diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 014452e..99db24c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ data/
 data.json
 data.json.bak
 settings*.conf
+NOTES.md
 
 # Tools
 wrapper/
diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 1887ef9..c28da6d 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -8,44 +8,29 @@ from modules.common.boot_notice import post_boot_notice
 
 # Version consists of:
 # Major.Enhancement.Minor.Patch.Test  (Test is alphanumeric; doesn’t trigger auto update)
-VERSION = "0.3.9.2.a3"
+VERSION = "0.3.9.2.a4"
 
 # ---------- Env & config loading ----------
 
 load_dotenv()
 
-TOKEN = os.getenv('DISCORD_TOKEN', '').strip()
-CONFIG_PATH = os.getenv('SHAI_CONFIG', '/config/settings.conf')
+def _get_env(name: str, default: str = "") -> str:
+    v = os.getenv(name, "")
+    # normalize stray quotes/whitespace Portainer sometimes injects
+    v = (v or "").strip().strip('"').strip("'")
+    return v if v else default
 
-config = ConfigParser()
-read_files = config.read(CONFIG_PATH)
-if not read_files:
-    print(f"[Config] INFO: no config at {CONFIG_PATH} (or unreadable). Will rely on env + defaults.")
-if 'DEFAULT' not in config:
-    config['DEFAULT'] = {}
+TOKEN = _get_env("DISCORD_TOKEN")
+DATA_FILE = _get_env("SHAI_DATA") or _get_env("SHAI_DATA_FILE") or "/data/data.json"
+CHECK_TIME_UTC = _get_env("CHECK_TIME_UTC", "03:00")
+IGNORE_TEST_LEVEL = int(_get_env("IGNORE_TEST_LEVEL", "1"))
+SHAI_HOME_GUILD_ID = _get_env("SHAI_HOME_GUILD_ID")
 
-def _overlay_env_into_config(cfg: ConfigParser):
-    d = cfg['DEFAULT']
-    for k, v in os.environ.items():
-        if not k.startswith('SHAI_'):
-            continue
-        key = k[5:].lower()
-        if key == 'data':
-            key = 'data_file'
-        if v is None:
-            continue
-        vv = str(v).strip().strip('"').strip("'")
-        if key == 'data_file' and not vv:
-            continue
-        d[key] = vv
-    if not d.get('data_file', '').strip():
-        d['data_file'] = '/data/data.json'
-
-print("[Config] SHAI_CONFIG:", os.getenv('SHAI_CONFIG', '(unset)'))
-print("[Config] DEFAULT keys now:", list(config['DEFAULT'].keys()))
-
-# IMPORTANT: apply env overlay BEFORE we read values from config
-_overlay_env_into_config(config)
+print("[Config] DISCORD_TOKEN set:", bool(TOKEN))
+print("[Config] DATA_FILE:", DATA_FILE)
+print("[Config] CHECK_TIME_UTC:", CHECK_TIME_UTC)
+print("[Config] IGNORE_TEST_LEVEL:", IGNORE_TEST_LEVEL)
+print("[Config] SHAI_HOME_GUILD_ID:", SHAI_HOME_GUILD_ID or "(unset)")
 
 # ---------- Discord intents ----------
 
@@ -58,16 +43,25 @@ intents.emojis_and_stickers = True
 intents.voice_states = True
 
 # ---------- Bot + DataManager ----------
-
-ddefault = config['DEFAULT']
-data_file = (ddefault.get('data_file', '') or '').strip() or '/data/data.json'
 if not TOKEN:
-    print("[Config] WARNING: DISCORD_TOKEN not set (env). Bot will fail to log in.")
-print(f"[Config] Using data_file: {data_file}")
+    print("[Config] WARNING: DISCORD_TOKEN is empty. The bot will fail to log in.")
 
 bot = commands.Bot(command_prefix='!', intents=intents)
-bot.config = config
-bot.data_manager = DataManager(data_file)
+
+# If you still want to pass “config” around, put a tiny dict on bot:
+bot.config = {
+    "check_time_utc": CHECK_TIME_UTC,
+    "ignore_test_level": IGNORE_TEST_LEVEL,
+    "home_guild_id": SHAI_HOME_GUILD_ID,
+}
+
+# Ensure the data path exists and file is seeded if missing
+os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(DATA_FILE), exist_ok=True)
+if not os.path.exists(DATA_FILE):
+    with open(DATA_FILE, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write("{}")
+
+bot.data_manager = DataManager(DATA_FILE)
 
 # ---------- Self-check helpers ----------
 
@@ -112,12 +106,11 @@ async def on_ready():
           "/ message_content:", bot.intents.message_content,
           "/ voice_states:", bot.intents.voice_states)
 
-    # Per-guild permission sanity checks (console log)
-    await asyncio.gather(*[_guild_selfcheck(g, bot.config['DEFAULT']) for g in bot.guilds])
+    await asyncio.gather(*[_guild_selfcheck(g, bot.config) for g in bot.guilds])
 
-    # Slash command sync
+    # Slash sync — now reading from dict
     try:
-        dev_gid = bot.config['DEFAULT'].get('dev_guild_id')
+        dev_gid = bot.config.get('dev_guild_id')
         if dev_gid:
             guild = bot.get_guild(int(dev_gid))
             if guild:
@@ -132,7 +125,6 @@ async def on_ready():
     except Exception as e:
         print("[Slash] Sync failed:", repr(e))
 
-    # Post boot status message (wrapper/env-driven or RSS fallback)
     try:
         await post_boot_notice(bot)
     except Exception as e:
@@ -156,7 +148,7 @@ def _install_signal_handlers(loop, bot):
         try:
             loop.add_signal_handler(s, _graceful)
         except NotImplementedError:
-            pass  # Windows
+            pass
 
 async def main():
     async with bot:
@@ -171,4 +163,4 @@ async def main():
         await bot.start(TOKEN)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    asyncio.run(main())
+    asyncio.run(main())
\ No newline at end of file