diff --git a/pleroma-comments.lua b/pleroma-comments.lua
index 1c289ce..716d7bf 100644
--- a/pleroma-comments.lua
+++ b/pleroma-comments.lua
@@ -1,8 +1,27 @@
 
--- can't resolve seggfault on luasec, luasocket'
--- local https = "wget"
 local json = require("cjson")
 
+pleroma_avatar_save_path = nil  -- location of downloaded images
+pleroma_avatar_path = nil       -- prepended to image file, written on page
+-- to configure, put above vars in a file named 'config.lua'
+pcall(
+    function () 
+        dofile("config.lua")
+    end
+)
+--[[
+
+if these variables are still `nil` after `dofile()` then
+the script will look for it in the yaml header.
+
+note: lua filters can not access variables defined on the command line,
+e.g `pandoc -V foo="bar"`
+and it may not be ideal to define paths in yaml headers,
+i.e changing the path for avatars on a website would involve editing each 
+manuscript.
+
+]]--
+
 -- for testing 
 function printTable(t)
     if t then
@@ -347,17 +366,22 @@ function Meta(meta)
         return -- abort
     end
 
+    -- if both are defined, then do not hotlink avatars
+    if not pleroma_avatar_save_path then
+        pleroma_avatar_save_path = meta["pleroma-avatar-save-path"]
+    end
+    if not pleroma_avatar_path then
+        pleroma_avatar_path = meta["pleroma-avatar-path"]
+    end
     -- most servers appear to serve hotilnked avatars however
     -- images will be missing in case of downtime or shutdown
-    local is_hotlink = true
-    -- where to save downloaded avatars
-    local pleroma_avatar_save_path = meta["pleroma-avatar-save-path"]
-    -- (page) path written on the page-
-    local pleroma_avatar_path = meta["pleroma-avatar-path"]
-    -- if both are defined, then do not hotlink avatars
-    if pleroma_avatar_save_path and pleroma_avatar_path then
-        is_hotlink = false
-    end
+    -- OR a user has changed their avatar and the old avatar gets deleted
+
+    -- var currently unused
+--     local is_hotlink = true 
+--     if pleroma_avatar_save_path and pleroma_avatar_path then
+--         is_hotlink = false
+--     end
 
     local all_replies = {}
     local hrefs = {}
@@ -385,11 +409,9 @@ function Meta(meta)
     local c, i, l = write_comments(
         all_replies, 
         "https://" .. host,
-        "images/avatars/"
+        pleroma_avatar_path
     )
-    printTable(i)
-    printTable(l)
-    get_images(i, l, "test/images/avatars/")
+    get_images(i, l, pleroma_avatar_save_path)
     meta["pleroma-comments"] = c
     meta["pleroma-comments-count"] = #c
     meta["pleroma-has-comments"] = (#c > 0)