diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 83e0474..d80067b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Afterwards you need to make the binary executable by running the following comma
 chmod +x /usr/bin/seasonpackarr
 ```
 
-Note: If the commands fail, prefix them with `sudo ` and run them again.
+Note: If the commands fail, prefix them with `sudo` and run them again.
 
 #### Systemd (Recommended)
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ of this clearer:
 
 - Announce name: `Show.S01.1080p.WEB-DL.DDPA5.1.H.264-RlsGrp`
 - Folder name: `Show.S01.1080p.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-RlsGrp`
-   
+
 Using the announce name would create the wrong folder and would lead to all the files in the torrent being downloaded
 again. The issue in the given example is the additional `A` after `DDP` which is not present in the folder name. By
 using the parsed folder name the files will be hardlinked into the exact folder that is being used in the torrent.
@@ -252,11 +252,14 @@ along in the `HTTP Request Headers` of your autobrr request; if not, the request
 headers to pass the API token, but I'll explain both options here.
 
 1. **Header**: Edit the `HTTP Request Headers` field and replace `api_token` with the token you set in your config.
+
     ```
     X-API-Token=api_token
     ```
+
 2. **Query Parameter**: Append `?apikey=api_token` at the end of your `Endpoint` field and replace `api_token` with the
    token you've set in your config.
+
     ```
     http://host:port/api/pack?apikey=api_token
     ```
@@ -305,7 +308,7 @@ Navigate to the `Actions` tab, click on `Add new` and change the `Action type` o
 Depending on whether you intend to only send to qBittorrent or also integrate with Sonarr, you'll need to fill out different fields.
 
 1. **Only qBittorrent**: Fill in the `Save Path` field with the directory where your torrent data resides, for instance
-   `/data/torrents`, or the `Category` field with a qBittorrent category that saves to your desired location. 
+   `/data/torrents`, or the `Category` field with a qBittorrent category that saves to your desired location.
 2. **Sonarr Integration**: Fill in the `Category` field with the category that Sonarr utilizes for all its downloads,
    such as `tv-hd` or `tv-uhd`.
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 0e6cac5..884fa35 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 services:
   seasonpackarr:
     container_name: seasonpackarr
-    image: ghcr.io/nuxencs/seasonpackarr:latest
+    image: ghcr.io/nuxencs/seasonpackarr
     restart: unless-stopped
-    user: ${PUID}:${PGID}
+    user: ${PUID}:${PGID} #UID and GID
     ports:
       - "127.0.0.1:42069:42069"
     environment:
       # Core settings
+      - SEASONPACKARR__DISABLE_CONFIG_FILE=false # set to true to not rely on config.yaml
       - SEASONPACKARR__HOST=0.0.0.0
       - SEASONPACKARR__PORT=42069
       - SEASONPACKARR__API_TOKEN=
@@ -38,5 +39,5 @@ services:
       - SEASONPACKARR__CLIENTS_DEFAULT_PASSWORD=adminadmin
       - SEASONPACKARR__CLIENTS_DEFAULT_PREIMPORTPATH=/data/torrents/tv
     volumes:
-      - ${DOCKERCONFDIR}/seasonpackarr:/config
-      - /data/torrents:/data/torrents
+      - ${DOCKERCONFDIR}/seasonpackarr:/config # location of the config file
+      - /data/torrents:/data/torrents # your torrent data directory
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 83d7fc4..5829dd6 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ func New(configPath string, version string) *AppConfig {
 	c := &AppConfig{
 		m: new(sync.Mutex),
 	}
-	c.defaults()
+
 	c.Config = &domain.Config{
 		Version:       version,
 		ConfigPath:    configPath,
@@ -299,15 +299,23 @@ func New(configPath string, version string) *AppConfig {
 		Notifications: domain.Notifications{},
 	}
 
-	// Load environment variables first
+	// check config file mode first
+	c.Config.DisableConfigFile = os.Getenv("SEASONPACKARR__DISABLE_CONFIG_FILE") == "true"
+
+	// set defaults unless config file is disabled
+	if !c.Config.DisableConfigFile {
+		c.defaults()
+	}
+
+	// always load environment variables
 	c.loadFromEnv()
 
-	// Only try to load config file if no clients were configured via env vars
-	if len(c.Config.Clients) == 0 {
+	// load config file if not disabled
+	if !c.Config.DisableConfigFile {
 		c.load(configPath)
 	}
 
-	// Validate client configuration regardless of source
+	// validate client configuration regardless of source
 	for clientName, client := range c.Config.Clients {
 		if client.PreImportPath == "" {
 			log.Fatalf("preImportPath for client %q can't be empty, please provide a valid path to the directory you want seasonpacks to be hardlinked to", clientName)
@@ -342,14 +350,34 @@ func (c *AppConfig) defaults() {
 func (c *AppConfig) loadFromEnv() {
 	prefix := "SEASONPACKARR__"
 
+	logLevel := "DEBUG" // default
+	if envLogLevel := os.Getenv(prefix + "LOG_LEVEL"); envLogLevel != "" {
+		logLevel = envLogLevel
+	}
+
+	// create a temporary logger with the detected log level
+	tempConfig := &domain.Config{
+		LogLevel: logLevel,
+		Version:  "dev",
+	}
+	log := logger.New(tempConfig)
+
 	envs := os.Environ()
 	for _, env := range envs {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(env, prefix) {
 			envPair := strings.SplitN(env, "=", 2)
 
+			logValue := envPair[1]
+			if strings.Contains(envPair[0], "PASSWORD") ||
+				strings.Contains(envPair[0], "TOKEN") ||
+				strings.Contains(envPair[0], "API_KEY") {
+				logValue = "**REDACTED**"
+			}
+
+			log.Trace().Msgf("Processing environment variable: %s=%s", envPair[0], logValue)
+
 			if envPair[1] != "" {
 				switch envPair[0] {
-				// Core settings
 				case prefix + "HOST":
 					c.Config.Host = envPair[1]
 				case prefix + "PORT":
@@ -359,7 +387,6 @@ func (c *AppConfig) loadFromEnv() {
 				case prefix + "API_TOKEN":
 					c.Config.APIToken = envPair[1]
 
-				// Logging settings
 				case prefix + "LOG_LEVEL":
 					c.Config.LogLevel = envPair[1]
 				case prefix + "LOG_PATH":
@@ -373,7 +400,6 @@ func (c *AppConfig) loadFromEnv() {
 						c.Config.LogMaxBackups = int(i)
 					}
 
-				// Feature settings
 				case prefix + "SMART_MODE":
 					if b, err := strconv.ParseBool(envPair[1]); err == nil {
 						c.Config.SmartMode = b
@@ -387,7 +413,6 @@ func (c *AppConfig) loadFromEnv() {
 						c.Config.ParseTorrentFile = b
 					}
 
-				// Fuzzy matching settings
 				case prefix + "FUZZY_MATCHING_SKIP_REPACK_COMPARE":
 					if b, err := strconv.ParseBool(envPair[1]); err == nil {
 						c.Config.FuzzyMatching.SkipRepackCompare = b
@@ -397,32 +422,33 @@ func (c *AppConfig) loadFromEnv() {
 						c.Config.FuzzyMatching.SimplifyHdrCompare = b
 					}
 
-				// Notification settings
 				case prefix + "NOTIFICATIONS_DISCORD":
 					c.Config.Notifications.Discord = envPair[1]
 				case prefix + "NOTIFICATIONS_NOTIFICATION_LEVEL":
-					// Expect comma-separated list
 					levels := strings.Split(envPair[1], ",")
-					// Trim spaces from each level
 					for i, level := range levels {
 						levels[i] = strings.TrimSpace(level)
 					}
 					c.Config.Notifications.NotificationLevel = levels
+
+				case prefix + "DISABLE_CONFIG_FILE":
+					if b, err := strconv.ParseBool(envPair[1]); err == nil {
+						c.Config.DisableConfigFile = b
+					}
 				}
 
-				// Client settings - handle dynamic client names
+				// client settings - handle dynamic client names
 				if strings.HasPrefix(envPair[0], prefix+"CLIENTS_") {
 					parts := strings.Split(strings.TrimPrefix(envPair[0], prefix+"CLIENTS_"), "_")
 					if len(parts) == 2 {
 						clientName := strings.ToLower(parts[0])
 						setting := parts[1]
 
-						// Initialize client if it doesn't exist
+						// initialize client if it doesn't exist
 						if c.Config.Clients[clientName] == nil {
 							c.Config.Clients[clientName] = &domain.Client{}
 						}
 
-						// Apply setting
 						switch setting {
 						case "HOST":
 							c.Config.Clients[clientName].Host = envPair[1]
@@ -452,7 +478,7 @@ func (c *AppConfig) load(configPath string) {
 	if configPath != "" {
 		configFile := path.Join(configPath, "config.yaml")
 
-		// Only create config file if it doesn't exist
+		// only create config file if it doesn't exist
 		if err := c.writeConfig(configPath, "config.yaml"); err != nil {
 			log.Printf("config write error: %q", err)
 		}
@@ -461,7 +487,7 @@ func (c *AppConfig) load(configPath string) {
 	} else {
 		viper.SetConfigName("config")
 
-		// Search config in directories
+		// search config in directories
 		viper.AddConfigPath(".")
 		viper.AddConfigPath("$HOME/.config/seasonpackarr")
 		viper.AddConfigPath("$HOME/.seasonpackarr")
@@ -470,7 +496,7 @@ func (c *AppConfig) load(configPath string) {
 	// read config, but don't fail if file doesn't exist
 	if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
 		if _, ok := err.(viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError); !ok {
-			// Only fail on errors other than file not found
+			// only fail on errors other than file not found
 			log.Fatalf("config read error: %q", err)
 		}
 		return
@@ -520,6 +546,10 @@ func (c *AppConfig) DynamicReload(log logger.Logger) {
 }
 
 func (c *AppConfig) UpdateConfig() error {
+	if c.Config.DisableConfigFile {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	filePath := path.Join(c.Config.ConfigPath, "config.yaml")
 
 	f, err := os.ReadFile(filePath)
diff --git a/internal/domain/config.go b/internal/domain/config.go
index 75988ef..a599d90 100644
--- a/internal/domain/config.go
+++ b/internal/domain/config.go
@@ -40,4 +40,5 @@ type Config struct {
 	FuzzyMatching      FuzzyMatching      `yaml:"fuzzyMatching"`
 	APIToken           string             `yaml:"apiToken"`
 	Notifications      Notifications      `yaml:"notifications"`
+	DisableConfigFile  bool
 }