diff --git a/alembic.ini b/alembic.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e0a6d6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/alembic.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+# A generic, single database configuration.
+
+[alembic]
+# path to migration scripts.
+# this is typically a path given in POSIX (e.g. forward slashes)
+# format, relative to the token %(here)s which refers to the location of this
+# ini file
+script_location = %(here)s/pillar_tool/db/migrations
+
+# template used to generate migration file names; The default value is %%(rev)s_%%(slug)s
+# Uncomment the line below if you want the files to be prepended with date and time
+# see https://alembic.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/tutorial.html#editing-the-ini-file
+# for all available tokens
+# file_template = %%(year)d_%%(month).2d_%%(day).2d_%%(hour).2d%%(minute).2d-%%(rev)s_%%(slug)s
+
+# sys.path path, will be prepended to sys.path if present.
+# defaults to the current working directory.  for multiple paths, the path separator
+# is defined by "path_separator" below.
+prepend_sys_path = .
+
+
+# timezone to use when rendering the date within the migration file
+# as well as the filename.
+# If specified, requires the tzdata library which can be installed by adding
+# `alembic[tz]` to the pip requirements.
+# string value is passed to ZoneInfo()
+# leave blank for localtime
+# timezone =
+
+# max length of characters to apply to the "slug" field
+# truncate_slug_length = 40
+
+# set to 'true' to run the environment during
+# the 'revision' command, regardless of autogenerate
+# revision_environment = false
+
+# set to 'true' to allow .pyc and .pyo files without
+# a source .py file to be detected as revisions in the
+# versions/ directory
+# sourceless = false
+
+# version location specification; This defaults
+# to <script_location>/versions.  When using multiple version
+# directories, initial revisions must be specified with --version-path.
+# The path separator used here should be the separator specified by "path_separator"
+# below.
+# version_locations = %(here)s/bar:%(here)s/bat:%(here)s/alembic/versions
+
+# path_separator; This indicates what character is used to split lists of file
+# paths, including version_locations and prepend_sys_path within configparser
+# files such as alembic.ini.
+# The default rendered in new alembic.ini files is "os", which uses os.pathsep
+# to provide os-dependent path splitting.
+#
+# Note that in order to support legacy alembic.ini files, this default does NOT
+# take place if path_separator is not present in alembic.ini.  If this
+# option is omitted entirely, fallback logic is as follows:
+#
+# 1. Parsing of the version_locations option falls back to using the legacy
+#    "version_path_separator" key, which if absent then falls back to the legacy
+#    behavior of splitting on spaces and/or commas.
+# 2. Parsing of the prepend_sys_path option falls back to the legacy
+#    behavior of splitting on spaces, commas, or colons.
+#
+# Valid values for path_separator are:
+#
+# path_separator = :
+# path_separator = ;
+# path_separator = space
+# path_separator = newline
+#
+# Use os.pathsep. Default configuration used for new projects.
+path_separator = os
+
+# set to 'true' to search source files recursively
+# in each "version_locations" directory
+# new in Alembic version 1.10
+# recursive_version_locations = false
+
+# the output encoding used when revision files
+# are written from script.py.mako
+# output_encoding = utf-8
+
+# database URL.  This is consumed by the user-maintained env.py script only.
+# other means of configuring database URLs may be customized within the env.py
+# file.
+# Note: this is overridden in the env.py file and not necessary here
+#sqlalchemy.url = driver://user:pass@localhost/dbname
+
+
+[post_write_hooks]
+# post_write_hooks defines scripts or Python functions that are run
+# on newly generated revision scripts.  See the documentation for further
+# detail and examples
+
+# format using "black" - use the console_scripts runner, against the "black" entrypoint
+# hooks = black
+# black.type = console_scripts
+# black.entrypoint = black
+# black.options = -l 79 REVISION_SCRIPT_FILENAME
+
+# lint with attempts to fix using "ruff" - use the module runner, against the "ruff" module
+# hooks = ruff
+# ruff.type = module
+# ruff.module = ruff
+# ruff.options = check --fix REVISION_SCRIPT_FILENAME
+
+# Alternatively, use the exec runner to execute a binary found on your PATH
+# hooks = ruff
+# ruff.type = exec
+# ruff.executable = ruff
+# ruff.options = check --fix REVISION_SCRIPT_FILENAME
+
+# Logging configuration.  This is also consumed by the user-maintained
+# env.py script only.
+[loggers]
+keys = root,sqlalchemy,alembic
+
+[handlers]
+keys = console
+
+[formatters]
+keys = generic
+
+[logger_root]
+level = WARNING
+handlers = console
+qualname =
+
+[logger_sqlalchemy]
+level = WARNING
+handlers =
+qualname = sqlalchemy.engine
+
+[logger_alembic]
+level = INFO
+handlers =
+qualname = alembic
+
+[handler_console]
+class = StreamHandler
+args = (sys.stderr,)
+level = NOTSET
+formatter = generic
+
+[formatter_generic]
+format = %(levelname)-5.5s [%(name)s] %(message)s
+datefmt = %H:%M:%S
diff --git a/pillar_tool.toml.example b/pillar_tool.toml.example
index f6d8919..d57843c 100644
--- a/pillar_tool.toml.example
+++ b/pillar_tool.toml.example
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 user = "db user"
 password = "db password"
 host = "db host"
-post = 5432
+port = 5432
 database = "db name"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pillar_tool/__init__.py b/pillar_tool/__init__.py
index 563ef3f..9acf1d9 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/__init__.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+
+# load config so everything else can work
+from pillar_tool.util import load_config, config
+load_config()
+
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
 
 from fastapi import FastAPI
@@ -7,12 +12,8 @@ from fastapi.responses import HTMLResponse, PlainTextResponse
 from starlette.responses import JSONResponse
 
 from pillar_tool.middleware.basicauth_backend import BasicAuthBackend
-from pillar_tool.util import load_config, config
 from pillar_tool.db import run_db_migrations
 
-# load config so everything else can work
-load_config()
-
 
 @asynccontextmanager
 async def app_lifespan(app: FastAPI):
diff --git a/pillar_tool/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-313.pyc b/pillar_tool/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-313.pyc
index 6908bf3..42b00d6 100644
Binary files a/pillar_tool/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-313.pyc and b/pillar_tool/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-313.pyc differ
diff --git a/pillar_tool/db/__init__.py b/pillar_tool/db/__init__.py
index fdebf28..708e90c 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/db/__init__.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/db/__init__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from alembic.command import upgrade
 from pillar_tool.util import config
 
 
-from models import *
+from .models import *
 
 cfg = config()
 user = cfg.db.user
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ port = cfg.db.port
 database = cfg.db.database
 alembic_cfg = Config()
 alembic_cfg.set_main_option('script_location', f'{os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))}/migrations')
-alembic_cfg.set_main_option('sqlalchemy.url', f'postgres://{user}:{password}@{host}:{port}/{database}')
+alembic_cfg.set_main_option('sqlalchemy.url', f'postgresql://{user}:{password}@{host}:{port}/{database}')
 alembic_cfg.set_main_option('prepend_sys_path', '.')
 
 
diff --git a/pillar_tool/db/database.py b/pillar_tool/db/database.py
index ba8004e..3922656 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/db/database.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/db/database.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ SessionLocal = sessionmaker(
     autocommit=False,
     autoflush=False,
     bind=create_engine(
-        url=f"postgresql+psycopg2://{cfg.db.user}:{cfg.db.password}@{cfg.host}:{cfg.port}/{cfg.database}"
+        url=f"postgresql+psycopg2://{cfg.db.user}:{cfg.db.password}@{cfg.db.host}:{cfg.db.port}/{cfg.db.database}"
     )
 )
 
diff --git a/migrations/README b/pillar_tool/db/migrations/README
similarity index 100%
rename from migrations/README
rename to pillar_tool/db/migrations/README
diff --git a/pillar_tool/db/migrations/__init__.py b/pillar_tool/db/migrations/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/migrations/env.py b/pillar_tool/db/migrations/env.py
similarity index 87%
rename from migrations/env.py
rename to pillar_tool/db/migrations/env.py
index 2adb551..11c0bc6 100644
--- a/migrations/env.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/db/migrations/env.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ from sqlalchemy import pool
 
 from alembic import context
 
+from pillar_tool.db.database import Base
+
 # this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
 # access to the values within the .ini file in use.
 config = context.config
@@ -19,13 +21,22 @@ if config.config_file_name is not None:
 # for 'autogenerate' support
 # from myapp import mymodel
 # target_metadata = mymodel.Base.metadata
-target_metadata = None
+target_metadata = Base.metadata
 
 # other values from the config, defined by the needs of env.py,
 # can be acquired:
 # my_important_option = config.get_main_option("my_important_option")
 # ... etc.
 
+def get_custom_url():
+    with open("./pillar_tool.toml", 'rb') as f:
+        data = tomllib.load(f)
+        user = data['db']['user']
+        password = data['db']['password']
+        host = data['db']['host']
+        port = data['db']['port']
+        database = data['db']['database']
+        return f"postgresql://{user}:{password}@{host}:{port}/{database}"
 
 def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
     """Run migrations in 'offline' mode.
@@ -39,14 +50,7 @@ def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
     script output.
 
     """
-    with open("./pillar_tool.toml", 'rb') as f:
-        data = tomllib.load(f)
-        user = data['db']['user']
-        password = data['db']['password']
-        host = data['db']['host']
-        port = data['db']['port']
-        database = data['db']['database']
-        url = f"postgresql://{user}:{password}@{host}:{port}/{database}"
+    url = get_custom_url()
     #url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
     context.configure(
         url=url,
@@ -66,8 +70,11 @@ def run_migrations_online() -> None:
     and associate a connection with the context.
 
     """
+    url = get_custom_url()
+    cfg = config.get_section(config.config_ini_section, {})
+    cfg['sqlalchemy.url'] = url
     connectable = engine_from_config(
-        config.get_section(config.config_ini_section, {}),
+        cfg,
         prefix="sqlalchemy.",
         poolclass=pool.NullPool,
     )
diff --git a/migrations/script.py.mako b/pillar_tool/db/migrations/script.py.mako
similarity index 100%
rename from migrations/script.py.mako
rename to pillar_tool/db/migrations/script.py.mako
diff --git a/pillar_tool/db/models/user.py b/pillar_tool/db/models/user.py
index fde37e3..d90fddd 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/db/models/user.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/db/models/user.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-from pydantic import UUID4
-from sqlalchemy import Column, String
+from sqlalchemy import Column, String, UUID
 
 from pillar_tool.db.database import Base
 
@@ -7,7 +6,7 @@ from pillar_tool.db.database import Base
 
 class User(Base):
     __tablename__ = 'users'
-    id = Column(UUID4, primary_key=True)
+    id = Column(UUID, primary_key=True)
     username = Column(String, nullable=False)
     pw_hash = Column(String, nullable=False)
     pw_salt = Column(String, nullable=False)
diff --git a/pillar_tool/util/__init__.py b/pillar_tool/util/__init__.py
index 066349a..2168c0e 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/util/__init__.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/util/__init__.py
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import tomllib
 
 def load_config():
     paths: list[str] = [
-        "/etc/pillar_tool/config.toml",
         "./pillar_tool.toml",
+        "/etc/pillar_tool/config.toml",
     ]
 
     for path in paths:
@@ -17,9 +17,11 @@ def load_config():
                     cfg_dict = tomllib.load(f)
                     cfg = Config(**cfg_dict)
                     globals()['_loaded_config_object'] = cfg
-                except:
-                    pass
-    raise ValueError("No valid config file could be found!")
+                    return
+                except Exception as e:
+                    print(e)
+
+    raise ValueError(f"No valid config file could be found! (working directory: {os.getcwd()})")
 
 
 def config() -> Config: