diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f994e0f..3ea4c5e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ instance/
 
 # Environment
 .env
+config.json
 .env.local
 .env.development.local
 .env.test.local
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 33ae537..1785036 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ Socket events (server → client)
 """
 
 import os
+import json
 import time
 import uuid
 import base64
@@ -57,21 +58,42 @@ from flask_socketio import SocketIO, emit, join_room, disconnect
 from database import db, init_db
 from models import User, Message, UserIgnore
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Configuration Loader
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def load_config():
+    conf = {}
+    config_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "config.json")
+    if os.path.exists(config_path):
+        try:
+            with open(config_path, "r") as f:
+                conf = json.load(f)
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"⚠️ Warning: Failed to load config.json: {e}")
+    return conf
+
+_CONFIG = load_config()
+
+def _get_conf(key, default=None):
+    # Order: Env Var > Config File > Default
+    return os.environ.get(key, _CONFIG.get(key, default))
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Configuration
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-SECRET_KEY     = os.environ.get("SECRET_KEY",     uuid.uuid4().hex)
-JWT_SECRET     = os.environ.get("JWT_SECRET",     uuid.uuid4().hex)
-ADMIN_PASSWORD = os.environ.get("ADMIN_PASSWORD", "admin1234")
+SECRET_KEY     = _get_conf("SECRET_KEY",     uuid.uuid4().hex)
+JWT_SECRET     = _get_conf("JWT_SECRET",     uuid.uuid4().hex)
+ADMIN_PASSWORD = _get_conf("ADMIN_PASSWORD", "admin1234")
 MAX_MSG_LEN    = 500
 LOBBY          = "lobby"
-AI_FREE_LIMIT  = 3
+AI_FREE_LIMIT  = int(_get_conf("AI_FREE_LIMIT", 3))
 AI_BOT_NAME    = "Violet"
 
 # Ollama
-OLLAMA_URL   = os.environ.get("OLLAMA_URL",   "http://localhost:11434")
-VIOLET_MODEL = os.environ.get("VIOLET_MODEL", "sam860/dolphin3-llama3.2:3b")
+OLLAMA_URL   = _get_conf("OLLAMA_URL",   "http://localhost:11434")
+VIOLET_MODEL = _get_conf("VIOLET_MODEL", "sam860/dolphin3-llama3.2:3b")
 VIOLET_SYSTEM = (
     "You are Violet, a flirtatious and sophisticated nightclub hostess at "
     "an exclusive, dimly-lit members-only club. You are charming, witty, "
diff --git a/config.example.json b/config.example.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f81632f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.example.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "HOST": "0.0.0.0",
+  "PORT": 5000,
+  "SECRET_KEY": "sexchat-very-secret-key-change-me",
+  "JWT_SECRET": "sexchat-jwt-secret-key-change-me",
+  "ADMIN_PASSWORD": "admin",
+  "OLLAMA_URL": "http://localhost:11434",
+  "VIOLET_MODEL": "sam860/dolphin3-llama3.2:3b",
+  "DATABASE_URL": "sqlite:///instance/sexchat.db",
+  "REDIS_URL": "redis://localhost:6379/0",
+  "AI_FREE_LIMIT": 3
+}
diff --git a/start.py b/start.py
index 02f8564..51cbc9c 100644
--- a/start.py
+++ b/start.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Usage:
 
 import os
 import sys
+import json
 import subprocess
 import signal
 import time
@@ -23,6 +24,21 @@ eventlet.monkey_patch()
 # PID file to track the daemon process
 PID_FILE = "sexchat.pid"
 
+def load_config():
+    conf = {}
+    config_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "config.json")
+    if os.path.exists(config_path):
+        try:
+            with open(config_path, "r") as f:
+                conf = json.load(f)
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+    return conf
+
+def _get_conf(key, default=None):
+    conf = load_config()
+    return os.environ.get(key, conf.get(key, default))
+
 def get_pid():
     if os.path.exists(PID_FILE):
         with open(PID_FILE, "r") as f:
@@ -52,7 +68,7 @@ def start_daemon():
         "gunicorn",
         "--worker-class", "eventlet",
         "-w", "1",
-        "--bind", f"{os.environ.get('HOST', '0.0.0.0')}:{os.environ.get('PORT', '5000')}",
+        "--bind", f"{_get_conf('HOST', '0.0.0.0')}:{_get_conf('PORT', 5000)}",
         "--daemon",
         "--pid", PID_FILE,
         "--access-logfile", "access.log",
@@ -108,7 +124,7 @@ def run_debug():
         "gunicorn",
         "--worker-class", "eventlet",
         "-w", "1",
-        "--bind", f"{os.environ.get('HOST', '0.0.0.0')}:{os.environ.get('PORT', '5000')}",
+        "--bind", f"{_get_conf('HOST', '0.0.0.0')}:{_get_conf('PORT', 5000)}",
         "--log-level", "debug",
         "--access-logfile", "-",
         "--error-logfile", "-",