diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0db6a0b..311afc3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 venv/
 .venv/
 
-# Flask instance folder
-instance/
+# Flask instance folder - keep the folder but ignore sensitive files
+instance/flask_secret_key
+instance/*.log
 
 # Python
 __pycache__/
@@ -12,8 +13,7 @@ __pycache__/
 *.pyd
 .Python
 
-# Database files
-*.db
+# Database WAL files (keep main .db file)
 *.db-shm
 *.db-wal
 
diff --git a/instance/README.md b/instance/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd73d3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/instance/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# This file will be generated automatically on each server
+# Run: python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))" > instance/flask_secret_key
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/instance/quotes.db b/instance/quotes.db
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d97b86c
Binary files /dev/null and b/instance/quotes.db differ
diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index 36241db..c769c3e 100644
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -5,17 +5,19 @@
 
 echo "Setting up ircquotes on production server..."
 
-# Create instance directory
-echo "Creating instance directory..."
+# Instance directory should already exist from git
+# But create it if it doesn't
 mkdir -p instance
 
 # Generate secret key
 echo "Generating Flask secret key..."
 python3 -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))" > instance/flask_secret_key
 
-# Create empty database file
-echo "Creating database file..."
-touch instance/quotes.db
+# Create empty database file if it doesn't exist
+if [ ! -f "instance/quotes.db" ]; then
+    echo "Creating database file..."
+    touch instance/quotes.db
+fi
 
 # Set permissions
 echo "Setting file permissions..."
@@ -42,9 +44,14 @@ echo "   python generate_password.py"
 echo "   python config_manager.py admin.username 'yourusername'"
 echo "   python config_manager.py admin.password_hash 'generated_hash'"
 echo ""
-echo "2. Start the application:"
+echo "2. Configure other settings:"
+echo "   python config_manager.py app.port 6969"
+echo "   python config_manager.py quotes.min_length 1"
+echo "   python config_manager.py quotes.max_length 10000"
+echo ""
+echo "3. Start the application:"
 echo "   source .venv/bin/activate"
 echo "   gunicorn --config gunicorn.conf.py app:app"
 echo ""
-echo "3. Or run in development mode:"
+echo "4. Or run in development mode:"
 echo "   python app.py"
\ No newline at end of file