diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 53555e07..67f06ead 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -13,3 +13,4 @@ ambianic/webapp/bower_components/paper/
 **/coverage.xml
 **/.__*
 _mdwriter.cson
+**/timeline-event-log.yaml
diff --git a/src/ambianic/webapp/flaskr.py b/src/ambianic/webapp/flaskr.py
index 86f8d6a9..9af1f60f 100755
--- a/src/ambianic/webapp/flaskr.py
+++ b/src/ambianic/webapp/flaskr.py
@@ -16,13 +16,18 @@
 
 # configuration
 DEBUG = True
+DEFAULT_DATA_DIR = './data'
 
 
 class FlaskJob(ManagedService):
 
     def __init__(self, config):
         self.config = config
-        data_dir = config.get('data_dir', './data')
+        data_dir = None
+        if config:
+            data_dir = config.get('data_dir', None)
+        if not data_dir:
+            data_dir = DEFAULT_DATA_DIR
         self.srv = None
         app = create_app(data_dir=data_dir)
         self.srv = make_server('0.0.0.0', 8778, app)