diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7a7368acf..1157b14cc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 www/bower/*
 node_modules
+/config.js
diff --git a/config.js.dist b/config.js.dist
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b19d72d39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.js.dist
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module.exports = {
+    httpPort: 3000,
+    mongoUri: "mongodb://demo_user:demo_password@ds027769.mongolab.com:27769/demo_database",
+    mongoCollectionName: 'cryptpad'
+};
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index f9bfa1ef9..488b49bcc 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ To install:
     npm install
     npm install -g bower ## if necessary
     bower install
-    ## edit server.js to modify configuration (use your own mongodb instance)
+    ## copy config.js.dist to config.js and modify configuration (use your own mongodb instance)
     node ./server.js
 
 
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index e794811d2..537ae5f03 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -4,11 +4,7 @@ var WebSocketServer = require('ws').Server;
 var ChainPadSrv = require('./ChainPadSrv');
 var Storage = require('./Storage');
 
-var config = {
-    httpPort: 3000,
-    mongoUri: "mongodb://demo_user:demo_password@ds027769.mongolab.com:27769/demo_database",
-    mongoCollectionName: 'cryptpad'
-};
+var config = require('./config');
 
 var app = Express();
 app.use(Express.static(__dirname + '/www'));