diff --git a/authenticator/authenticator.go b/authenticator/authenticator.go
index 047468a..7680754 100644
--- a/authenticator/authenticator.go
+++ b/authenticator/authenticator.go
@@ -29,11 +29,12 @@ var (
 
 // Init initializes the chosen authenticator
 func Init() error {
-	var err error
-	var u *url.URL
-	u, err = url.Parse(config.AuthAddress)
+	u, err := url.Parse(config.AuthAddress)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse db connection - %s", err)
+		u, err = url.Parse("boltdb://" + config.AuthAddress)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse auth connection - %s", err)
+		}
 	}
 	switch u.Scheme {
 	case "boltdb":
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 6c4fbe1..4961bd8 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ var (
 	Insecure  = false          // whether or not to start insecure
 	Server    = false          // whether or not to start logvac as a server
 	Version   = false          // whether or not to print version info and exit
+	CleanFreq = 60             // how often to clean log database
 )
 
 // AddFlags adds cli flags to logvac
@@ -60,6 +61,8 @@ func AddFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&Server, "server", "s", Server, "Run as server")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&Insecure, "insecure", "i", Insecure, "Don't use TLS (used for testing)")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&Version, "version", "v", Version, "Print version info and exit")
+	cmd.Flags().IntVar(&CleanFreq, "clean-frequency", CleanFreq, "How often to clean log database")
+	cmd.Flags().MarkHidden("clean-frequency")
 
 	Log = lumber.NewConsoleLogger(lumber.LvlInt("ERROR"))
 }
diff --git a/drain/boltdb.go b/drain/boltdb.go
index 640f315..54ba61d 100644
--- a/drain/boltdb.go
+++ b/drain/boltdb.go
@@ -17,11 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/nanopack/logvac/core"
 )
 
-var (
-	// How often to clean, exported for testing
-	CleanFreq = 60
-)
-
 type (
 	// BoltArchive is a boltDB archiver
 	BoltArchive struct {
@@ -180,12 +175,16 @@ func (a BoltArchive) Expire() {
 	var logKeep map[string]interface{}
 	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(config.LogKeep), &logKeep)
 	if err != nil {
-		config.Log.Fatal("Bad JSON syntax for log-keep - %s", err)
-		os.Exit(1) // maybe not?
+		config.Log.Fatal("Bad JSON syntax for log-keep - %s, saving logs indefinitely", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if config.CleanFreq < 1 {
+		config.CleanFreq = 60
 	}
 
 	// clean up every minute // todo: maybe 5mins?
-	tick := time.Tick(time.Duration(CleanFreq) * time.Second)
+	tick := time.Tick(time.Duration(config.CleanFreq) * time.Second)
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-tick:
diff --git a/drain/boltdb_test.go b/drain/boltdb_test.go
index 014da19..b41224a 100644
--- a/drain/boltdb_test.go
+++ b/drain/boltdb_test.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func TestExpire(t *testing.T) {
 // manually configure and start internals
 func initialize() error {
 	var err error
-	drain.CleanFreq = 1
+	config.CleanFreq = 1
 	config.LogKeep = `{"app": "1s", "deploy":0}`
 	config.LogKeep = `{"app": "1s", "deploy":0, "a":"1m", "aa":"1h", "b":"1d", "c":"1w", "d":"1y", "e":"1"}`
 	config.Log = lumber.NewConsoleLogger(lumber.LvlInt("ERROR"))
diff --git a/drain/drain.go b/drain/drain.go
index e6b7390..a5963b6 100644
--- a/drain/drain.go
+++ b/drain/drain.go
@@ -60,7 +60,10 @@ func Init() error {
 func archiveInit() error {
 	u, err := url.Parse(config.DbAddress)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse db connection - %s", err)
+		u, err = url.Parse("boltdb://" + config.DbAddress)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse db connection - %s", err)
+		}
 	}
 	switch u.Scheme {
 	case "boltdb":
@@ -98,7 +101,10 @@ func archiveInit() error {
 func publishInit() error {
 	u, err := url.Parse(config.PubAddress)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse publisher connection - %s", err)
+		u, err = url.Parse("mist://" + config.PubAddress) // hard requirement for scheme in go 1.8 (with ip:port only)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse publisher connection - %s", err)
+		}
 	}
 	switch u.Scheme {
 	case "mist":
diff --git a/drain/mist_test.go b/drain/mist_test.go
index 2f1c434..dad3763 100644
--- a/drain/mist_test.go
+++ b/drain/mist_test.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestPublish(t *testing.T) {
 // manually configure and start internals
 func mistInitialize() error {
 	var err error
-	drain.CleanFreq = 1
+	config.CleanFreq = 1
 	config.LogKeep = `{"app": "1s", "deploy":0}`
 	config.LogKeep = `{"app": "1s", "deploy":0, "a":"1m", "aa":"1h", "b":"1d", "c":"1w", "d":"1y", "e":"1"}`
 	config.Log = lumber.NewConsoleLogger(lumber.LvlInt("ERROR"))