diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d63ab72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+*
+!/src
+!/static
+!/.cargo
+!/Cargo.toml
+!/rust-toolchain.toml
+!/build.rs
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 34a38b7..af7fa39 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ built = { version = "0.7.4", features = ["git2"] }
 git2 = { version = "0.19", features = ["vendored-libgit2"] }
 
 [features]
-default = ["wordle", "nortverse"]
+default = []
 wordle = ["dep:kwordle"]
 nortverse = []
+docker = ["wordle", "nortverse"]
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 702bce5..4094b12 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,21 +1,58 @@
-FROM clux/muslrust:nightly AS chef
-USER root
-RUN cargo install cargo-chef
-WORKDIR /app
+# rust with musl development utilities & cargo chef preinstalled
+FROM ghcr.io/perpetualcacophony/muslrust-chef:nightly AS chef
+WORKDIR /build
+
+
 
 FROM chef AS planner
-COPY . .
+
+# cargo chef prepare wants these files
+COPY Cargo.toml .
+COPY src/main.rs src/
+
+# create the cargo chef recipe file
 RUN cargo +nightly chef prepare --recipe-path recipe.json
 
+
+
 FROM chef AS builder
-COPY --link --from=planner /app/recipe.json recipe.json
-RUN cargo +nightly chef cook --release --target x86_64-unknown-linux-musl --recipe-path recipe.json
+
+# copy recipe file to builder
+COPY --link --from=planner /build/recipe.json .
+
+# cargo chef cook to cache dependencies from recipe file
+RUN cargo +nightly chef cook \
+    --release \
+    --target x86_64-unknown-linux-musl \
+    --recipe-path recipe.json \
+    --features docker
+
+# copy the rest of the source code to builder
 COPY . .
-RUN touch /app/build.rs
-RUN cargo +nightly build --release --target x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
 
+# touch the build script to ensure cargo runs it
+RUN touch build.rs
+
+# build binary
+RUN cargo +nightly build \
+    --release \
+    --target x86_64-unknown-linux-musl \
+    --features docker
+
+    
+
+# using alpine for small final image
 FROM alpine AS runtime
-COPY --link --from=builder /app/target/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/release/slimebot /usr/local/bin/slimebot
+
+# add slimebot user & group
+RUN addgroup --system slimebot && \
+    adduser --system slimebot --ingroup slimebot
+
 EXPOSE 443
+
+# copy binary from builder
+COPY --link --from=builder --chown=slimebot:slimebot /build/target/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/release/slimebot /usr/local/bin/slimebot
+
 USER slimebot:slimebot
-ENTRYPOINT ["slimebot"]
\ No newline at end of file
+
+ENTRYPOINT slimebot
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/framework/config.rs b/src/framework/config.rs
index b2527bb..5dd012b 100644
--- a/src/framework/config.rs
+++ b/src/framework/config.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+
 use poise::serenity_prelude::{ActivityData, ChannelId, GuildId, RoleId};
 use rand::seq::IteratorRandom;
 use serde::Deserialize;
@@ -190,8 +192,14 @@ pub struct DbConfig {
 }
 
 impl DbConfig {
-    pub fn url(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.url
+    pub fn url(&self) -> Cow<str> {
+        #[cfg(feature = "docker")]
+        if let Ok(db_url) = std::env::var("SLIMEBOT_DB_URL") {
+            info!(db_url, "using db url override from environment");
+            return db_url.into();
+        }
+
+        (&self.url).into()
     }
 
     pub fn username(&self) -> &str {
diff --git a/src/framework/data.rs b/src/framework/data.rs
index 9315b8f..4bfb368 100644
--- a/src/framework/data.rs
+++ b/src/framework/data.rs
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@ impl PoiseData {
             info!(path, "looking for config file with SLIMEBOT_TOML...");
             path
         } else {
-            warn!("SLIMEBOT_TOML env unset, using default path /usr/share/slimebot/slimebot.toml");
-            "/usr/share/slimebot/slimebot.toml".to_owned()
+            #[cfg(not(feature = "docker"))]
+            let path = "./slimebot.toml".to_owned();
+
+            #[cfg(feature = "docker")]
+            let path = "/slimebot.toml".to_owned();
+
+            warn!(path, "SLIMEBOT_TOML env unset, using default path");
+            path
         };
 
         let config: super::config::Config = ::config::Config::builder()