diff --git a/examples/desktop-server/Makefile b/examples/desktop-server/Makefile
index baa9b5b5..957f9007 100644
--- a/examples/desktop-server/Makefile
+++ b/examples/desktop-server/Makefile
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ VC98 = docker run --rm -e WINEDEBUG=-all -v $(ROOT):$(ROOT) -w $(CURDIR) docker.
 GCC = docker run --rm -v $(ROOT):$(ROOT) -w $(CURDIR) mdashnet/cc2
 
 all: $(PROG)
-	$(DEBUGGER) ./$(PROG)
+	$(DEBUGGER) ./$(PROG) $(ARGS)
 
-$(PROG):
+$(PROG): main.c Makefile
 	$(CC) ../../mongoose.c main.c -I../.. $(CFLAGS) $(EXTRA) -o $@
 
 mongoose_mac: $(PROG)
diff --git a/examples/desktop-server/main.c b/examples/desktop-server/main.c
index e4956785..fdcfa23f 100644
--- a/examples/desktop-server/main.c
+++ b/examples/desktop-server/main.c
@@ -31,27 +31,66 @@ static void usage(const char *prog) {
   exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
+static void cfg(const char *progname, const char *optname, const char *value) {
+  if (value == NULL) {
+    usage(progname);
+  } else if (strcmp(optname, "-D") == 0) {
+    s_debug_level = value;
+  } else if (strcmp(optname, "-H") == 0) {
+    s_enable_hexdump = value;
+  } else if (strcmp(optname, "-S") == 0) {
+    s_ssi_pattern = value;
+  } else if (strcmp(optname, "-d") == 0) {
+    s_root_dir = value;
+  } else if (strcmp(optname, "-l") == 0) {
+    s_listening_address = value;
+  } else {
+    usage(progname);
+  }
+  LOG(LL_INFO, ("Setting option [%s] to [%s]", optname, value));
+}
+
+static void parse_config_file(const char *exe) {
+  char path[1024];
+  const char *p = strrchr(exe, MG_DIRSEP);
+  FILE *fp;
+  if (p == NULL) p = strrchr(exe, '/');
+  snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%.*s%c%s", p == NULL ? 1 : (int) (p - exe),
+           p == NULL ? "." : exe, MG_DIRSEP, "mongoose.conf");
+  if ((fp = fopen(path, "rb")) != NULL) {
+    char line[8192], *name;
+    int i, line_no = 0;
+    LOG(LL_INFO, ("Processing config file %s", path));
+    while (fgets(line, sizeof(line), fp) != NULL) {
+      line_no++;
+      // Trim whitespaces at the end
+      for (i = strlen(line); i > 0 && isspace(line[i - 1]);) line[--i] = '\0';
+      // Ignore empty lines and comments
+      for (i = 0; isspace(line[i]);) i++;
+      if (line[i] == '#' || line[i] == '\0') continue;
+      name = &line[i];
+      while (line[i] != '\0' && !isspace(line[i])) i++;
+      if (line[i] != ' ') {
+        LOG(LL_ERROR,
+            ("%s: ignoring invalid line %d: %s", path, line_no, line));
+      } else {
+        line[i++] = '\0';  // nul-terminate name
+        while (isspace(line[i])) i++;
+        cfg(exe, name, &line[i]);
+      }
+    }
+    fclose(fp);
+  }
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   struct mg_mgr mgr;
   struct mg_connection *c;
   int i;
 
-  // Parse command-line flags
-  for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
-    if (strcmp(argv[i], "-d") == 0) {
-      s_root_dir = argv[++i];
-    } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-D") == 0) {
-      s_debug_level = argv[++i];
-    } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-H") == 0) {
-      s_enable_hexdump = argv[++i];
-    } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-S") == 0) {
-      s_ssi_pattern = argv[++i];
-    } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-l") == 0) {
-      s_listening_address = argv[++i];
-    } else {
-      usage(argv[0]);
-    }
-  }
+  // Configure options from a command-line flags and configuration file
+  for (i = 1; i < argc; i += 2) cfg(argv[0], argv[i], argv[i + 1]);
+  parse_config_file(argv[0]);
 
   // Initialise stuff
   mg_log_set(s_debug_level);
@@ -64,7 +103,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   if (mg_casecmp(s_enable_hexdump, "yes") == 0) c->is_hexdumping = 1;
 
   // Start infinite event loop
-  LOG(LL_INFO, ("Starting Mongoose web server v%s", MG_VERSION));
+  LOG(LL_INFO, ("Starting Mongoose v%s, serving %s", MG_VERSION,
+                realpath(s_root_dir, NULL)));
   for (;;) mg_mgr_poll(&mgr, 1000);
   mg_mgr_free(&mgr);
   return 0;