diff --git a/include/server.h b/include/server.h
index d2a4ca9..2e74f5a 100644
--- a/include/server.h
+++ b/include/server.h
@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@ struct kiwmi_server {
     struct wl_event_loop *wl_event_loop;
     struct wlr_backend *backend;
     const char *socket;
+    char *config_path;
     struct kiwmi_desktop desktop;
     struct kiwmi_input input;
 };
 
-bool server_init(struct kiwmi_server *server, const char *config_path);
+bool server_init(struct kiwmi_server *server, char *config_path);
 bool server_run(struct kiwmi_server *server);
 void server_fini(struct kiwmi_server *server);
 
diff --git a/kiwmi/main.c b/kiwmi/main.c
index 30f0b8a..1053311 100644
--- a/kiwmi/main.c
+++ b/kiwmi/main.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     int verbosity = 0;
-    const char *config_path = NULL;
+    char *config_path = NULL;
 
     const char *usage =
         "Usage: kiwmi [options]\n"
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
             exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
             break;
         case 'c':
-            config_path = optarg;
+            config_path = strdup(optarg); // gets freed in kiwmi_fini
+            if (!config_path) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "Failed to allocate memory\n");
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            }
             break;
         case 'V':
             ++verbosity;
diff --git a/kiwmi/server.c b/kiwmi/server.c
index d823dda..f7a25d7 100644
--- a/kiwmi/server.c
+++ b/kiwmi/server.c
@@ -7,15 +7,18 @@
 
 #include "server.h"
 
+#include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
+#include <limits.h>
+
 #include <wayland-server.h>
 #include <wlr/backend.h>
 #include <wlr/render/wlr_renderer.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
 
 bool
-server_init(struct kiwmi_server *server, const char *UNUSED(config_path))
+server_init(struct kiwmi_server *server, char *config_path)
 {
     wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Initializing Wayland server");
 
@@ -50,6 +53,26 @@ server_init(struct kiwmi_server *server, const char *UNUSED(config_path))
         return false;
     }
 
+    if (!config_path) {
+        // default config path
+        free(config_path);
+        config_path = malloc(PATH_MAX);
+        if (!config_path) {
+            wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Falied to allocate memory");
+            wl_display_destroy(server->wl_display);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        const char *config_home = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME");
+        if (config_home) {
+            snprintf(config_path, PATH_MAX, "%s/kiwmi/init.lua", config_home);
+        } else {
+            snprintf(config_path, PATH_MAX, "%s/.config/kiwmi/init.lua", getenv("HOME"));
+        }
+    }
+
+    server->config_path = config_path;
+
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -79,4 +102,6 @@ server_fini(struct kiwmi_server *server)
 
     wl_display_destroy_clients(server->wl_display);
     wl_display_destroy(server->wl_display);
+
+    free(server->config_path);
 }