diff --git a/janine.example.conf b/janine.example.conf
index 611fc76..34cc998 100644
--- a/janine.example.conf
+++ b/janine.example.conf
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ BIWAPP = y            # Warnmeldungen
 Landkreis = Stuttgart # Warnungen für diesen Landkreis weiterleiten
 Recipients = some.user@xmpp.server,other@xmpp.server # Empfänger
 Timeout=630           # Zeit in Sekunden nach welcher nach neuen Warnungen geschaut wird
+DataDir = /etc/janine/data # Verzeichnis für persistente Daten
 
 [Bot]
 Avatar = /etc/janine/avatar.png         # Bot Avatar (Optional)
diff --git a/janine/janine.py b/janine/janine.py
index 6620c87..ae3a60d 100644
--- a/janine/janine.py
+++ b/janine/janine.py
@@ -73,8 +73,11 @@ class WarningBot:
         self._client = None
         self._refresh_timeout = 630 # 15min
 
+        # Configuration stuff
+        self._data_dir = ''
+
         self._load_config()
-        
+
     async def connect(self):
         '''
         Starts the "event loop" of the bot
@@ -85,19 +88,20 @@ class WarningBot:
 
         # First we check if the entered Landkreis is valid
         channels = {}
-        if not os.path.exists('/etc/janine/channels.json'):
+        channel_file = os.path.join(self._data_dir, 'channels.json')
+        if not os.path.exists(channel_file):
             log.debug('Requesting search channels')
             req = requests.get(MiscDataSources.channels())
             channels = json.loads(req.text)
 
             try:
-                with open('/etc/janine/channels.json', 'w') as f:
+                with open(channel_file, 'w') as f:
                     f.write(json.dumps(channels))
             except Exception as err:
                 log.error('Failed to cache channel data:')
                 log.error(str(err))
         else:
-            with open('/etc/janine/channels.json', 'r') as f:
+            with open(channel_file, 'r') as f:
                 channels = json.loads(f.read())
         
         for key in channels.keys():
@@ -219,6 +223,7 @@ class WarningBot:
     
         # Configure sources
         self._sources = sources_from_config(config)
+        self._data_dir = config['General'].get('DataDir', '/etc/janine')
         self._landkreis = config['General']['Landkreis']
         self._recipients = config['General']['Recipients'].split(',')
         self._refresh_timeout = int(config['General']['Timeout'])