diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 263cfcc..b4c2e09 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ dmypy.json
 # Pycharm
 .idea/
 .venv/
+venv
 
 # config
 config.json
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..374257e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+class Config:
+    def __init__(self):
+        # global config path
+        conf_path = '/etc/ejabberd-metrics.conf'
+        self.file = Path(conf_path)
+
+        self.content = None
+
+    def _read(self):
+        with open(self.file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+            try:
+                self.content = json.load(f)
+
+            # catch json decoding errors
+            except json.JSONDecodeError as err:
+                print(err, file=sys.stderr)
+                exit(1)
+
+    def _check(self):
+        try:
+            # if file is present try to read it's contents
+            if self.file.exists():
+                self._read()
+
+            # if not create a blank file
+            else:
+                Path.touch(self.file)
+
+        # catch permission exceptions as this tries to write to /etc/
+        except PermissionError as err:
+            print(err, file=sys.stderr)
+            sys.exit(err.errno)
+
+    def get(self, key: str = None) -> (dict, None):
+        self._check()
+
+        # if a special key is request, return just that
+        if key is not None:
+
+            # safety measure
+            if key in self.content:
+                return self.content[key]
+
+            # if the key isn't part if self.content return None
+            else:
+                return None
+
+        # else return everything
+        return self.content
diff --git a/influx.py b/influx.py
index 36d7a47..1557a6a 100644
--- a/influx.py
+++ b/influx.py
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-
-import json
-import os
 import time
 
 from influxdb import InfluxDBClient
 
+from config import Config
 from ejabberdrpc import EjabberdMetrics
 
 
@@ -79,9 +77,7 @@ class Influx:
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # load config
-    path = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-    with open('/'.join([path, 'config.json']), 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
-        config = json.load(f)
+    config = Config().get()
 
     # creds and params
     url = config['url'] if 'url' in config else 'http://localhost:5280/api'