diff --git a/internal/application/application.go b/internal/application/application.go
index 6acb748..7719c37 100644
--- a/internal/application/application.go
+++ b/internal/application/application.go
@@ -106,14 +106,15 @@ func Run() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Populate the initial Config cache OR create defaults
 	firstRun := false
-	startupConfig, err := db.GetConfig(DB)
+
+	// Populate the initial Config cache OR create defaults
+	cfg, err := db.GetConfig(DB)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, gorm.ErrRecordNotFound) {
-			logger.Info("No config found in database, generating defaults")
 			firstRun = true
-			startupConfig = &db.AppConfig{
+			cfg = &db.AppConfig{
+				Model:               gorm.Model{ID: 1},
 				DataDir:             dataDir,
 				AssetsDir:           dataDir,
 				SystemLevel:         "BASIC",
@@ -125,14 +126,11 @@ func Run() {
 				SavedVolume:         1.0,
 			}
 
-			// Now save it to the database to create the config for all subsequent queries
-			if err := DB.Create(&startupConfig).Error; err != nil {
-				logger.Error("failed to insert default config into database: %v", err)
+			if err := DB.Create(cfg).Error; err != nil {
+				logger.Error("failed to create config: %v", err)
 				return
 			}
 		}
-		logger.Error("failed to read configuration from database")
-		return
 	}
 
 	logger.AddDatabase(DB)
diff --git a/internal/db/Schema.go b/internal/db/Schema.go
index 22b349d..0d7f6bb 100644
--- a/internal/db/Schema.go
+++ b/internal/db/Schema.go
@@ -19,11 +19,6 @@ type AppConfig struct {
 	FirstRun            bool    // Is this the first time the application has been run?
 }
 
-// Explicit table name to avoid pluralization issues
-func (AppConfig) TableName() string {
-	return "app_configs" // Use your ACTUAL table name (check with: sqlite3 database.sqlite ".tables")
-}
-
 type Log struct {
 	gorm.Model
 	Timestamp int64
diff --git a/internal/db/queries.go b/internal/db/queries.go
index 456578e..de2ed52 100644
--- a/internal/db/queries.go
+++ b/internal/db/queries.go
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ func GetConfig(db *gorm.DB) (*AppConfig, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return &cfg, err
+	return &cfg, nil
 }