diff --git a/bigcouch/vm.args b/bigcouch/vm.args
index ebae52f..f3ae1ca 100644
--- a/bigcouch/vm.args
+++ b/bigcouch/vm.args
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@
 
 # Comment this line out to enable the interactive Erlang shell on startup
 +Bd -noinput -detached
+
+-couch_ini /usr/etc/default.ini
+-couch_ini /etc/kazoo/bigcouch/local.ini