diff --git a/cmake/NSIS.template.in b/cmake/NSIS.template.in
index 5a931e19..093d6caa 100644
--- a/cmake/NSIS.template.in
+++ b/cmake/NSIS.template.in
@@ -75,12 +75,15 @@ Section Uninstall
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\cockatrice.exe"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\oracle.exe"
+	Delete "$INSTDIR\servatrice.exe"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\Usermanual.pdf"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\libprotobuf.lib"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\Qt*.dll"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\icu*.dll"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\qt.conf"
 	Delete "$INSTDIR\qdebug.txt"
+	Delete "$INSTDIR\servatrice.sql"
+	Delete "$INSTDIR\servatrice.ini.example"
 	RMDir "$INSTDIR"
 
 	RMDir "$SMPROGRAMS\Cockatrice"
diff --git a/servatrice/CMakeLists.txt b/servatrice/CMakeLists.txt
index 224e10d2..7bdf4721 100644
--- a/servatrice/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/servatrice/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ SET(servatrice_SOURCES
     src/servatrice_database_interface.cpp
     src/server_logger.cpp
     src/serversocketinterface.cpp
+    src/settingscache.cpp
     src/isl_interface.cpp
     ${VERSION_STRING_CPP}
 )
diff --git a/servatrice/src/main.cpp b/servatrice/src/main.cpp
index d90e0634..49b06b27 100644
--- a/servatrice/src/main.cpp
+++ b/servatrice/src/main.cpp
@@ -20,13 +20,14 @@
 
 #include <QCoreApplication>
 #include <QTextCodec>
+#include <QtGlobal>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <QMetaType>
-#include <QSettings>
 #include <QDateTime>
 #include "passwordhasher.h"
 #include "servatrice.h"
 #include "server_logger.h"
+#include "settingscache.h"
 #include "rng_sfmt.h"
 #include "version_string.h"
 #include <google/protobuf/stubs/common.h>
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@
 RNG_Abstract *rng;
 ServerLogger *logger;
 QThread *loggerThread;
+SettingsCache *settingsCache;
 
 /* Prototypes */
 
@@ -150,6 +152,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	bool testRandom = args.contains("--test-random");
 	bool testHashFunction = args.contains("--test-hash");
 	bool logToConsole = args.contains("--log-to-console");
+	QString configPath;
+	int hasConfigPath=args.indexOf("--config");
+	if(hasConfigPath > -1 && args.count() > hasConfigPath + 1)
+		configPath = args.at(hasConfigPath + 1);
 	
 	qRegisterMetaType<QList<int> >("QList<int>");
 
@@ -158,7 +164,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	QTextCodec::setCodecForCStrings(QTextCodec::codecForName("UTF-8"));
 #endif
 
-	QSettings *settings = new QSettings("servatrice.ini", QSettings::IniFormat);
+	configPath = SettingsCache::guessConfigurationPath(configPath);
+	qWarning() << "Using configuration file: " << configPath;
+	settingsCache = new SettingsCache();
 	
 	loggerThread = new QThread;
 	loggerThread->setObjectName("logger");
@@ -166,7 +174,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	logger->moveToThread(loggerThread);
 	
 	loggerThread->start();
-	QMetaObject::invokeMethod(logger, "startLog", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection, Q_ARG(QString, settings->value("server/logfile").toString()));
+	QMetaObject::invokeMethod(logger, "startLog", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection, Q_ARG(QString, settingsCache->value("server/logfile", QString("server.log")).toString()));
 
 #if QT_VERSION < 0x050000
 	if (logToConsole)
@@ -209,7 +217,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (testHashFunction)
 		testHash();
 	
-	Servatrice *server = new Servatrice(settings);
+	Servatrice *server = new Servatrice();
 	QObject::connect(server, SIGNAL(destroyed()), &app, SLOT(quit()), Qt::QueuedConnection);
 	int retval = 0;
 	if (server->initServer()) {
@@ -228,7 +236,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 	
 	delete rng;
-	delete settings;
+	delete settingsCache;
 	
 	logger->deleteLater();
 	loggerThread->wait();
diff --git a/servatrice/src/servatrice.cpp b/servatrice/src/servatrice.cpp
index 4c9b4a06..c4590f5b 100644
--- a/servatrice/src/servatrice.cpp
+++ b/servatrice/src/servatrice.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
  *   59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.             *
  ***************************************************************************/
 #include <QSqlQuery>
-#include <QSettings>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <QDateTime>
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "servatrice_database_interface.h"
 #include "servatrice_connection_pool.h"
 #include "server_room.h"
+#include "settingscache.h"
 #include "serversocketinterface.h"
 #include "isl_interface.h"
 #include "server_logger.h"
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ void Servatrice_IslServer::incomingConnection(int socketDescriptor)
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(interface, "initServer", Qt::QueuedConnection);
 }
 
-Servatrice::Servatrice(QSettings *_settings, QObject *parent)
-    : Server(true, parent), settings(_settings), uptime(0), shutdownTimer(0)
+Servatrice::Servatrice(QObject *parent)
+    : Server(true, parent), uptime(0), shutdownTimer(0)
 {
     qRegisterMetaType<QSqlDatabase>("QSqlDatabase");
 }
@@ -134,11 +134,11 @@ Servatrice::~Servatrice()
 
 bool Servatrice::initServer()
 {
-    serverName = settings->value("server/name").toString();
-    serverId = settings->value("server/id", 0).toInt();
-    bool regServerOnly = settings->value("server/regonly", 0).toBool();
+    serverName = settingsCache->value("server/name", "My Cockatrice server").toString();
+    serverId = settingsCache->value("server/id", 0).toInt();
+    bool regServerOnly = settingsCache->value("server/regonly", 0).toBool();
         
-    const QString authenticationMethodStr = settings->value("authentication/method").toString();
+    const QString authenticationMethodStr = settingsCache->value("authentication/method").toString();
     if (authenticationMethodStr == "sql") {
         authenticationMethod = AuthenticationSql;
     } else {
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ bool Servatrice::initServer()
         authenticationMethod = AuthenticationNone;
     }
     
-    QString dbTypeStr = settings->value("database/type").toString();
+    QString dbTypeStr = settingsCache->value("database/type").toString();
     if (dbTypeStr == "mysql")
         databaseType = DatabaseMySql;
     else
@@ -159,14 +159,14 @@ bool Servatrice::initServer()
     setDatabaseInterface(servatriceDatabaseInterface);
     
     if (databaseType != DatabaseNone) {
-        settings->beginGroup("database");
-        dbPrefix = settings->value("prefix").toString();
+        settingsCache->beginGroup("database");
+        dbPrefix = settingsCache->value("prefix").toString();
         servatriceDatabaseInterface->initDatabase("QMYSQL",
-                              settings->value("hostname").toString(),
-                              settings->value("database").toString(),
-                              settings->value("user").toString(),
-                              settings->value("password").toString());
-        settings->endGroup();
+                              settingsCache->value("hostname").toString(),
+                              settingsCache->value("database").toString(),
+                              settingsCache->value("user").toString(),
+                              settingsCache->value("password").toString());
+        settingsCache->endGroup();
         
         updateServerList();
         
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ bool Servatrice::initServer()
         servatriceDatabaseInterface->clearSessionTables();
     }
     
-    const QString roomMethod = settings->value("rooms/method").toString();
+    const QString roomMethod = settingsCache->value("rooms/method").toString();
     if (roomMethod == "sql") {
         QSqlQuery query(servatriceDatabaseInterface->getDatabase());
         query.prepare("select id, name, descr, auto_join, join_message from " + dbPrefix + "_rooms order by id asc");
@@ -198,47 +198,63 @@ bool Servatrice::initServer()
             ));
         }
     } else {
-        int size = settings->beginReadArray("rooms/roomlist");
+        int size = settingsCache->beginReadArray("rooms/roomlist");
         for (int i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
-            settings->setArrayIndex(i);
+            settingsCache->setArrayIndex(i);
             
             QStringList gameTypes;
-            int size2 = settings->beginReadArray("game_types");
+            int size2 = settingsCache->beginReadArray("game_types");
                 for (int j = 0; j < size2; ++j) {
-                settings->setArrayIndex(j);
-                gameTypes.append(settings->value("name").toString());
+                settingsCache->setArrayIndex(j);
+                gameTypes.append(settingsCache->value("name").toString());
             }
-            settings->endArray();
+            settingsCache->endArray();
                 
             Server_Room *newRoom = new Server_Room(
                 i,
-                settings->value("name").toString(),
-                settings->value("description").toString(),
-                settings->value("autojoin").toBool(),
-                settings->value("joinmessage").toString(),
+                settingsCache->value("name").toString(),
+                settingsCache->value("description").toString(),
+                settingsCache->value("autojoin").toBool(),
+                settingsCache->value("joinmessage").toString(),
                 gameTypes,
                 this
             );
             addRoom(newRoom);
         }
-        settings->endArray();
+
+        if(size==0)
+        {
+            // no room defined in config, add a dummy one
+            Server_Room *newRoom = new Server_Room(
+                0,
+                "General room",
+                "Play anything here.",
+                true,
+                "",
+                QStringList("Standard"),
+                this
+            );
+            addRoom(newRoom);            
+        }
+
+        settingsCache->endArray();
     }
     
     updateLoginMessage();
     
-    maxGameInactivityTime = settings->value("game/max_game_inactivity_time").toInt();
-    maxPlayerInactivityTime = settings->value("game/max_player_inactivity_time").toInt();
+    maxGameInactivityTime = settingsCache->value("game/max_game_inactivity_time", 120).toInt();
+    maxPlayerInactivityTime = settingsCache->value("game/max_player_inactivity_time", 15).toInt();
     
-    maxUsersPerAddress = settings->value("security/max_users_per_address").toInt();
-    messageCountingInterval = settings->value("security/message_counting_interval").toInt();
-    maxMessageCountPerInterval = settings->value("security/max_message_count_per_interval").toInt();
-    maxMessageSizePerInterval = settings->value("security/max_message_size_per_interval").toInt();
-    maxGamesPerUser = settings->value("security/max_games_per_user").toInt();
+    maxUsersPerAddress = settingsCache->value("security/max_users_per_address", 4).toInt();
+    messageCountingInterval = settingsCache->value("security/message_counting_interval", 10).toInt();
+    maxMessageCountPerInterval = settingsCache->value("security/max_message_count_per_interval", 10).toInt();
+    maxMessageSizePerInterval = settingsCache->value("security/max_message_size_per_interval", 1000).toInt();
+    maxGamesPerUser = settingsCache->value("security/max_games_per_user", 5).toInt();
 
-	try { if (settings->value("servernetwork/active", 0).toInt()) {
+	try { if (settingsCache->value("servernetwork/active", 0).toInt()) {
 		qDebug() << "Connecting to ISL network.";
-		const QString certFileName = settings->value("servernetwork/ssl_cert").toString();
-		const QString keyFileName = settings->value("servernetwork/ssl_key").toString();
+		const QString certFileName = settingsCache->value("servernetwork/ssl_cert").toString();
+		const QString keyFileName = settingsCache->value("servernetwork/ssl_key").toString();
 		qDebug() << "Loading certificate...";
 		QFile certFile(certFileName);
 		if (!certFile.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly))
@@ -282,7 +298,7 @@ bool Servatrice::initServer()
 			QMetaObject::invokeMethod(interface, "initClient", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection);
 		}
 			
-		const int networkPort = settings->value("servernetwork/port", 14747).toInt();
+		const int networkPort = settingsCache->value("servernetwork/port", 14747).toInt();
 		qDebug() << "Starting ISL server on port" << networkPort;
 		
 		islServer = new Servatrice_IslServer(this, cert, key, this);
@@ -299,7 +315,7 @@ bool Servatrice::initServer()
 	connect(pingClock, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SIGNAL(pingClockTimeout()));
 	pingClock->start(1000);
 	
-	int statusUpdateTime = settings->value("server/statusupdate").toInt();
+	int statusUpdateTime = settingsCache->value("server/statusupdate", 15000).toInt();
 	statusUpdateClock = new QTimer(this);
 	connect(statusUpdateClock, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(statusUpdate()));
 	if (statusUpdateTime != 0) {
@@ -307,10 +323,10 @@ bool Servatrice::initServer()
 		statusUpdateClock->start(statusUpdateTime);
 	}
 	
-	const int numberPools = settings->value("server/number_pools", 1).toInt();
+	const int numberPools = settingsCache->value("server/number_pools", 1).toInt();
 	gameServer = new Servatrice_GameServer(this, numberPools, servatriceDatabaseInterface->getDatabase(), this);
 	gameServer->setMaxPendingConnections(1000);
-	const int gamePort = settings->value("server/port", 4747).toInt();
+	const int gamePort = settingsCache->value("server/port", 4747).toInt();
 	qDebug() << "Starting server on port" << gamePort;
 	if (gameServer->listen(QHostAddress::Any, gamePort))
 		qDebug() << "Server listening.";
diff --git a/servatrice/src/servatrice.h b/servatrice/src/servatrice.h
index 2b991512..86c36a5c 100644
--- a/servatrice/src/servatrice.h
+++ b/servatrice/src/servatrice.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(QSqlDatabase)
 
-class QSettings;
 class QSqlQuery;
 class QTimer;
 
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@ private:
 	mutable QMutex loginMessageMutex;
 	QString loginMessage;
 	QString dbPrefix;
-	QSettings *settings;
 	Servatrice_DatabaseInterface *servatriceDatabaseInterface;
 	int serverId;
 	int uptime;
@@ -128,7 +126,7 @@ public slots:
 	void scheduleShutdown(const QString &reason, int minutes);
 	void updateLoginMessage();
 public:
-	Servatrice(QSettings *_settings, QObject *parent = 0);
+	Servatrice(QObject *parent = 0);
 	~Servatrice();
 	bool initServer();
 	QString getServerName() const { return serverName; }
diff --git a/servatrice/src/server_logger.cpp b/servatrice/src/server_logger.cpp
index a3e92aff..1a1e4bed 100644
--- a/servatrice/src/server_logger.cpp
+++ b/servatrice/src/server_logger.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #include "server_logger.h"
+#include "settingscache.h"
 #include <QSocketNotifier>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QTextStream>
 #include <QDateTime>
-#include <QSettings>
 #include <iostream>
 #ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
 # include <sys/types.h>
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ ServerLogger::~ServerLogger()
 void ServerLogger::startLog(const QString &logFileName)
 {
     if (!logFileName.isEmpty()) {
-        logFile = new QFile("server.log", this);
+        logFile = new QFile(logFileName, this);
         logFile->open(QIODevice::Append);
 #ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
         ::socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0, sigHupFD);
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ void ServerLogger::logMessage(QString message, void *caller)
         callerString = QString::number((qulonglong) caller, 16) + " ";
         
     //filter out all log entries based on values in configuration file
-    QSettings settings("servatrice.ini", QSettings::IniFormat);
-    bool shouldWeWriteLog = settings.value("server/writelog").toBool();
-    QString logFilters = settings.value("server/logfilters").toString();
+    bool shouldWeWriteLog = settingsCache->value("server/writelog").toBool();
+    QString logFilters = settingsCache->value("server/logfilters").toString();
     QStringList listlogFilters = logFilters.split(",", QString::SkipEmptyParts); 
     bool shouldWeSkipLine = false; 
     
diff --git a/servatrice/src/settingscache.cpp b/servatrice/src/settingscache.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..10984dd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/servatrice/src/settingscache.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#include "settingscache.h"
+#include <QCoreApplication>
+#include <QFile>
+#if QT_VERSION >= 0x050000
+    #include <QStandardPaths>
+#else
+    #include <QDesktopServices>
+#endif
+
+QString SettingsCache::guessConfigurationPath(QString & specificPath)
+{
+    const QString fileName="servatrice.ini";
+    QString guessFileName;
+
+    // specific path
+    if(!specificPath.isEmpty() && QFile::exists(specificPath))
+        return specificPath;
+
+    // application directory path
+    guessFileName = QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/" + fileName;
+    if(QFile::exists(guessFileName))
+        return guessFileName;
+
+#ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
+    // /etc
+    guessFileName = "/etc/servatrice/" + fileName;
+    if(QFile::exists(guessFileName))
+        return guessFileName;
+#endif
+
+#if QT_VERSION >= 0x050000
+    guessFileName =  QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::DataLocation) + "/" + fileName;
+#else
+    guessFileName =  QDesktopServices::storageLocation(QDesktopServices::DataLocation) + "/" + fileName;
+#endif
+    return guessFileName;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/servatrice/src/settingscache.h b/servatrice/src/settingscache.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..945ab71f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/servatrice/src/settingscache.h
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#ifndef SERVATRICE_SETTINGSCACHE_H
+#define SERVATRICE_SETTINGSCACHE_H
+
+#include <QSettings>
+#include <QString>
+
+class SettingsCache : public QSettings {
+    Q_OBJECT
+private:
+    QSettings *settings;
+public:
+    SettingsCache(const QString & fileName="servatrice.ini", QSettings::Format format=QSettings::IniFormat, QObject * parent = 0) { };
+    static QString guessConfigurationPath(QString & specificPath);
+};
+
+extern SettingsCache *settingsCache;
+
+#endif