diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index cfac66af1..3ae43acb0 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Bool(flagHeaders, false, flagHeadersDescription)
 
 	// config file options
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(flagSqlite, "", flagSqliteDescription)
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(flagSqlite, conf.Database.Dsn, flagSqliteDescription)
 	bindP(rootCmd, "database.dsn", flagSqlite)
 
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP("log", "l", "info", "Log level (fatal, error, warn, info, debug, trace)")
diff --git a/cmd/setup.go b/cmd/setup.go
index d20924967..795806a21 100644
--- a/cmd/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/setup.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func configureEnvironment(cmd *cobra.Command, conf config) (err error) {
 
 	// setup persistence
 	if err == nil && conf.Database.Dsn != "" {
-		if flag := cmd.Flags().Lookup(flagSqlite); flag.Changed {
+		if flag := cmd.Flags().Lookup(flagSqlite); flag != nil && flag.Changed {
 			conf.Database.Type = "sqlite"
 			conf.Database.Dsn = flag.Value.String()
 		}