diff --git a/src/bin/patch.rs b/src/bin/patch.rs
index 17bceda..a12df4e 100644
--- a/src/bin/patch.rs
+++ b/src/bin/patch.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-use elseware::patch::patch::{PatchServerState, generate_patch_tree, load_config, load_motd};
+use elseware::patch::patch::{PatchServerState, generate_patch_tree, load_config_env, load_motd};
 use log::{info};
 use elseware::common::mainloop::patch_mainloop;
 
 fn main() {
     info!("[patch] starting server");
-    let patch_config = load_config();
+    let patch_config = load_config_env();
     let patch_motd = load_motd();
     let (patch_file_tree, patch_file_lookup) = generate_patch_tree(patch_config.path.as_str());
     let patch_state = PatchServerState::new(patch_file_tree, patch_file_lookup, patch_motd);
diff --git a/src/patch/patch.rs b/src/patch/patch.rs
index 6c18876..b96616e 100644
--- a/src/patch/patch.rs
+++ b/src/patch/patch.rs
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ impl Iterator for SendFileIterator {
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct PatchConfig {
     pub path: String,
-    pub ip: String,
+    pub ip: String, // TODO: this does nothing
     pub port: u16,
 }
 
@@ -403,11 +403,22 @@ pub fn load_config() -> PatchConfig {
     config
 }
 
-pub fn load_motd() -> String {
-    let mut motd: String = "Welcome to Elseware!".to_string();
+pub fn load_config_env() -> PatchConfig {
+    let patch_path = std::env::var("PATCHFILE_DIR").unwrap();
+    let patch_port = std::env::var("PATCH_PORT").unwrap().parse().unwrap();
+
+    PatchConfig {
+        path: patch_path,
+        ip: "127.0.0.1".into(),
+        port: patch_port,
+    }
+}
 
+pub fn load_motd() -> String {
     if let Ok(m) = fs::read_to_string("patch.motd") {
-        motd = m.clone();
+        m
+    }
+    else {
+        "Welcome to Elseware!".to_string()
     }
-    motd
 }