diff --git a/conf/lms.conf b/conf/lms.conf
index d64477a70..eaa1921f8 100644
--- a/conf/lms.conf
+++ b/conf/lms.conf
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # LMS Sample configuration file
 
-# Path to the working directory
-# Must have write privileges in order to create and modify this directory
-working-dir = "/var/lms/";
+# Path to the working directory where the database and other cached files will be written to.
+# Ensure this directory exists and has write permissions for the application
+working-dir = "/var/lms";
 
 # ffmpeg location
 ffmpeg-file = "/usr/bin/ffmpeg";
diff --git a/src/libs/core/impl/Config.hpp b/src/libs/core/impl/Config.hpp
index 03bd47371..c19efa8cc 100644
--- a/src/libs/core/impl/Config.hpp
+++ b/src/libs/core/impl/Config.hpp
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ namespace lms::core
 
     private:
         // Default values are returned in case of setting not found
-        std::string_view getString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view def = "") override;
+        std::string_view getString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view def) override;
         void visitStrings(std::string_view setting, std::function<void(std::string_view)> _func, std::initializer_list<std::string_view> defs) override;
-        std::filesystem::path getPath(std::string_view setting, const std::filesystem::path& def = std::filesystem::path()) override;
-        unsigned long getULong(std::string_view setting, unsigned long def = 0) override;
-        long getLong(std::string_view setting, long def = 0) override;
-        bool getBool(std::string_view setting, bool def = false) override;
+        std::filesystem::path getPath(std::string_view setting, const std::filesystem::path& def) override;
+        unsigned long getULong(std::string_view setting, unsigned long def) override;
+        long getLong(std::string_view setting, long def) override;
+        bool getBool(std::string_view setting, bool def) override;
 
         libconfig::Config _config;
     };
diff --git a/src/libs/core/include/core/IConfig.hpp b/src/libs/core/include/core/IConfig.hpp
index 2d703552f..c281c4b59 100644
--- a/src/libs/core/include/core/IConfig.hpp
+++ b/src/libs/core/include/core/IConfig.hpp
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ namespace lms::core
         virtual ~IConfig() = default;
 
         // Default values are returned in case of setting not found
-        virtual std::string_view getString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view def = "") = 0;
-        virtual void visitStrings(std::string_view setting, std::function<void(std::string_view)> _func, std::initializer_list<std::string_view> def = {}) = 0;
-        virtual std::filesystem::path getPath(std::string_view setting, const std::filesystem::path& def = std::filesystem::path()) = 0;
-        virtual unsigned long getULong(std::string_view setting, unsigned long def = 0) = 0;
-        virtual long getLong(std::string_view setting, long def = 0) = 0;
-        virtual bool getBool(std::string_view setting, bool def = false) = 0;
+        virtual std::string_view getString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view def) = 0;
+        virtual void visitStrings(std::string_view setting, std::function<void(std::string_view)> _func, std::initializer_list<std::string_view> def) = 0;
+        virtual std::filesystem::path getPath(std::string_view setting, const std::filesystem::path& def) = 0;
+        virtual unsigned long getULong(std::string_view setting, unsigned long def) = 0;
+        virtual long getLong(std::string_view setting, long def) = 0;
+        virtual bool getBool(std::string_view setting, bool def) = 0;
     };
 
     std::unique_ptr<IConfig> createConfig(const std::filesystem::path& p);
diff --git a/src/libs/services/recommendation/impl/features/FeaturesEngineCache.cpp b/src/libs/services/recommendation/impl/features/FeaturesEngineCache.cpp
index 3934e3a19..5734fe450 100644
--- a/src/libs/services/recommendation/impl/features/FeaturesEngineCache.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/services/recommendation/impl/features/FeaturesEngineCache.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace lms::recommendation
     {
         std::filesystem::path getCacheDirectory()
         {
-            return core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("working-dir") / "cache" / "features";
+            return core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "cache" / "features";
         }
 
         std::filesystem::path getCacheNetworkFilePath()
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ namespace lms::recommendation
 
     void FeaturesEngineCache::write() const
     {
-        std::filesystem::create_directories(core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("working-dir") / "cache" / "features");
+        std::filesystem::create_directories(core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "cache" / "features");
 
         if (!networkToCacheFile(_network, getCacheNetworkFilePath())
             || !objectPositionToCacheFile(_trackPositions, getCacheTrackPositionsFilePath()))
diff --git a/src/lms/main.cpp b/src/lms/main.cpp
index c0ce07c37..9ca54c59b 100644
--- a/src/lms/main.cpp
+++ b/src/lms/main.cpp
@@ -109,33 +109,35 @@ namespace lms
 
         std::vector<std::string> generateWtConfig(std::string execPath, core::logging::Severity minSeverity)
         {
+            core::IConfig& config{ *core::Service<core::IConfig>::get() };
+
             std::vector<std::string> args;
 
-            const std::filesystem::path wtConfigPath{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("working-dir") / "wt_config.xml" };
-            const std::filesystem::path wtLogFilePath{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("log-file", "/var/log/lms.log") };
-            const std::filesystem::path wtAccessLogFilePath{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("access-log-file", "/var/log/lms.access.log") };
-            const std::filesystem::path wtResourcesPath{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getPath("wt-resources", "/usr/share/Wt/resources") };
+            const std::filesystem::path wtConfigPath{ config.getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "wt_config.xml" };
+            const std::filesystem::path wtLogFilePath{ config.getPath("log-file", "") };
+            const std::filesystem::path wtAccessLogFilePath{ config.getPath("access-log-file", "") };
+            const std::filesystem::path wtResourcesPath{ config.getPath("wt-resources", "/usr/share/Wt/resources") };
 
             args.push_back(execPath);
             args.push_back("--config=" + wtConfigPath.string());
-            args.push_back("--docroot=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("docroot") });
-            args.push_back("--approot=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("approot") });
-            args.push_back("--deploy-path=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("deploy-path", "/") });
+            args.push_back("--docroot=" + std::string{ config.getString("docroot", "/usr/share/lms/docroot/;/resources,/css,/images,/js,/favicon.ico") });
+            args.push_back("--approot=" + std::string{ config.getString("approot", "/usr/share/lms/approot") });
+            args.push_back("--deploy-path=" + std::string{ config.getString("deploy-path", "/") });
             if (!wtResourcesPath.empty())
                 args.push_back("--resources-dir=" + wtResourcesPath.string());
 
             if (core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getBool("tls-enable", false))
             {
-                args.push_back("--https-port=" + std::to_string(core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getULong("listen-port", 5082)));
-                args.push_back("--https-address=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("listen-addr", "0.0.0.0") });
-                args.push_back("--ssl-certificate=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("tls-cert") });
-                args.push_back("--ssl-private-key=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("tls-key") });
-                args.push_back("--ssl-tmp-dh=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("tls-dh") });
+                args.push_back("--https-port=" + std::to_string(config.getULong("listen-port", 5082)));
+                args.push_back("--https-address=" + std::string{ config.getString("listen-addr", "0.0.0.0") });
+                args.push_back("--ssl-certificate=" + std::string{ config.getString("tls-cert", "/var/lms/cert.pem") });
+                args.push_back("--ssl-private-key=" + std::string{ config.getString("tls-key", "/var/lms/privkey.pem") });
+                args.push_back("--ssl-tmp-dh=" + std::string{ config.getString("tls-dh", "/var/lms/dh2048.pem") });
             }
             else
             {
-                args.push_back("--http-port=" + std::to_string(core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getULong("listen-port", 5082)));
-                args.push_back("--http-address=" + std::string{ core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("listen-addr", "0.0.0.0") });
+                args.push_back("--http-port=" + std::to_string(config.getULong("listen-port", 5082)));
+                args.push_back("--http-address=" + std::string{ config.getString("listen-addr", "0.0.0.0") });
             }
 
             if (!wtAccessLogFilePath.empty())
@@ -153,10 +155,10 @@ namespace lms
             pt.put("server.application-settings.log-config", core::logging::WtLogger::computeLogConfig(minSeverity));
 
             // Reverse proxy
-            if (core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getBool("behind-reverse-proxy", false))
+            if (config.getBool("behind-reverse-proxy", false))
             {
-                pt.put("server.application-settings.trusted-proxy-config.original-ip-header", core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->getString("original-ip-header", "X-Forwarded-For"));
-                core::Service<core::IConfig>::get()->visitStrings("trusted-proxies", [&](std::string_view trustedProxy) {
+                pt.put("server.application-settings.trusted-proxy-config.original-ip-header", config.getString("original-ip-header", "X-Forwarded-For"));
+                config.visitStrings("trusted-proxies", [&](std::string_view trustedProxy) {
                     pt.add("server.application-settings.trusted-proxy-config.trusted-proxies.proxy", std::string{ trustedProxy });
                 },
                     { "127.0.0.1", "::1" });
@@ -284,8 +286,8 @@ namespace lms
                 LMS_LOG(MAIN, WARNING, "Cannot set locale from system");
 
             // Make sure the working directory exists
-            std::filesystem::create_directories(config->getPath("working-dir"));
-            std::filesystem::create_directories(config->getPath("working-dir") / "cache");
+            std::filesystem::create_directories(config->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms"));
+            std::filesystem::create_directories(config->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "cache");
 
             // Construct WT configuration and get the argc/argv back
             const std::vector<std::string> wtServerArgs{ generateWtConfig(argv[0], minLogSeverity) };
@@ -313,7 +315,7 @@ namespace lms
             core::IOContextRunner ioContextRunner{ ioContext, getThreadCount(), "Misc" };
 
             // Connection pool size must be twice the number of threads: we have at least 2 io pools with getThreadCount() each and they all may access the database
-            db::Db database{ config->getPath("working-dir") / "lms.db", getThreadCount() * 2 };
+            db::Db database{ config->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "lms.db", getThreadCount() * 2 };
             {
                 db::Session session{ database };
                 session.prepareTablesIfNeeded();
diff --git a/src/tools/cover/LmsCover.cpp b/src/tools/cover/LmsCover.cpp
index c5e08921a..2eaa80393 100644
--- a/src/tools/cover/LmsCover.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/cover/LmsCover.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
         image::init(argv[0]);
         core::Service<core::IConfig> config{ core::createConfig(vm["conf"].as<std::string>()) };
-        db::Db db{ config->getPath("working-dir") / "lms.db" };
+        db::Db db{ config->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "lms.db" };
         core::Service<cover::IArtworkService> coverArtService{ cover::createArtworkService(db, vm["default-release-cover,"].as<std::string>(), vm["default-artist-image"].as<std::string>()) };
 
         coverArtService->setJpegQuality(config->getULong("cover-jpeg-quality", vm["quality"].as<unsigned>()));
diff --git a/src/tools/db-generator/LmsDbGenerator.cpp b/src/tools/db-generator/LmsDbGenerator.cpp
index 13effd419..f251facb8 100644
--- a/src/tools/db-generator/LmsDbGenerator.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/db-generator/LmsDbGenerator.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
             throw std::runtime_error{ "File '" + genParams.trackPath.string() + "' does not exist!" };
 
         core::Service<core::IConfig> config{ core::createConfig(vm["conf"].as<std::string>()) };
-        db::Db db{ config->getPath("working-dir") / "lms.db" };
+        db::Db db{ config->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "lms.db" };
         db::Session session{ db };
         std::cout << "Starting generation..." << std::endl;
 
diff --git a/src/tools/recommendation/LmsRecommendation.cpp b/src/tools/recommendation/LmsRecommendation.cpp
index c2e45a5ee..42acf637a 100644
--- a/src/tools/recommendation/LmsRecommendation.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/recommendation/LmsRecommendation.cpp
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
         core::Service<core::IConfig> config{ core::createConfig(vm["conf"].as<std::string>()) };
 
-        Db db{ config->getPath("working-dir") / "lms.db" };
+        Db db{ config->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "lms.db" };
         Session session{ db };
 
         std::cout << "Creating recommendation service..." << std::endl;
diff --git a/src/tools/similarity-parameters/LmsSimilarityParameters.cpp b/src/tools/similarity-parameters/LmsSimilarityParameters.cpp
index 952978a2a..65fe041b8 100644
--- a/src/tools/similarity-parameters/LmsSimilarityParameters.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/similarity-parameters/LmsSimilarityParameters.cpp
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
         ServiceProvider<Config>::create(configFilePath);
 
-        db::Db db{ ServiceProvider<Config>::get()->getPath("working-dir") / "lms.db" };
+        db::Db db{ ServiceProvider<Config>::get()->getPath("working-dir", "/var/lms") / "lms.db" };
         db::SessionPool sessionPool{ db, nbWorkers };
 
         std::cout << "Caching all features..." << std::endl;