diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c0957db3b..54df7c5af 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         }
     },
     "name": "sillytavern",
-    "version": "1.4.4",
+    "version": "1.4.5",
     "scripts": {
         "start": "node server.js"
     },
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 73b78cc3a..b75faf232 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ const ExifReader = require('exifreader');
 const exif = require('piexifjs');
 const webp = require('webp-converter');
 
-const config = require(path.join(process.cwd(), './config.conf'));
+const config = require(path.join(__dirname, './config.conf'));
 const server_port = process.env.SILLY_TAVERN_PORT || config.port;
 
-const whitelistPath = path.join(process.cwd(), "./whitelist.txt");
+const whitelistPath = path.join(__dirname, "./whitelist.txt");
 let whitelist = config.whitelist;
 
 if (fs.existsSync(whitelistPath)) {
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
 app.use(express.static(__dirname + "/public", { refresh: true }));
 
 app.use('/backgrounds', (req, res) => {
-    const filePath = decodeURIComponent(path.join(process.cwd(), 'public/backgrounds', req.url.replace(/%20/g, ' ')));
+    const filePath = decodeURIComponent(path.join(__dirname, 'public/backgrounds', req.url.replace(/%20/g, ' ')));
     fs.readFile(filePath, (err, data) => {
         if (err) {
             res.status(404).send('File not found');
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ app.use('/backgrounds', (req, res) => {
 });
 
 app.use('/characters', (req, res) => {
-    const filePath = decodeURIComponent(path.join(process.cwd(), charactersPath, req.url.replace(/%20/g, ' ')));
+    const filePath = decodeURIComponent(path.join(__dirname, charactersPath, req.url.replace(/%20/g, ' ')));
     fs.readFile(filePath, (err, data) => {
         if (err) {
             res.status(404).send('File not found');