     Commands::Init { config } => {
-      log_info!("Loading from config file '{}'...", config);
-      let settings = DnsSettings::load(config.clone())?;
+      let settings = match config {
+        Some(filename) => DnsSettings::load_from_file(filename.clone()),
+        None                   => DnsSettings::load_default(),
+      };
+      let settings = settings.expect("Error reading settings!");
+
       log_info!("Database File Path: {:#?}", settings.database_file);
 
       let path = Path::new(settings.database_file.as_str());
@@ -91,8 +95,11 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
       }
     }
     Commands::Start { config } => {
-      log_info!("Loading from config file '{}'...", config);
-      let settings = DnsSettings::load(config.clone())?;
+      let settings = match config {
+        Some(filename) => DnsSettings::load_from_file(filename.clone()),
+        None                   => DnsSettings::load_default(),
+      };
+      let settings = settings.expect("Error reading settings!");
       log_info!("Settings: {:?}", settings);
 
       let server_udp = DnsUdpServer::new(settings.clone());
@@ -120,8 +127,11 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
       _handle.join().unwrap();
     }
     Commands::Add { config, interactive, .. } if interactive => {
-      log_info!("Loading from config file '{}'...", config);
-      let settings = DnsSettings::load(config.clone())?;
+      let settings = match config {
+        Some(filename) => DnsSettings::load_from_file(filename.clone()),
+        None                   => DnsSettings::load_default(),
+      };
+      let settings = settings.expect("Error reading settings!");
       log_info!("Database File Path: {:#?}", settings.database_file);
 
       let domain = get_input("Domain: ", None, "A domain is required.", |x| !x.is_empty()); // TODO should check for valid domain
@@ -170,8 +180,11 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
       log_info!("Successfully added record: {:?}", record);
     }
     Commands::Add { config, interactive, domain, query_type, class, ttl, host, ip, priority } if !interactive => {
-      log_info!("Loading from config file '{}'...", config);
-      let settings = DnsSettings::load(config.clone())?;
+      let settings = match config {
+        Some(filename) => DnsSettings::load_from_file(filename.clone()),
+        None                   => DnsSettings::load_default(),
+      };
+      let settings = settings.expect("Error reading settings!");
       log_info!("Database File Path: {:#?}", settings.database_file);
 
       let domain = domain.unwrap();
diff --git a/src/settings.rs b/src/settings.rs
index b9106d9..1256452 100644
--- a/src/settings.rs
+++ b/src/settings.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ use std::error::Error;
 use std::fs;
 use std::io::ErrorKind;
 use yaml_rust::YamlLoader;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use crate::log_info;
 
 extern crate shellexpand;
 
@@ -16,9 +19,13 @@ pub struct DnsSettings {
 }
 
 impl DnsSettings {
-  pub fn load(filename: String) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn Error>> {
+
+  pub fn load_from_file(filename: String) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn Error>> {
+
+    let error_str = "Aw man, there was an issue while opening the config file '{".to_owned() + filename.as_str() + "}' :(";
     let contents = fs::read_to_string(shellexpand::full(filename.as_str()).unwrap().to_string())
-      .expect("Aw man, there was an issue while opening the config file :(");
+                   .expect(&error_str);
+    log_info!("Loaded from config file '{}'...", filename.as_str());
 
     let yaml_files = &YamlLoader::load_from_str(contents.as_str())?;
     let config_settings_option = &yaml_files.get(0);
@@ -68,4 +75,14 @@ impl DnsSettings {
       ))),
     }
   }
+
+  pub fn load_default() -> Result<Self, Box<dyn Error>> {
+    let filenames = ["./dns.config.yaml", "~/.config/simpledns/dns.config.yaml", "/etc/simpledns/dns.config.yaml"];
+    let mut config_file = "";
+    for filename in filenames {    
+      if Path::new(filename).exists() { config_file = filename; break; }
+    }
+    if config_file == "" { panic!("No valid config file given"); }
+    Self::load_from_file(String::from(config_file))
+  }
 }