diff --git a/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/DefaultPluginBackend.java b/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/DefaultPluginBackend.java
index 455ab16409..e46fe85f5c 100644
--- a/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/DefaultPluginBackend.java
+++ b/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/DefaultPluginBackend.java
@@ -33,8 +33,15 @@
 
 package sonia.scm.plugin;
 
+//~--- non-JDK imports --------------------------------------------------------
+
+import com.google.inject.Inject;
+import com.google.inject.name.Named;
+
 //~--- JDK imports ------------------------------------------------------------
 
+import java.io.File;
+
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -48,8 +55,16 @@ public class DefaultPluginBackend implements PluginBackend
   /**
    * Constructs ...
    *
+   *
+   *
+   * @param baseDirectory
    */
-  public DefaultPluginBackend() {}
+  @Inject
+  public DefaultPluginBackend(
+          @Named(ScmBackendModule.DIRECTORY_PROPERTY) File baseDirectory)
+  {
+    this.baseDirectory = baseDirectory;
+  }
 
   //~--- methods --------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -67,6 +82,18 @@ public class DefaultPluginBackend implements PluginBackend
 
   //~--- get methods ----------------------------------------------------------
 
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  @Override
+  public File getBaseDirectory()
+  {
+    return baseDirectory;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Method description
    *
@@ -119,6 +146,9 @@ public class DefaultPluginBackend implements PluginBackend
 
   //~--- fields ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
+  /** Field description */
+  private File baseDirectory;
+
   /** Field description */
   private List<PluginInformation> plugins = new ArrayList<PluginInformation>();
 }
diff --git a/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/PluginBackend.java b/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/PluginBackend.java
index e664b6c122..2d62328f3d 100644
--- a/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/PluginBackend.java
+++ b/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/PluginBackend.java
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ package sonia.scm.plugin;
 
 //~--- JDK imports ------------------------------------------------------------
 
+import java.io.File;
+
 import java.util.List;
 
 /**
@@ -54,6 +56,14 @@ public interface PluginBackend
 
   //~--- get methods ----------------------------------------------------------
 
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  public File getBaseDirectory();
+
   /**
    * Method description
    *
diff --git a/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/ScmBackendModule.java b/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/ScmBackendModule.java
index ba5400e583..ff60d526f5 100644
--- a/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/ScmBackendModule.java
+++ b/scm-plugin-backend/src/main/java/sonia/scm/plugin/ScmBackendModule.java
@@ -35,12 +35,21 @@ package sonia.scm.plugin;
 
 //~--- non-JDK imports --------------------------------------------------------
 
+import com.google.inject.name.Names;
 import com.google.inject.servlet.ServletModule;
 
+import sonia.scm.ConfigurationException;
 import sonia.scm.plugin.scanner.DefaultPluginScannerFactory;
 import sonia.scm.plugin.scanner.PluginScannerFactory;
 import sonia.scm.plugin.scanner.PluginScannerScheduler;
 import sonia.scm.plugin.scanner.TimerPluginScannerScheduler;
+import sonia.scm.util.Util;
+
+//~--- JDK imports ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+import java.io.File;
+
+import javax.xml.bind.JAXB;
 
 /**
  *
@@ -49,6 +58,20 @@ import sonia.scm.plugin.scanner.TimerPluginScannerScheduler;
 public class ScmBackendModule extends ServletModule
 {
 
+  /** Field description */
+  public static final String DIRECTORY_DEFAULT = ".scm-backend";
+
+  /** Field description */
+  public static final String DIRECTORY_ENVIRONMENT = "SCMBACKEND_HOME";
+
+  /** Field description */
+  public static final String DIRECTORY_PROPERTY = "scm-backend.home";
+
+  /** Field description */
+  public static final String FILE_CONFIG = "config.xml";
+
+  //~--- methods --------------------------------------------------------------
+
   /**
    * Method description
    *
@@ -56,8 +79,76 @@ public class ScmBackendModule extends ServletModule
   @Override
   protected void configureServlets()
   {
+    File baseDirectory = findBaseDirectory();
+
+    if (baseDirectory == null)
+    {
+      throw new ConfigurationException("could not find base directory");
+    }
+
+    File configurationFile = getConfigurationFile(baseDirectory);
+
+    if (!configurationFile.exists())
+    {
+      throw new ConfigurationException(
+          "could not find configuration at ".concat(
+            configurationFile.getPath()));
+    }
+
+    BackendConfiguration configuration = JAXB.unmarshal(baseDirectory,
+                                           BackendConfiguration.class);
+
+    bind(File.class).annotatedWith(Names.named(DIRECTORY_PROPERTY)).toInstance(
+        baseDirectory);
+    bind(BackendConfiguration.class).toInstance(configuration);
     bind(PluginBackend.class).to(DefaultPluginBackend.class);
     bind(PluginScannerFactory.class).to(DefaultPluginScannerFactory.class);
     bind(PluginScannerScheduler.class).to(TimerPluginScannerScheduler.class);
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  private File findBaseDirectory()
+  {
+    String path = System.getProperty(DIRECTORY_PROPERTY);
+
+    if (Util.isEmpty(path))
+    {
+      path = System.getenv(DIRECTORY_ENVIRONMENT);
+
+      if (Util.isEmpty(path))
+      {
+        path = System.getProperty("user.home").concat(File.separator).concat(
+          DIRECTORY_DEFAULT);
+      }
+    }
+
+    File directory = new File(path);
+
+    if (!directory.exists() &&!directory.mkdirs())
+    {
+      throw new IllegalStateException("could not create directory");
+    }
+
+    return directory;
+  }
+
+  //~--- get methods ----------------------------------------------------------
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @param baseDirectory
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  private File getConfigurationFile(File baseDirectory)
+  {
+    return new File(baseDirectory, FILE_CONFIG);
+  }
 }