diff --git a/internal/app/configfile/manager.go b/internal/app/configfile/manager.go
index 0f695315..3ec1a961 100644
--- a/internal/app/configfile/manager.go
+++ b/internal/app/configfile/manager.go
@@ -5,15 +5,16 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
 	"github.com/h44z/wg-portal/internal/app"
 	"github.com/h44z/wg-portal/internal/config"
 	"github.com/h44z/wg-portal/internal/domain"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	evbus "github.com/vardius/message-bus"
 	"github.com/yeqown/go-qrcode/v2"
-	"io"
-	"os"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 type Manager struct {
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ type Manager struct {
 	bus        evbus.MessageBus
 	tplHandler *TemplateHandler
 
-	fsRepo FileSystemRepo // can be nil if storing the configuration is disabled
+	fsRepo FileSystemRepo
 	users  UserDatabaseRepo
 	wg     WireguardDatabaseRepo
 }
@@ -42,18 +43,18 @@ func NewConfigFileManager(cfg *config.Config, bus evbus.MessageBus, users UserDa
 		wg:     wg,
 	}
 
-	if err := m.createStorageDirectory(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if m.cfg.Advanced.ConfigStoragePath != "" {
+		if err := m.createStorageDirectory(); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		m.connectToMessageBus()
 	}
 
 	return m, nil
 }
 
 func (m Manager) createStorageDirectory() error {
-	if m.cfg.Advanced.ConfigStoragePath == "" {
-		return nil // no storage path configured, skip initialization step
-	}
-
 	err := os.MkdirAll(m.cfg.Advanced.ConfigStoragePath, os.ModePerm)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create configuration storage path %s: %w",
@@ -64,21 +65,17 @@ func (m Manager) createStorageDirectory() error {
 }
 
 func (m Manager) connectToMessageBus() {
-	if m.fsRepo == nil {
-		return // skip subscription
-	}
-
 	_ = m.bus.Subscribe(app.TopicInterfaceUpdated, m.handleInterfaceUpdatedEvent)
-	_ = m.bus.Subscribe(app.TopicPeerInterfaceUpdated, m.handleInterfaceUpdatedEvent)
+	_ = m.bus.Subscribe(app.TopicPeerInterfaceUpdated, m.handlePeerInterfaceUpdatedEvent)
 }
 
 func (m Manager) handleInterfaceUpdatedEvent(iface *domain.Interface) {
-	logrus.Errorf("handling interface updated event for %s", iface.Identifier)
-
-	if !iface.SaveConfig || m.fsRepo == nil {
+	if !iface.SaveConfig {
 		return
 	}
 
+	logrus.Debugf("handling interface updated event for %s", iface.Identifier)
+
 	err := m.PersistInterfaceConfig(context.Background(), iface.Identifier)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Errorf("failed to automatically persist interface config for %s: %v", iface.Identifier, err)
@@ -86,12 +83,6 @@ func (m Manager) handleInterfaceUpdatedEvent(iface *domain.Interface) {
 }
 
 func (m Manager) handlePeerInterfaceUpdatedEvent(id domain.InterfaceIdentifier) {
-	logrus.Errorf("handling interface updated event for %s", id)
-
-	if m.fsRepo == nil {
-		return
-	}
-
 	peerInterface, err := m.wg.GetInterface(context.Background(), id)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Errorf("failed to load interface %s: %v", id, err)
@@ -102,6 +93,8 @@ func (m Manager) handlePeerInterfaceUpdatedEvent(id domain.InterfaceIdentifier)
 		return
 	}
 
+	logrus.Debugf("handling peer interface updated event for %s", id)
+
 	err = m.PersistInterfaceConfig(context.Background(), peerInterface.Identifier)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Errorf("failed to automatically persist interface config for %s: %v", peerInterface.Identifier, err)
@@ -184,14 +177,6 @@ func (m Manager) GetPeerConfigQrCode(ctx context.Context, id domain.PeerIdentifi
 }
 
 func (m Manager) PersistInterfaceConfig(ctx context.Context, id domain.InterfaceIdentifier) error {
-	if err := domain.ValidateAdminAccessRights(ctx); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if m.fsRepo == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("peristing configuration is not supported")
-	}
-
 	iface, peers, err := m.wg.GetInterfaceAndPeers(ctx, id)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch interface %s: %w", id, err)
diff --git a/internal/app/configfile/tpl_files/wg_interface.tpl b/internal/app/configfile/tpl_files/wg_interface.tpl
index c72f64a6..ed641119 100644
--- a/internal/app/configfile/tpl_files/wg_interface.tpl
+++ b/internal/app/configfile/tpl_files/wg_interface.tpl
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ PostDown = {{ .Interface.PostDown }}
 {{range .Peers}}
 {{- if not .IsDisabled}}
 [Peer]
+{{/* `friendly_name` used by https://github.com/MindFlavor/prometheus_wireguard_exporter */ -}}
+# friendly_name = {{ .DisplayName }}
 # -WGP- Peer: {{.Identifier}}
 # -WGP- Created: {{.CreatedAt}}
 # -WGP- Updated: {{.UpdatedAt}}
@@ -86,4 +88,4 @@ Endpoint = {{ .Endpoint.GetValue }}
 PersistentKeepalive = {{ .PersistentKeepalive.GetValue  }}
 {{- end}}
 {{- end}}
-{{end}}
\ No newline at end of file
+{{end}}
diff --git a/internal/app/wireguard/wireguard_peers.go b/internal/app/wireguard/wireguard_peers.go
index 6549b2db..8feb60fc 100644
--- a/internal/app/wireguard/wireguard_peers.go
+++ b/internal/app/wireguard/wireguard_peers.go
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
+
 	"github.com/h44z/wg-portal/internal"
 	"github.com/h44z/wg-portal/internal/app"
 	"github.com/h44z/wg-portal/internal/domain"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"time"
 )
 
 func (m Manager) CreateDefaultPeer(ctx context.Context, userId domain.UserIdentifier) error {
@@ -253,6 +254,11 @@ func (m Manager) DeletePeer(ctx context.Context, id domain.PeerIdentifier) error
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete peer %s: %w", id, err)
 	}
 
+	// Update routes after peers have changed
+	m.bus.Publish(app.TopicRouteUpdate, "peers updated")
+	// Update interface after peers have changed
+	m.bus.Publish(app.TopicPeerInterfaceUpdated, peer.InterfaceIdentifier)
+
 	return nil
 }