diff --git a/src/bot_main.py b/src/bot_main.py
index 74ff7a02..211c162b 100644
--- a/src/bot_main.py
+++ b/src/bot_main.py
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 import asyncio
-import json
-import os
 import sys
 
 try:
@@ -10,13 +8,5 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
-with open(sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "pluralkit.conf") as f:
-    config = json.load(f)
-
-if "database_uri" not in config and "DATABASE_URI" not in os.environ:
-    print("Config file must contain key 'database_uri', or the environment variable DATABASE_URI must be present.")
-elif "token" not in config and "TOKEN" not in os.environ:
-    print("Config file must contain key 'token', or the environment variable TOKEN must be present.")
-else:
-    from pluralkit import bot
-    bot.run(os.environ.get("TOKEN", config.get("token")), os.environ.get("DATABASE_URI", config.get("database_uri")), int(config.get("log_channel", 0)))
\ No newline at end of file
+from pluralkit import bot
+bot.run(bot.Config.from_file_and_env(sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "pluralkit.conf"))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/pluralkit/bot/__init__.py b/src/pluralkit/bot/__init__.py
index d160d2f4..357d1a9d 100644
--- a/src/pluralkit/bot/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pluralkit/bot/__init__.py
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ import asyncio
 import sys
 
 import asyncpg
+from collections import namedtuple
 import discord
 import logging
+import json
 import os
 import traceback
 
@@ -12,13 +14,45 @@ from pluralkit.bot import commands, proxy, channel_logger, embeds
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="[%(asctime)s] [%(name)s] [%(levelname)s] %(message)s")
 
+class Config(namedtuple("Config", ["database_uri", "token", "log_channel"])):
+    required_fields = ["database_uri", "token"]
+
+    database_uri: str
+    token: str
+    log_channel: str
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def from_file_and_env(filename: str) -> "Config":
+        try:
+            with open(filename, "r") as f:
+                config = json.load(f)
+        except IOError as e:
+            # If all the required fields are specified as environment variables, it's OK to 
+            # not raise the IOError, we can just construct the dict from these
+            if all([rf.upper() in os.environ for rf in Config.required_fields]):
+                config = {}
+            else:
+                # If they aren't, though, then rethrow
+                raise e
+
+        # Override with environment variables
+        for f in Config._fields:
+            if f.upper() in os.environ:
+                config[f] = os.environ[f.upper()]
+
+        # If we currently don't have all the required fields, then raise
+        if not all([rf in config for rf in Config.required_fields]):
+            raise RuntimeError("Some required config fields were missing: " + ", ".join(filter(lambda rf: rf not in config, Config.required_fields)))
+
+        return Config(**config)
+
 
 def connect_to_database(uri: str) -> asyncpg.pool.Pool:
     return asyncio.get_event_loop().run_until_complete(db.connect(uri))
 
 
-def run(token: str, db_uri: str, log_channel_id: int):
-    pool = connect_to_database(db_uri)
+def run(config: Config):
+    pool = connect_to_database(config.database_uri)
 
     async def create_tables():
         async with pool.acquire() as conn:
@@ -78,9 +112,9 @@ def run(token: str, db_uri: str, log_channel_id: int):
 
         # Then log it to the given log channel
         # TODO: replace this with Sentry or something
-        if not log_channel_id:
+        if not config.log_channel:
             return
-        log_channel = client.get_channel(log_channel_id)
+        log_channel = client.get_channel(int(config.log_channel))
 
         # If this is a message event, we can attach additional information in an event
         # ie. username, channel, content, etc
@@ -102,4 +136,4 @@ def run(token: str, db_uri: str, log_channel_id: int):
         if len(traceback.format_exc()) >= (2000 - len("```python\n```")):
             traceback_str = "```python\n...{}```".format(traceback.format_exc()[- (2000 - len("```python\n...```")):])
         await log_channel.send(content=traceback_str, embed=embed)
-    client.run(token)
+    client.run(config.token)