diff --git a/config.toml b/config.toml
index c7b0ae9..01de6e0 100644
--- a/config.toml
+++ b/config.toml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ description = "A newly created nostr-rs-relay.\n\nCustomize this with your own i
 # Directory for SQLite files.  Defaults to the current directory.  Can
 # also be specified (and overriden) with the "--db dirname" command
 # line option.
-data_directory = "."
+#data_directory = "."
 
 
 # Use an in-memory database instead of 'nostr.db'.
diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index d22d112..e995af0 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ pub struct CLIArgs {
         short,
         long,
         help = "Use the <directory> as the location of the database",
-        default_value = ".",
-        required = false
+        required = false,
     )]
-    pub db: String,
+    pub db: Option<String>,
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index c0a97ff..5da2b02 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -31,13 +31,12 @@ fn main() {
     let args = CLIArgs::parse();
 
     // get database directory from args
-    let db_dir = args.db;
+    let db_dir_arg = args.db;
 
-    // update with database location
-    if db_dir.len() > 0 {
+    // update with database location from args, if provided
+    if let Some(db_dir) = db_dir_arg {
         settings.database.data_directory = db_dir;
     }
-
     let (_, ctrl_rx): (MpscSender<()>, MpscReceiver<()>) = syncmpsc::channel();
     // run this in a new thread
     let handle = thread::spawn(|| {