diff --git a/d2core/d2asset/archive_manager.go b/d2core/d2asset/archive_manager.go
index c358806ec..ef4a9a5af 100644
--- a/d2core/d2asset/archive_manager.go
+++ b/d2core/d2asset/archive_manager.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ type archiveEntry struct {
 
 type archiveManager struct {
 	cache   *d2common.Cache
-	config  *d2config.Configuration
+	config  d2config.Configuration
 	entries []archiveEntry
 	mutex   sync.Mutex
 }
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const (
 	archiveBudget = 1024 * 1024 * 512
 )
 
-func createArchiveManager(config *d2config.Configuration) *archiveManager {
+func createArchiveManager(config d2config.Configuration) *archiveManager {
 	return &archiveManager{cache: d2common.CreateCache(archiveBudget), config: config}
 }
 
diff --git a/d2core/d2asset/file_manager.go b/d2core/d2asset/file_manager.go
index 850ea24df..c8b50b9bb 100644
--- a/d2core/d2asset/file_manager.go
+++ b/d2core/d2asset/file_manager.go
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ const (
 type fileManager struct {
 	cache          *d2common.Cache
 	archiveManager *archiveManager
-	config         *d2config.Configuration
+	config         d2config.Configuration
 }
 
-func createFileManager(config *d2config.Configuration, archiveManager *archiveManager) *fileManager {
+func createFileManager(config d2config.Configuration, archiveManager *archiveManager) *fileManager {
 	return &fileManager{d2common.CreateCache(fileBudget), archiveManager, config}
 }
 
diff --git a/d2core/d2config/config.go b/d2core/d2config/config.go
index fa4e8e210..1510e2fc9 100644
--- a/d2core/d2config/config.go
+++ b/d2core/d2config/config.go
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 package d2config
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"os/user"
 	"path"
 	"runtime"
 )
 
-func getDefaultConfiguration() *Configuration {
+func getDefaultConfig() *Configuration {
 	config := &Configuration{
 		Language:        "ENG",
 		FullScreen:      false,
@@ -61,3 +64,59 @@ func getDefaultConfiguration() *Configuration {
 
 	return config
 }
+
+func getDefaultConfigPath() string {
+	if configDir, err := os.UserConfigDir(); err == nil {
+		return path.Join(configDir, "OpenDiablo2", "config.json")
+	}
+
+	return getLocalConfigPath()
+}
+
+func getLocalConfigPath() string {
+	return path.Join(path.Dir(os.Args[0]), "config.json")
+}
+
+func load(configPath string) error {
+	configFile, err := os.Open(configPath)
+	defer configFile.Close()
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(configFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &singleton); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func save(configPath string) error {
+	configDir := path.Dir(configPath)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(configDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	configFile, err := os.Create(configPath)
+	defer configFile.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(singleton, "", "    ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if _, err := configFile.Write(data); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/d2core/d2config/d2config.go b/d2core/d2config/d2config.go
index a4e16068b..56531dfdf 100644
--- a/d2core/d2config/d2config.go
+++ b/d2core/d2config/d2config.go
@@ -1,17 +1,7 @@
 package d2config
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"log"
-	"os"
-	"path"
-	"path/filepath"
-)
-
-var (
-	ErrNotInit = errors.New("configuration is not initialized")
-	ErrWasInit = errors.New("configuration has already been initialized")
 )
 
 // Configuration defines the configuration for the engine, loaded from config.json
@@ -29,89 +19,54 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	BgmVolume       float64
 }
 
-var singleton *Configuration
+var singleton *Configuration = getDefaultConfig()
 
-func Initialize() error {
-	verifyNotInit()
-
-	configDir, err := os.UserConfigDir()
-	if err != nil {
-		singleton = getDefaultConfiguration()
-		return nil
+func Load() error {
+	configPaths := []string{
+		getLocalConfigPath(),
+		getDefaultConfigPath(),
 	}
 
-	configDir = path.Join(configDir, "OpenDiablo2")
-	configPath := path.Join(configDir, "config.json")
-	log.Printf("loading configuration file from %s...", configPath)
-	configFile, err := os.Open(configPath)
-
-	if err == nil {
-		var config Configuration
-		decoder := json.NewDecoder(configFile)
-		defer configFile.Close()
-		if err := decoder.Decode(&config); err == nil {
-			singleton = &config
-			return nil
+	var loaded bool
+	for _, configPath := range configPaths {
+		log.Printf("loading configuration file from %s...", configPath)
+		if err := load(configPath); err == nil {
+			loaded = true
+			break
 		}
-	} else {
-		log.Printf("configuration file not found, writing default")
-		os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(configPath), os.ModePerm)
-		configFile, err := os.Create(configPath)
-		if err == nil {
-			encoder := json.NewEncoder(configFile)
-			defer configFile.Close()
-			encoder.Encode(getDefaultConfiguration())
-		} else {
-			log.Printf("failed to write default configuration (%s)", err)
+	}
+
+	if !loaded {
+		log.Println("failed to load configuration file, saving default configuration...")
+		if err := Save(); err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	singleton = getDefaultConfiguration()
 	return nil
 }
 
 func Save() error {
-	verifyWasInit()
-
-	configDir, err := os.UserConfigDir()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	configDir = path.Join(configDir, "OpenDiablo2")
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(configDir, 0755); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	configPath := path.Join(configDir, "config.json")
+	configPath := getDefaultConfigPath()
 	log.Printf("saving configuration file to %s...", configPath)
-	configFile, err := os.Create(configPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 
-	encoder := json.NewEncoder(configFile)
-	encoder.SetIndent("", "    ")
-	if err := encoder.Encode(singleton); err != nil {
-		return err
+	var err error
+	if err = save(configPath); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("failed to write configuration file (%s)", err)
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return err
 }
 
-func Get() *Configuration {
-	verifyWasInit()
-	return singleton
+func Set(config Configuration) {
+	temp := config
+	singleton = &temp
 }
 
-func verifyWasInit() {
+func Get() Configuration {
 	if singleton == nil {
-		panic(ErrNotInit)
+		panic("configuration is not initialized")
 	}
-}
 
-func verifyNotInit() {
-	if singleton != nil {
-		panic(ErrWasInit)
-	}
+	return *singleton
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index f57fa607d..45963ca08 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func initialize() error {
 	singleton.timeScale = 1.0
 	singleton.lastTime = d2common.Now()
 
-	if err := d2config.Initialize(); err != nil {
+	if err := d2config.Load(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}