diff --git a/build/Makefile b/build/Makefile
index 42d6304..01f0486 100644
--- a/build/Makefile
+++ b/build/Makefile
@@ -33,11 +33,12 @@ OBJ += log.o misc_tools.o prompt.o settings.o toxic.o toxic_strings.o windows.o
 AUDIO_LIBS = libtoxav openal
 AUDIO_CFLAGS = -D_AUDIO
 AUDIO_OBJ = device.o audio_call.o
+AV_LOADED = 0
 
 # Variables for sound notify support
 SND_NOTIFY_LIBS = openal freealut
 SND_NOTIFY_CFLAGS = -D_SOUND_NOTIFY
-SND_NOTIFY_OBJ = device.o
+SND_NOTIFY_OBJ =
 
 # Check on wich system we are running
 UNAME_S = $(shell uname -s)
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ ifneq ($(CHECK_AUDIO_LIBS), error)
 	LIBS += $(AUDIO_LIBS)
 	CFLAGS += $(AUDIO_CFLAGS)
 	OBJ += $(AUDIO_OBJ)
+	AV_LOADED = 1
 else
 ifneq ($(MAKECMDGOALS), clean)
 MISSING_AUDIO_LIBS = $(shell for lib in $(AUDIO_LIBS) ; do if ! pkg-config $$lib ; then echo $$lib ; fi ; done)
@@ -96,7 +98,13 @@ CHECK_NOTIFY_LIBS = $(shell pkg-config $(SND_NOTIFY_LIBS) || echo -n "error")
 ifneq ($(CHECK_NOTIFY_LIBS), error)
 	LIBS += $(SND_NOTIFY_LIBS)
 	CFLAGS += $(SND_NOTIFY_CFLAGS)
+
+# device.o is needed for both audio calls and notifications but should only be loaded once
+ifneq ($(AV_LOADED), 1)
+	SND_NOTIFY_OBJ += device.o
+endif
 	OBJ += $(SND_NOTIFY_OBJ)
+
 else
 ifneq ($(MAKECMDGOALS), clean)
 MISSING_NOTIFY_LIBS = $(shell for lib in $(SND_NOTIFY_LIBS) ; do if ! pkg-config $$lib ; then echo $$lib ; fi ; done)
diff --git a/misc/toxic.conf.example b/misc/toxic.conf.example
index 76b1964..889ddd0 100644
--- a/misc/toxic.conf.example
+++ b/misc/toxic.conf.example
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ ui = {
   // true to enable timestamps, false to disable
   timestamps:true;
 
-  // true to disabale terminal alerts on messages, false to enable
+  // true to enable terminal alerts on messages, false to disable
   alerts:true;
 
   // true to use native terminal colours, false to use toxic default colour theme
-  native_colors:true;
+  native_colors:false;
 
   // true to enable autologging, false to disable
   autolog:false;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ audio = {
 
 tox = {
   // where to store received files
-  download_path="/home/USERNAME/Downloads/";
+  // download_path="/home/USERNAME/Downloads/";
 };
 
 sounds = {
diff --git a/src/settings.c b/src/settings.c
index 11e7897..ac4c915 100644
--- a/src/settings.c
+++ b/src/settings.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ const struct _tox_strings {
 
 static void tox_defaults(struct user_settings* settings)
 {
-    /*settings->download_path;*/ /* TODO: Set this? */
+    strcpy(settings->download_path, "");    /* explicitly set default to pwd */
 }
 
 #ifdef _AUDIO
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ const struct _sound_strings {
 };
 #endif
 
-int settings_load(struct user_settings *s, char *path)
+int settings_load(struct user_settings *s, const char *patharg)
 {
     config_t cfg[1];
     config_setting_t *setting;
@@ -138,9 +138,29 @@ int settings_load(struct user_settings *s, char *path)
 #endif
     
     config_init(cfg);
+
+    char path[MAX_STR_SIZE];
+
+    /* use default config file path */
+    if (patharg == NULL) {
+        char *user_config_dir = get_user_config_dir();
+        snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s%stoxic.conf", user_config_dir, CONFIGDIR);
+        free(user_config_dir);
+
+        /* make sure path exists or is created on first time running */
+        FILE *fp = fopen(path, "r");
+
+        if (fp == NULL) {
+            if ((fp = fopen(path, "w")) == NULL)
+                return -1;
+        }
+
+        fclose(fp);
+    } else {
+        snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s", patharg);
+    }
     
-    if(!config_read_file(cfg, path))
-    {
+    if (!config_read_file(cfg, path)) {
         config_destroy(cfg);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -159,7 +179,6 @@ int settings_load(struct user_settings *s, char *path)
     
     if ((setting = config_lookup(cfg, tox_strings.self)) != NULL) {
         if ( config_setting_lookup_string(setting, tox_strings.download_path, &str) ) {
-            s->download_path = calloc(1, strlen(str) + 1);
             strcpy(s->download_path, str);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/settings.h b/src/settings.h
index cd5243e..0c585c7 100644
--- a/src/settings.h
+++ b/src/settings.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ struct user_settings {
     int timestamps;        /* boolean */
     int colour_theme;      /* boolean (0 for default toxic colours) */
     int history_size;      /* int between MIN_HISTORY and MAX_HISTORY */
-    char* download_path;
+    char download_path[MAX_STR_SIZE];
 
 #ifdef _AUDIO
     int audio_in_dev;
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@ enum {
     DFLT_HST_SIZE = 700,
 } settings_values;
 
-int settings_load(struct user_settings *s, char *path);
+int settings_load(struct user_settings *s, const char *patharg);
 
 #endif /* #define _settings_h */