diff --git a/server/main/config.go b/server/main/config.go
index b70eeb125..e851f4446 100644
--- a/server/main/config.go
+++ b/server/main/config.go
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"log"
-	"os"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 // Configuration is the app configuration stored in a json file
@@ -17,49 +17,30 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	FilesPath      string `json:"filespath"`
 }
 
-func readConfigFile() Configuration {
-	fileName := "config.json"
-	if !fileExists(fileName) {
-		log.Println(`config.json not found, using default settings`)
-		return Configuration{}
+func readConfigFile() (*Configuration, error) {
+	viper.SetConfigName("config") // name of config file (without extension)
+	viper.SetConfigType("json")   // REQUIRED if the config file does not have the extension in the name
+	viper.AddConfigPath(".")      // optionally look for config in the working directory
+	viper.SetDefault("ServerRoot", "http://localhost")
+	viper.SetDefault("Port", 8000)
+	viper.SetDefault("DBType", "sqlite3")
+	viper.SetDefault("DBConfigString", "./octo.db")
+	viper.SetDefault("WebPath", "./pack")
+	viper.SetDefault("FilesPath", "./files")
+
+	err := viper.ReadInConfig() // Find and read the config file
+	if err != nil {             // Handle errors reading the config file
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	file, _ := os.Open(fileName)
-	defer file.Close()
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(file)
 	configuration := Configuration{}
-	err := decoder.Decode(&configuration)
+	err = viper.Unmarshal(&configuration)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal("Invalid config.json", err)
-	}
-
-	// Apply defaults
-	if len(configuration.ServerRoot) < 1 {
-		configuration.ServerRoot = "http://localhost"
-	}
-
-	if configuration.Port == 0 {
-		configuration.Port = 8000
-	}
-
-	if len(configuration.DBType) < 1 {
-		configuration.DBType = "sqlite3"
-	}
-
-	if len(configuration.DBConfigString) < 1 {
-		configuration.DBConfigString = "./octo.db"
-	}
-
-	if len(configuration.WebPath) < 1 {
-		configuration.WebPath = "./pack"
-	}
-
-	if len(configuration.FilesPath) < 1 {
-		configuration.FilesPath = "./files"
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	log.Println("readConfigFile")
 	log.Printf("%+v", configuration)
 
-	return configuration
+	return &configuration, nil
 }
diff --git a/server/main/main.go b/server/main/main.go
index 82f4a5786..b58b71aec 100644
--- a/server/main/main.go
+++ b/server/main/main.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 )
 
-var config Configuration
+var config *Configuration
 
 // WebsocketMsg is send on block changes
 type WebsocketMsg struct {
@@ -383,7 +383,12 @@ func monitorPid(pid int) {
 
 func main() {
 	// config.json file
-	config = readConfigFile()
+	var err error
+	config, err = readConfigFile()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal("Unable to read the config file: ", err)
+		return
+	}
 
 	// Command line args
 	pMonitorPid := flag.Int("monitorpid", -1, "a process ID")