diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2b761f2..e392609 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 node_modules/
 data/
-config/settings.json
+/config/settings-local.json
 .vscode
-**.DS_Store
\ No newline at end of file
+**.DS_Store
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index dc55a5d..9de803e 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ FROM mhart/alpine-node:8
 
 ENV NODE_VERSION 8.9.4
 
+RUN apk add --no-cache make gcc g++ python bash
+
 WORKDIR /var/expressCart
 
+COPY lib/ /var/expressCart/lib/
 COPY bin/ /var/expressCart/bin/
 COPY config/ /var/expressCart/config/
 COPY public/ /var/expressCart/public/
@@ -19,4 +22,4 @@ RUN npm install
 VOLUME /var/expressCart/data
 
 EXPOSE 1111
-ENTRYPOINT ["npm", "start"]
\ No newline at end of file
+ENTRYPOINT ["npm", "start"]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f73dd0a..c9460b3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -122,7 +122,13 @@ Note: The `databaseConnectionString` property requires a full connection string.
 
 ## Configuration
 
-All settings are managed from the admin panel ([http://127.0.0.1:1111/admin](http://127.0.0.1:1111/admin)) except the Payment gateway and database settings.
+Settings can be managed from the admin panel ([http://127.0.0.1:1111/admin](http://127.0.0.1:1111/admin)) with the exception of the Payment gateway and database settings.
+
+All settings are stored in json files in the `/config` directory. The main application-level settings are stored in `/config/settings.json` while payment gateway settings are stored in files in the `/config` directory named after the payment gateway. For example, configuration for the Stripe payment gateway is stored in `/config/stripe.json`.
+
+##### Local configuration
+
+If you'd rather store settings in a file which isn't checked into version control, you can create a new settings file at `/config/settings-local.json` and store your complete settings there. When viewing or editing settings in the admin panel, expressCart will detect the existence of this file and update it accordingly.
 
 ##### Cart name and Cart description
 
diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index d831e44..815f28d 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -249,6 +249,15 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
     next();
 });
 
+// update config when modified
+app.use((req, res, next) => {
+    next();
+    if (res.configDirty) {
+        config = common.getConfig();
+        app.config = config;
+    }
+});
+
 // Ran on all routes
 app.use((req, res, next) => {
     res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'no-cache, no-store');
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 1aedb15..a3302a0 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ services:
       - mongodb
   mongodb:
     image: mongo:3.4.10
-    container_name: "mongodb"
+    container_name: "expresscart-mongodb"
     ports:
       - 27017
     volumes:
-      - mongo-data:/data/db
+      - expresscart-mongo-data:/data/db
     ports:
       - 27017:27017
     command: mongod --smallfiles --logpath=/dev/null
 volumes:
-  mongo-data:
\ No newline at end of file
+  expresscart-mongo-data:
diff --git a/lib/common.js b/lib/common.js
index a1f51b9..89e0d2f 100644
--- a/lib/common.js
+++ b/lib/common.js
@@ -217,8 +217,17 @@ exports.getImages = (dir, req, res, callback) => {
     });
 };
 
+exports.getConfigFilename = () => {
+    let filename = path.join(__dirname, '../config', 'settings-local.json');
+    if (fs.existsSync(filename)) {
+      return filename;
+    } else {
+      return path.join(__dirname, '../config', 'settings.json');
+    }
+};
+
 exports.getConfig = () => {
-    let config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '../config', 'settings.json'), 'utf8'));
+    let config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(exports.getConfigFilename(), 'utf8'));
     config.customCss = typeof config.customCss !== 'undefined' ? escape.decode(config.customCss) : null;
     config.footerHtml = typeof config.footerHtml !== 'undefined' ? escape.decode(config.footerHtml) : null;
     config.googleAnalytics = typeof config.googleAnalytics !== 'undefined' ? escape.decode(config.googleAnalytics) : null;
@@ -255,7 +264,7 @@ exports.getPaymentConfig = () => {
 };
 
 exports.updateConfig = (fields) => {
-    let settingsFile = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '../config/settings.json'), 'utf8'));
+    let settingsFile = exports.getConfig();
 
     _.forEach(fields, (value, key) => {
         settingsFile[key] = value;
@@ -311,7 +320,7 @@ exports.updateConfig = (fields) => {
 
     // write file
     try{
-        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '../config/settings.json'), JSON.stringify(settingsFile, null, 4));
+        fs.writeFileSync(exports.getConfigFilename(), JSON.stringify(settingsFile, null, 4));
         return true;
     }catch(exception){
         return false;
diff --git a/routes/admin.js b/routes/admin.js
index d487bbb..6fedb4b 100644
--- a/routes/admin.js
+++ b/routes/admin.js
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ router.post('/admin/settings/update', common.restrict, common.checkAccess, (req,
     let result = common.updateConfig(req.body);
     if(result === true){
         res.status(200).json({message: 'Settings successfully updated'});
+        res.configDirty = true;
         return;
     }
     res.status(400).json({message: 'Permission denied'});