diff --git a/src/bindings.c b/src/bindings.c
index 048353c01..0719c3624 100755
--- a/src/bindings.c
+++ b/src/bindings.c
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ static void parse_inifile(lua_State * L, const dictionary * d, const char *secti
     lua_pushstring(L, "reportpath");
     lua_pushstring(L, reportpath());
     lua_rawset(L, -3);
-    arg = config_get("config.rules");
+    arg = config_get("game.rules");
     if (arg) {
         lua_pushstring(L, "rules");
         lua_pushstring(L, arg);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 2ab33007f..5ab51a682 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ static const char * valid_keys[] = {
     "game.locale",
     "game.verbose",
     "game.report",
+    "game.rules",
     "game.memcheck",
     "game.email",
     "game.mailcmd",
@@ -89,25 +90,30 @@ static const char * valid_keys[] = {
     NULL
 };
 
+static dictionary * load_config(const char *path)
+{
+    log_debug("reading from configuration file %s\n", path);
+    return iniparser_load(path);
+}
+
 static dictionary *parse_config(const char *filename)
 {
-    dictionary *d;
-    const char *str, *cfgpath = config_get("config.path");
+    char path[PATH_MAX];
+    dictionary *d = NULL;
+    const char *str;
 
-    if (cfgpath) {
-        char path[PATH_MAX];
-        path_join(cfgpath, filename, path, sizeof(path));
-        log_debug("reading from configuration file %s\n", path);
-        d = iniparser_load(path);
-    }
-    else {
-        log_debug("reading from configuration file %s\n", filename);
-        d = iniparser_load(filename);
+    d = load_config(filename);
+    if (!d) {
+        path_join(basepath(), filename, path, sizeof(path));
+        d = load_config(path);
     }
     if (d) {
         config_set_from(d, valid_keys);
         load_inifile();
     }
+    else {
+        log_fatal("could not find eressea.ini");
+    }
     str = config_get("game.locales");
     make_locales(str ? str : "de,en");
     return d;
@@ -205,7 +211,7 @@ static int parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
                 break;
             case 'C':
                 i = get_arg(argc, argv, 2, i, &arg, 0);
-                config_set("config.path", arg);
+                inifile = arg;
                 break;
             case 'r':
                 i = get_arg(argc, argv, 2, i, &arg, 0);
diff --git a/tests/eressea.ini b/tests/eressea.ini
index 3eb8e6189..bdd9094d2 100644
--- a/tests/eressea.ini
+++ b/tests/eressea.ini
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 [game]
+rules = e2
 name = Eressea
 id = 2
 email = eressea-server@kn-bremen.de
-verbose                        = 0
-locales                        = de,en
+verbose = 0
+locales = de,en
 
 [lua]
-install                        = ..
-maxnmrs                        = 20
-rules                          = e2
+install = ..
+maxnmrs = 20