diff --git a/river/Config.zig b/river/Config.zig
index 6add4cd..a2814f1 100644
--- a/river/Config.zig
+++ b/river/Config.zig
@@ -26,22 +26,22 @@ const Server = @import("Server.zig");
 const Mapping = @import("Mapping.zig");
 
 /// Color of background in RGBA (alpha should only affect nested sessions)
-background_color: [4]f32,
+background_color: [4]f32 = [_]f32{ 0.0, 0.16862745, 0.21176471, 1.0 }, // Solarized base03
 
 /// Width of borders in pixels
-border_width: u32,
+border_width: u32 = 2,
 
 /// Color of border of focused window in RGBA
-border_color_focused: [4]f32,
+border_color_focused: [4]f32 = [_]f32{ 0.57647059, 0.63137255, 0.63137255, 1.0 }, // Solarized base1
 
 /// Color of border of unfocused window in RGBA
-border_color_unfocused: [4]f32,
+border_color_unfocused: [4]f32 = [_]f32{ 0.34509804, 0.43137255, 0.45882353, 1.0 }, // Solarized base0
 
 /// Amount of view padding in pixels
-view_padding: u32,
+view_padding: u32 = 8,
 
 /// Amount of padding arount the outer edge of the layout in pixels
-outer_padding: u32,
+outer_padding: u32 = 8,
 
 /// Map of keymap mode name to mode id
 mode_to_id: std.StringHashMap(usize),
@@ -55,29 +55,23 @@ float_filter: std.ArrayList([]const u8),
 /// List of app_ids which are allowed to use client side decorations
 csd_filter: std.ArrayList([]const u8),
 
-pub fn init(self: *Self) !void {
-    self.background_color = [_]f32{ 0.0, 0.16862745, 0.21176471, 1.0 }; // Solarized base03
-    self.border_width = 2;
-    self.border_color_focused = [_]f32{ 0.57647059, 0.63137255, 0.63137255, 1.0 }; // Solarized base1
-    self.border_color_unfocused = [_]f32{ 0.34509804, 0.43137255, 0.45882353, 1.0 }; // Solarized base0
-    self.view_padding = 8;
-    self.outer_padding = 8;
-
-    self.mode_to_id = std.StringHashMap(usize).init(util.gpa);
-    errdefer self.mode_to_id.deinit();
+pub fn init() !Self {
+    var mode_to_id = std.StringHashMap(usize).init(util.gpa);
+    errdefer mode_to_id.deinit();
     const owned_slice = try std.mem.dupe(util.gpa, u8, "normal");
     errdefer util.gpa.free(owned_slice);
-    try self.mode_to_id.putNoClobber(owned_slice, 0);
+    try mode_to_id.putNoClobber(owned_slice, 0);
 
-    self.modes = std.ArrayList(std.ArrayList(Mapping)).init(util.gpa);
-    errdefer self.modes.deinit();
-    try self.modes.append(std.ArrayList(Mapping).init(util.gpa));
+    var modes = std.ArrayList(std.ArrayList(Mapping)).init(util.gpa);
+    errdefer modes.deinit();
+    try modes.append(std.ArrayList(Mapping).init(util.gpa));
 
-    self.float_filter = std.ArrayList([]const u8).init(util.gpa);
-    errdefer self.float_filter.deinit();
-
-    self.csd_filter = std.ArrayList([]const u8).init(util.gpa);
-    errdefer self.csd_filter.deinit();
+    return Self{
+        .mode_to_id = mode_to_id,
+        .modes = modes,
+        .float_filter = std.ArrayList([]const u8).init(util.gpa),
+        .csd_filter = std.ArrayList([]const u8).init(util.gpa),
+    };
 }
 
 pub fn deinit(self: Self) void {
diff --git a/river/Server.zig b/river/Server.zig
index e06e1c6..639c2fd 100644
--- a/river/Server.zig
+++ b/river/Server.zig
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ pub fn init(self: *Self) !void {
         c.wl_signal_add(&self.wlr_xwayland.events.new_surface, &self.listen_new_xwayland_surface);
     }
 
-    try self.config.init();
+    self.config = try Config.init();
     try self.decoration_manager.init(self);
     try self.root.init(self);
     // Must be called after root is initialized