diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index fc389f4d..1a455025 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,15 +1,4 @@
-MONGODB_URL='mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/openWF'
-
-#DOCKER ONLY
+# Docker may need a .env file for the following settings:
 DATABASE_PORT=27017 
 DATABASE_USERNAME=root
 DATABASE_PASSWORD=database
-#DOCKER ONLY END
-
-# save logs to file
-LOG_FILES=true
-#possible log levels: { fatal: 0, error: 1, warn: 2, info: 3, http: 4, debug: 5, trace: 6 }
-LOG_LEVEL=trace
-
-
-
diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
index 8d3121c6..757d8e7a 100644
--- a/config.json
+++ b/config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
 {
+  "mongodbUrl": "mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/openWF",
+  "logger": {
+    "files": true,
+    "level": "trace",
+    "__valid_levels": "fatal, error, warn, info, http, debug, trace"
+  },
   "myAddress": "localhost",
   "autoCreateAccount": true,
   "skipStoryModeChoice": true,
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 432ade5d..acca0552 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
       "license": "GNU",
       "dependencies": {
         "copyfiles": "^2.4.1",
-        "dotenv": "^16.1.3",
         "express": "^5.0.0-beta.3",
         "mongoose": "^8.1.1",
         "warframe-items": "^1.1261.19",
@@ -1493,17 +1492,6 @@
         "node": ">=6.0.0"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/dotenv": {
-      "version": "16.1.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.1.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-FYssxsmCTtKL72fGBSvb1K9dRz0/VZeWqFme/vSb7r7323x4CRaHu4LvQ5JG3+s6yt2YPbBrkpiEODktfyjI9A==",
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=12"
-      },
-      "funding": {
-        "url": "https://github.com/motdotla/dotenv?sponsor=1"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/dynamic-dedupe": {
       "version": "0.3.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dynamic-dedupe/-/dynamic-dedupe-0.3.0.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 04654aa7..ba09cc40 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
   "license": "GNU",
   "dependencies": {
     "copyfiles": "^2.4.1",
-    "dotenv": "^16.1.3",
     "express": "^5.0.0-beta.3",
     "mongoose": "^8.1.1",
     "warframe-items": "^1.1261.19",
diff --git a/src/services/mongoService.ts b/src/services/mongoService.ts
index 0ef0c82d..71ca5b65 100644
--- a/src/services/mongoService.ts
+++ b/src/services/mongoService.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 import { logger } from "@/src/utils/logger";
-import * as dotenv from "dotenv";
+import config from "@/config.json";
 import mongoose from "mongoose";
 
-dotenv.config();
-
-const url = process.env.MONGODB_URL;
+const url = config.mongodbUrl;
 
 if (url === undefined) {
     throw new Error("MONGODB_URL not found. Make sure you have a .env file in the root of the project!");
diff --git a/src/utils/logger.ts b/src/utils/logger.ts
index c1bfbc69..246d87a9 100644
--- a/src/utils/logger.ts
+++ b/src/utils/logger.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 import { createLogger, format, transports, Logger, LeveledLogMethod, addColors } from "winston";
 import "winston-daily-rotate-file";
-import * as dotenv from "dotenv";
+import config from "@/config.json";
 import * as util from "util";
 import { isEmptyObject } from "@/src/helpers/general";
 
-dotenv.config();
-
 // const combineMessageAndSplat = () => {
 //     return {
 //         transform: (info: any, _opts: any) => {
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ const consoleLog = new transports.Console({
     )
 });
 
-const transportOptions = process.env.LOG_FILES === "true" ? [consoleLog, errorLog, combinedLog] : [consoleLog];
+const transportOptions = config.logger.files ? [consoleLog, errorLog, combinedLog] : [consoleLog];
 
 //possible log levels: { fatal: 0, error: 1, warn: 2, info: 3, http: 4, debug: 5, trace: 6 },
 const logLevels = {
@@ -98,7 +96,7 @@ const logLevels = {
 
 export const logger = createLogger({
     levels: logLevels.levels,
-    level: process.env.LOG_LEVEL,
+    level: config.logger.level,
     defaultMeta: { version: process.env.npm_package_version },
     transports: transportOptions
 }) as Logger & Record<keyof typeof logLevels.levels, LeveledLogMethod>;