diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 77f162f..abd374e 100755
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ data/
 start.bat
 tokens.json
 
-config.*json
-!config.example.json
+seed.json
+!seed.example.json
 .env
 
 *.todo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index e60db88..a80119a 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ services:
     container_name: discord-bot
     restart: unless-stopped
     volumes:
-      # Configuration files (read-only)
-      - ./config.json:/app/config.json:ro
+      # Seed file for initial database population (read-only)
+      - ./seed.json:/app/seed.json:ro
       - ./conf:/app/conf:ro
       
       # Sound effects directory (read-only)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2e85985..b0f254e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     "restart": "docker compose restart",
     "logs": "docker compose logs -f",
     "boom": "pnpm stop && pnpm build && pnpm start",
-    "reset-db": "pnpm stop && rm -f data/ghbot.db data/ghbot.db-shm data/ghbot.db-wal && echo 'Database reset complete. Run pnpm start to re-seed from config.json'",
+    "reset-db": "pnpm stop && rm -f data/*.db* && echo 'Database reset complete. Run pnpm start to re-seed from seed.json'",
     "image:build": "docker build -t ghbot:${VERSION:-latest} .",
     "image:run": "docker run -d --name ghbot --restart always ghbot:${VERSION:-latest}"
   },
diff --git a/config.example.json b/seed.example.json
similarity index 100%
rename from config.example.json
rename to seed.example.json
diff --git a/src/config/config.js b/src/config/config.js
index 02b1813..3767c08 100644
--- a/src/config/config.js
+++ b/src/config/config.js
@@ -1,41 +1,9 @@
-const fs = require("fs");
-const path = require("path");
-
-// Dynamic config that combines file-based config with database
+// Database-first configuration manager
 class ConfigManager {
   constructor() {
-    this.fileConfig = this.loadFileConfig();
     this.databaseService = null; // Will be injected
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Load static configuration from file
-   */
-  loadFileConfig() {
-    const configPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "config.json");
-
-    if (!fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
-      console.warn("config.json not found, using environment variables only");
-      return {
-        discord: {
-          token: process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN,
-          adminUserId: process.env.ADMIN_USER_ID,
-        },
-      };
-    }
-
-    const config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(configPath, "utf-8"));
-
-    // Validate required fields
-    if (!config.discord?.token && !process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN) {
-      throw new Error(
-        "Discord token is required in config.json or DISCORD_TOKEN environment variable"
-      );
-    }
-
-    return config;
-  }
-
   /**
    * Inject database service (to avoid circular dependency)
    */
@@ -44,89 +12,68 @@ class ConfigManager {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get bot configuration (combines file and database)
+   * Get bot configuration from database (with environment variable fallbacks)
    */
   getBotConfig() {
-    const fileConfig = this.fileConfig;
-    const dbConfig = this.databaseService
-      ? this.databaseService.getBotConfiguration()
-      : {};
+    if (!this.databaseService) {
+      // Fallback to environment variables if database not available
+      return {
+        botName: "GHBot",
+        debug: false,
+        discord: {
+          token: process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN,
+          adminUserId: process.env.ADMIN_USER_ID,
+          activities: ["Playing sounds", "Serving facts"],
+          blacklistedUsers: [],
+        },
+      };
+    }
+
+    const dbConfig = this.databaseService.getBotConfiguration();
 
     return {
-      // Use file config as fallback, database as primary
-      botName: dbConfig.botName || fileConfig.botName || "GHBot",
-      debug:
-        dbConfig.debug !== undefined
-          ? dbConfig.debug
-          : fileConfig.debug || false,
+      botName: dbConfig.botName || "GHBot",
+      debug: dbConfig.debug || false,
       discord: {
-        token: fileConfig.discord?.token || process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN,
-        adminUserId:
-          dbConfig.adminUserId ||
-          fileConfig.discord?.adminUserId ||
-          process.env.ADMIN_USER_ID,
-        activities: dbConfig.activities ||
-          fileConfig.discord?.activities || ["Playing sounds", "Serving facts"],
-        blacklistedUsers:
-          dbConfig.blacklistedUsers ||
-          fileConfig.discord?.blacklistedUsers ||
-          [],
+        token: dbConfig.token || process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN,
+        adminUserId: dbConfig.adminUserId || process.env.ADMIN_USER_ID,
+        activities: dbConfig.activities || ["Playing sounds", "Serving facts"],
+        blacklistedUsers: dbConfig.blacklistedUsers || [],
       },
     };
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get guild configuration (from database primarily, file as fallback)
+   * Get guild configuration (database only)
    */
   getGuildConfig(guildId) {
-    if (this.databaseService) {
-      const dbConfig = this.databaseService.getGuildConfig(guildId);
-      if (dbConfig) {
-        return dbConfig;
-      }
+    if (!this.databaseService) {
+      // Return minimal default config if database not available
+      return {
+        id: guildId,
+        name: "Unknown Guild",
+        internalName: "Unknown Guild",
+        prefix: "!",
+        enableSfx: true,
+        sfxVolume: 0.5,
+        enableFunFacts: true,
+        enableHamFacts: true,
+        allowedRolesForRequest: [],
+      };
     }
 
-    // Fallback to file config for backward compatibility
-    if (this.fileConfig.discord?.guilds) {
-      const guilds = Array.isArray(this.fileConfig.discord.guilds)
-        ? this.fileConfig.discord.guilds
-        : Object.values(this.fileConfig.discord.guilds);
-
-      return guilds.find((g) => g.id === guildId);
-    }
-
-    // Return default config for new guilds
-    return {
-      id: guildId,
-      name: "Unknown Guild",
-      internalName: "Unknown Guild",
-      prefix: "!",
-      enableSfx: true,
-      sfxVolume: 0.5,
-      enableFunFacts: true,
-      enableHamFacts: true,
-      allowedRolesForRequest: null,
-    };
+    return this.databaseService.getGuildConfig(guildId);
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get all guild configurations
+   * Get all guild configurations (database only)
    */
   getAllGuildConfigs() {
-    if (this.databaseService) {
-      return this.databaseService.getAllGuildConfigs();
+    if (!this.databaseService) {
+      return [];
     }
 
-    // Fallback to file config
-    if (this.fileConfig.discord?.guilds) {
-      const guilds = Array.isArray(this.fileConfig.discord.guilds)
-        ? this.fileConfig.discord.guilds
-        : Object.values(this.fileConfig.discord.guilds);
-
-      return guilds;
-    }
-
-    return [];
+    return this.databaseService.getAllGuildConfigs();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/services/databaseService.js b/src/services/databaseService.js
index a2da4a4..c647cac 100644
--- a/src/services/databaseService.js
+++ b/src/services/databaseService.js
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ class DatabaseService {
       INSERT OR IGNORE INTO bot_config (key, value) VALUES 
       ('bot_name', 'GHBot'),
       ('debug', 'false'),
+      ('token', ''),
       ('admin_user_id', ''),
       ('activities', '["Chardee MacDennis", "The Nightman Cometh", "Charlie Work"]'),
       ('blacklisted_users', '[]')
@@ -106,17 +107,17 @@ class DatabaseService {
       const fs = require("fs");
       const path = require("path");
 
-      const configPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "config.json");
+      const seedPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "seed.json");
 
-      if (!fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
-        console.log("No config.json file found, skipping seed");
+      if (!fs.existsSync(seedPath)) {
+        console.log("No seed.json file found, skipping seed");
         return;
       }
 
-      const config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(configPath, "utf-8"));
+      const config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(seedPath, "utf-8"));
 
       if (!config.discord?.guilds) {
-        console.log("No guilds found in config.json, skipping seed");
+        console.log("No guilds found in seed.json, skipping seed");
         return;
       }
 
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ class DatabaseService {
       }
 
       console.log(
-        `✅ Successfully seeded database with ${seededCount} guild(s) from config.json`
+        `✅ Successfully seeded database with ${seededCount} guild(s) from seed.json`
       );
 
       // Update bot configuration in database from file config
@@ -190,6 +191,9 @@ class DatabaseService {
       if (config.debug !== undefined) {
         this.setBotConfig("debug", config.debug.toString());
       }
+      if (config.discord?.token) {
+        this.setBotConfig("token", config.discord.token);
+      }
       if (config.discord?.adminUserId) {
         this.setBotConfig("admin_user_id", config.discord.adminUserId);
       }
@@ -212,7 +216,7 @@ class DatabaseService {
         );
       }
 
-      console.log("✅ Bot configuration updated from config.json");
+      console.log("✅ Bot configuration updated from seed.json");
     } catch (error) {
       console.error("Error seeding database from config file:", error);
     }
@@ -510,6 +514,7 @@ class DatabaseService {
   getBotConfiguration() {
     const botName = this.getBotConfig("bot_name") || "GHBot";
     const debug = this.getBotConfig("debug") === "true";
+    const token = this.getBotConfig("token") || "";
     const adminUserId = this.getBotConfig("admin_user_id") || "";
     const activities = JSON.parse(this.getBotConfig("activities") || "[]");
     const blacklistedUsers = JSON.parse(
@@ -519,6 +524,7 @@ class DatabaseService {
     return {
       botName,
       debug,
+      token,
       adminUserId,
       activities,
       blacklistedUsers,