diff --git a/internal/howmuch/helpers.go b/internal/howmuch/config.go
similarity index 84%
rename from internal/howmuch/helpers.go
rename to internal/howmuch/config.go
index 73d7b16..3f7ad48 100644
--- a/internal/howmuch/helpers.go
+++ b/internal/howmuch/config.go
@@ -40,6 +40,22 @@ const (
 	configType        = "yaml"
 )
 
+func defaultConfig() {
+	viper.SetDefault("dev-mode", true)
+
+	// web
+	viper.SetDefault("web.addr", ":8000")
+	viper.SetDefault("web.shutdown-timeout", "10")
+
+	// db
+	viper.SetDefault("db.host", "localhost")
+	viper.SetDefault("db.port", 5432)
+	viper.SetDefault("db.username", "howmuch")
+	viper.SetDefault("db.password", "howmuch")
+	viper.SetDefault("db.database", "howmuch")
+	viper.SetDefault("db.sslmode", "disable")
+}
+
 // initConfig reads in config file and ENV variables if set.
 func initConfig() {
 	if cfgFile != "" {
@@ -65,7 +81,7 @@ func initConfig() {
 	viper.SetEnvKeyReplacer(replacer)
 
 	if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-		log.ErrorLog("Failed to read viper configuration file", "err", err)
+		log.ErrorLog("Failed to read viper configuration file, use default config", "err", err)
 		return
 	}