diff --git a/config/default.json b/config/default.json
index 47764010..e094bc44 100644
--- a/config/default.json
+++ b/config/default.json
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 {
 	"WalletConfig": {
-		"LbryClaimAddress": "none",
-		"DefaultChannel": "none"
+		"LbryClaimAddress": null,
+		"DefaultChannel": null
 	},
 	"AnalyticsConfig":{
-		"GoogleId": "none"
+		"GoogleId": null
 	},
 	"Database": {
 		"Database": "lbry",
-		"Username": "none",
-		"Password": "none"
+		"Username": null,
+		"Password": null
 	},
 	"Logging": {
-		"LogLevel": "none",
-		"SlackErrorChannel": "none",
-		"SlackInfoChannel": "none"
+		"LogLevel": null,
+		"SlackWebHook": null,
+		"SlackErrorChannel": null,
+		"SlackInfoChannel": null
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/loggerConfig.js b/config/loggerConfig.js
index 4efbbb02..ffd4c970 100644
--- a/config/loggerConfig.js
+++ b/config/loggerConfig.js
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ module.exports = (winston, logLevel) => {
     ],
   });
 
-  // winston.on('error', (err) => {
-  //   console.log('unhandled exception in winston >> ', err);
-  // });
-
   winston.error('Level 0');
   winston.warn('Level 1');
   winston.info('Level 2');
diff --git a/config/slackLoggerConfig.js b/config/slackLoggerConfig.js
index 5f49e001..4bd88200 100644
--- a/config/slackLoggerConfig.js
+++ b/config/slackLoggerConfig.js
@@ -5,23 +5,28 @@ const SLACK_INFO_CHANNEL = config.get('Logging.SlackInfoChannel');
 const winstonSlackWebHook = require('winston-slack-webhook').SlackWebHook;
 
 module.exports = (winston) => {
-  // add a transport for errors
-  winston.add(winstonSlackWebHook, {
-    name      : 'slack-errors-transport',
-    level     : 'error',
-    webhookUrl: SLACK_WEB_HOOK,
-    channel   : SLACK_ERROR_CHANNEL,
-    username  : 'spee.ch',
-    iconEmoji : ':face_with_head_bandage:',
-  });
-  winston.add(winstonSlackWebHook, {
-    name      : 'slack-info-transport',
-    level     : 'info',
-    webhookUrl: SLACK_WEB_HOOK,
-    channel   : SLACK_INFO_CHANNEL,
-    username  : 'spee.ch',
-    iconEmoji : ':nerd_face:',
-  });
-  // send test message
-  winston.error('Testing slack logging... slack logging is online.');
+  if (SLACK_WEB_HOOK) {
+      // add a transport for errors to slack
+    winston.add(winstonSlackWebHook, {
+      name      : 'slack-errors-transport',
+      level     : 'error',
+      webhookUrl: SLACK_WEB_HOOK,
+      channel   : SLACK_ERROR_CHANNEL,
+      username  : 'spee.ch',
+      iconEmoji : ':face_with_head_bandage:',
+    });
+    winston.add(winstonSlackWebHook, {
+      name      : 'slack-info-transport',
+      level     : 'info',
+      webhookUrl: SLACK_WEB_HOOK,
+      channel   : SLACK_INFO_CHANNEL,
+      username  : 'spee.ch',
+      iconEmoji : ':nerd_face:',
+    });
+      // send test message
+    winston.error('Slack error logging is online.');
+    winston.info('Slack info logging is online.');
+  } else {
+    winston.error('Slack logging is not enabled because no SLACK_WEB_HOOK env var provided.');
+  }
 };