diff --git a/Modules.Config/ConfigManager.vb b/Modules.Config/ConfigManager.vb
index ac5151d2..446190e2 100644
--- a/Modules.Config/ConfigManager.vb
+++ b/Modules.Config/ConfigManager.vb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Imports DigitalData.Modules.Config.ConfigAttributes
 Public Class ConfigManager(Of T)
     Private Const USER_CONFIG_NAME As String = "UserConfig.xml"
     Private Const COMPUTER_CONFIG_NAME As String = "ComputerConfig.xml"
+    Private Const APP_CONFIG_NAME As String = "AppConfig.xml"
 
     Private ReadOnly _LogConfig As LogConfig
     Private ReadOnly _Logger As Logger
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ Public Class ConfigManager(Of T)
     Private ReadOnly _ComputerDirectory As String
     Private ReadOnly _ComputerConfigPath As String
     Private ReadOnly _AppConfigPath As String
+    Private ReadOnly _AppConfigDirectory As String
 
     Private ReadOnly _TestMode As Boolean = False
 
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ Public Class ConfigManager(Of T)
     ''' <param name="LogConfig">LogConfig instance</param>
     ''' <param name="UserConfigPath">The path to check for a user config file, eg. AppData (Usually Application.UserAppDataPath or Application.LocalUserAppDataPath)</param>
     ''' <param name="ComputerConfigPath">The path to check for a computer config file, eg. ProgramData (Usually Application.CommonAppDataPath)</param>
+    ''' <param name="ApplicationStartupPath">The path to check for a third config file. This is useful when running the Application in an environment where AppData/ProgramData directories are not available</param>
     ''' <param name="ForceUserConfig">Override values from ComputerConfig with UserConfig</param>
     Public Sub New(LogConfig As LogConfig, UserConfigPath As String, ComputerConfigPath As String, ApplicationStartupPath As String, Optional ForceUserConfig As Boolean = False)
         _LogConfig = LogConfig
@@ -82,11 +85,12 @@ Public Class ConfigManager(Of T)
 
         _UserDirectory = _File.CreateDirectory(UserConfigPath)
         _ComputerDirectory = _File.CreateDirectory(ComputerConfigPath)
+        _AppConfigDirectory = _File.CreateDirectory(ApplicationStartupPath)
         _ForceUserConfig = ForceUserConfig
 
         _UserConfigPath = Path.Combine(_UserDirectory, USER_CONFIG_NAME)
         _ComputerConfigPath = Path.Combine(_ComputerDirectory, COMPUTER_CONFIG_NAME)
-        _AppConfigPath = Path.Combine(ApplicationStartupPath, "AppConfig.xml")
+        _AppConfigPath = Path.Combine(_AppConfigDirectory, APP_CONFIG_NAME)
 
         Config = LoadConfig()
     End Sub
@@ -163,7 +167,10 @@ Public Class ConfigManager(Of T)
         ' first create an empty/default config object
         Dim oConfig = Activator.CreateInstance(_BlueprintType)
 
+        ' try to load the special app config
+        ' returns nothing if app was not found or could not be loaded
         oConfig = LoadAppConfig(oConfig)
+
         If oConfig Is Nothing Then
             oConfig = Activator.CreateInstance(_BlueprintType)
             ' then Try to load computer config
@@ -174,6 +181,7 @@ Public Class ConfigManager(Of T)
         oConfig = LoadUserConfig(oConfig)
         Return oConfig
     End Function
+
     Private Function LoadAppConfig(ByVal Config As T) As T
         If File.Exists(_AppConfigPath) Then
             Try
@@ -182,6 +190,7 @@ Public Class ConfigManager(Of T)
             Catch ex As Exception
                 _Logger.Error(ex)
                 _Logger.Warn("ApplicationConfig could not be loaded!")
+                Return Nothing
             End Try
         Else
             _Logger.Debug("ApplicationConfig does not exist.")