diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 0f66338..b877f8c 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 include man/man1/isso.1
 include man/man5/isso.conf.5
 
+include isso/defaults.ini
 include share/isso.conf
 
 include isso/js/embed.min.js
diff --git a/isso/__init__.py b/isso/__init__.py
index 7890118..6a85c88 100644
--- a/isso/__init__.py
+++ b/isso/__init__.py
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def main():
     serve = subparser.add_parser("run", help="run server")
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
-    conf = config.load(join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf"), args.conf)
+    conf = config.load(join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini"), args.conf)
 
     if args.command == "import":
         conf.set("guard", "enabled", "off")
diff --git a/isso/defaults.ini b/isso/defaults.ini
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..41e0a1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/isso/defaults.ini
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../share/isso.conf
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/isso/dispatch.py b/isso/dispatch.py
index c9fd2cc..def980e 100644
--- a/isso/dispatch.py
+++ b/isso/dispatch.py
@@ -20,16 +20,17 @@ class Dispatcher(DispatcherMiddleware):
     a relative URI, e.g. /foo.example and /other.bar.
     """
 
-    default = os.path.join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf")
+    conf = os.path.join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini")
 
     def __init__(self, *confs):
 
         self.isso = {}
 
-        for i, conf in enumerate(map(config.load(Dispatcher.default, conf))):
+        for path in confs:
+            conf = config.load(Dispatcher.conf, path)
 
             if not conf.get("general", "name"):
-                logger.warn("unable to dispatch %r, no 'name' set", confs[i])
+                logger.warn("unable to dispatch %r, no 'name' set", path)
                 continue
 
             self.isso["/" + conf.get("general", "name")] = make_app(conf)
diff --git a/isso/run.py b/isso/run.py
index 7a003b5..2b5fa9b 100644
--- a/isso/run.py
+++ b/isso/run.py
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@ from isso import dist, config
 
 application = make_app(
     config.load(
-        os.path.join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf"),
+        os.path.join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini"),
         os.environ.get('ISSO_SETTINGS')),
     multiprocessing=True)
diff --git a/isso/tests/test_comments.py b/isso/tests/test_comments.py
index 70bd3a3..29af342 100644
--- a/isso/tests/test_comments.py
+++ b/isso/tests/test_comments.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class TestComments(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         fd, self.path = tempfile.mkstemp()
-        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf"))
+        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini"))
         conf.set("general", "dbpath", self.path)
         conf.set("guard", "enabled", "off")
         conf.set("hash", "algorithm", "none")
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class TestModeratedComments(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         fd, self.path = tempfile.mkstemp()
-        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf"))
+        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini"))
         conf.set("general", "dbpath", self.path)
         conf.set("moderation", "enabled", "true")
         conf.set("guard", "enabled", "off")
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ class TestPurgeComments(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         fd, self.path = tempfile.mkstemp()
-        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf"))
+        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini"))
         conf.set("general", "dbpath", self.path)
         conf.set("moderation", "enabled", "true")
         conf.set("guard", "enabled", "off")
diff --git a/isso/tests/test_guard.py b/isso/tests/test_guard.py
index 837d492..c76eb82 100644
--- a/isso/tests/test_guard.py
+++ b/isso/tests/test_guard.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class TestGuard(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def makeClient(self, ip, ratelimit=2, direct_reply=3, self_reply=False):
 
-        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf"))
+        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini"))
         conf.set("general", "dbpath", self.path)
         conf.set("hash", "algorithm", "none")
         conf.set("guard", "enabled", "true")
diff --git a/isso/tests/test_vote.py b/isso/tests/test_vote.py
index f6817a0..4266654 100644
--- a/isso/tests/test_vote.py
+++ b/isso/tests/test_vote.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class TestVote(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def makeClient(self, ip):
 
-        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "share", "isso.conf"))
+        conf = config.load(os.path.join(dist.location, "isso", "defaults.ini"))
         conf.set("general", "dbpath", self.path)
         conf.set("guard", "enabled", "off")
         conf.set("hash", "algorithm", "none")