diff --git a/Bot/main.py b/Bot/main.py
index d560d11..8183dd5 100644
--- a/Bot/main.py
+++ b/Bot/main.py
@@ -17,14 +17,39 @@ from typing import (
     Set,
     Any,
 )
+
+import importlib
+import importlib.util
 from bot import (
     Datatype,
     Posts,
     Row,
 )
 
-# configuration is now a Python module instead of a JSON file
-from config import config as cfg, TEMPLATE
+# configuration will be loaded later once we have ensured the package is
+# in place.  this avoids import errors when the ``config`` directory is
+# provided via a volume mount that is initially empty.
+
+cfg = None  # type: ignore
+TEMPLATE = None  # type: ignore
+
+# fallback template used when the config module cannot yet be imported
+DEFAULT_TEMPLATE = """# configuration for DeletedPosts bot
+# edit the values of the dictionary below and restart the bot
+
+config = {
+    "client_id": "",
+    "client_secret": "",
+    "user_agent": "",
+    "username": "",
+    "password": "",
+    "sub_name": "",
+    # numeric settings are stored as integers here rather than strings
+    "max_days": 180,
+    "max_posts": 180,
+    "sleep_minutes": 5,
+}
+"""
 
 
 # the old JSON-based interactive configuration helper has been removed.  the
@@ -36,15 +61,35 @@ from config import config as cfg, TEMPLATE
 
 config_dir = Path(utils.BASE_DIR, 'config')
 config_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-config_path = Path(config_dir, 'config.py')
-# ensure a configuration file exists - if not, write the template and exit so
-# the user can edit it.
+# make config a package so it can be imported later; if __init__.py is missing
+# (for example a freshly mounted empty volume), create a minimal one.
+init_file = config_dir / "__init__.py"
+if not init_file.exists():
+    init_file.write_text("# config package\n")
+
+config_path = config_dir / 'config.py'
+# if the config file itself is missing, write the template and exit. we need to
+# import the template name from the module, but since the file was just created
+# we'll import once below after ensuring the package exists.
 if not config_path.exists():
-    config_path.write_text(TEMPLATE)
+    # write fallback template if we haven't yet imported the module
+    fallback = TEMPLATE or DEFAULT_TEMPLATE
+    config_path.write_text(fallback)
     print(f"Created new configuration template at {config_path!r}.\n"
           "Please populate the values and restart the bot.")
     sys.exit(0)
 
+# now that the package structure exists and config file is present, import it
+import importlib
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("config", str(config_path))
+config_mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+# insert into sys.modules so conventional imports work
+sys.modules["config"] = config_mod
+if spec.loader:
+    spec.loader.exec_module(config_mod)  # type: ignore
+cfg = config_mod.config
+TEMPLATE = config_mod.TEMPLATE
+
 posts = Posts('deleted_posts', config_dir)
 logger = Logger(1)
 untracked_flairs = (utils.Flair.SOLVED, utils.Flair.ABANDONED)
diff --git a/Bot/utils/actions.py b/Bot/utils/actions.py
index c477316..d3e557f 100644
--- a/Bot/utils/actions.py
+++ b/Bot/utils/actions.py
@@ -54,13 +54,34 @@ Ban Template;
     You can read [our rules](https://reddit.com/r/MinecraftHelp/wiki/rules) to see if you're eligible to appeal this ban."""
 
 
+# default template used when resetting the configuration.  this mirrors
+# the template defined in ``config/config.py``; keeping a copy here avoids
+# depending on the module itself being importable (which can fail if the
+# directory is newly mounted or otherwise not part of sys.path).
+DEFAULT_TEMPLATE = """# configuration for DeletedPosts bot
+# edit the values of the dictionary below and restart the bot
+
+config = {
+    "client_id": "",
+    "client_secret": "",
+    "user_agent": "",
+    "username": "",
+    "password": "",
+    "sub_name": "",
+    # numeric settings are stored as integers here rather than strings
+    "max_days": 180,
+    "max_posts": 180,
+    "sleep_minutes": 5,
+}
+"""
+
 def parse_cmd_line_args(args: List[str], logger: Logger, config_file: Path, posts: Posts) -> bool:
     """Parse a very small set of operations from ``sys.argv``.
 
     ``config_file`` now refers to the Python configuration module path
     (typically ``.../config/config.py``).  ``reset_config`` will overwrite the
-    file with the default template, which is imported from the configuration
-    module itself so that it does not need to be duplicated here.
+    file with a default template; the template is defined above to avoid
+    importing the configuration module directly.
     """
     help_msg = """Command line help prompt
     Command: help
@@ -79,11 +100,9 @@ def parse_cmd_line_args(args: List[str], logger: Logger, config_file: Path, post
         if args[1] == 'help':
             logger.info(help_msg)
         elif args[1] == 'reset_config':
-            # write the template text back to the configuration file.  import
-            # TEMPLATE lazily in case the module has not yet been created.
+            # write the default template text back to the configuration file.
             try:
-                from config import TEMPLATE
-                config_file.write_text(TEMPLATE)
+                config_file.write_text(DEFAULT_TEMPLATE)
             except Exception:
                 logger.error("Unable to reset configuration file")
         elif args[1] == 'reset_db':
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index fa81d91..ba932d1 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ WORKDIR /app
 
 # Copy application files
 COPY Bot ./Bot
+COPY config ./config
 
+# prepare configuration directory (volume may later overwrite it)
 RUN mkdir -p /app/config
 
 # Install dependencies
diff --git a/config/__init__.py b/config/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..539502b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# make ``config`` a package so it can be imported from anywhere in the
+# project.  re-export the important names for convenience.
+
+from .config import config, TEMPLATE