diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 1c842fb..5656e16 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@
 //! Realistically we could also just use field names like `cache_dir` and it should have
 //! the same effect if at some point having the substructs defined like this is annoying.
 
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 /// primary settings container
-#[derive(Debug)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Settings {
     /// main upload cache setings
     pub cache: Cache,
@@ -21,8 +22,15 @@ pub struct Settings {
     pub database: Database,
 }
 
+impl Default for Settings {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        // FIXME:
+        todo!()
+    }
+}
+
 /// main upload cache setings
-#[derive(Debug)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Cache {
     /// directory that the cached uploads are stored
     ///
@@ -34,8 +42,16 @@ pub struct Cache {
     pub dir: PathBuf,
 }
 
+impl Default for Cache {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            dir: PathBuf::from("/var/lib/nyazoom/cache"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// static serve settings
-#[derive(Debug)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Dist {
     /// directory that nyazoom serves statically.
     ///
@@ -43,8 +59,16 @@ pub struct Dist {
     pub dir: PathBuf,
 }
 
+impl Default for Dist {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            dir: PathBuf::from("./dist"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// database settings
-#[derive(Debug)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Database {
     /// database url used by [sqlx] to connect to the database
     ///