diff --git a/src/ciste/config.clj b/src/ciste/config.clj
index 3624cab..081012f 100644
--- a/src/ciste/config.clj
+++ b/src/ciste/config.clj
@@ -25,15 +25,7 @@
             [clojurewerkz.propertied.properties :as p]
             [environ.core :refer [env]]
             [slingshot.slingshot :refer [throw+ try+]])
-  (:import java.io.FileNotFoundException
-           java.net.InetAddress))
-
-;; TODO: read from env var
-(defonce
-  ^{:dynamic true
-    :doc "The current environment. use the set-environment!,
-          environment, and with"}
-  *environment* (atom nil))
+  (:import java.net.InetAddress))
 
 (defonce
   ^{:dynamic true
@@ -52,20 +44,6 @@
   []
   (.getHostAddress (InetAddress/getLocalHost)))
 
-(defn environment*
-  []
-  @*environment*)
-
-(defn environment
-  "Returns the currently bound environment.
-
-  Throws an exception if no environment is bound"
-  []
-  (or (environment*)
-      (throw
-       (RuntimeException.
-        "Environment not set. export CISTE_ENV to choose an environment"))))
-
 (defn merge-config
   "Recursively merges m1 into m2. If the value of any of the key is a map, the
   elements in that map are also merged"
@@ -125,31 +103,7 @@
    (let [value (apply config* ks)]
      (if-not (nil? value)
        value
-       (throw
-        (IllegalArgumentException.
-         (str "no config option matching path " ks " for " (environment))))))))
-
-(defn set-config!
-  "Set the value of the config setting matching the key sequence"
-  [ks value]
-  (dosync
-   (alter *config-map*
-          assoc-in (concat [(environment)] ks) value))
-  value)
-
-(defn set-environment!
-  "Sets's the environment globally"
-  [env]
-  (timbre/with-context {:env env}
-    (timbre/debugf "Setting environment - %s" env))
-  (dosync (reset! *environment* env)))
-
-(defmacro with-environment
-  "Run body with the evironment bound"
-  [environment & body]
-  `(binding [ciste.config/*environment* (atom nil)]
-     (set-environment! ~environment)
-     ~@body))
+       (throw (IllegalArgumentException. (str "no config option matching path " ks)))))))
 
 (defmacro describe-config
   "Macro to record config information
diff --git a/src/ciste/runner.clj b/src/ciste/runner.clj
index cccdcb3..f9f6247 100644
--- a/src/ciste/runner.clj
+++ b/src/ciste/runner.clj
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "This is the runner for ciste applications.
 
   Specify this namespace as the main class of your application."
-  (:require [ciste.config :refer [config describe-config set-environment!]]
+  (:require [ciste.config :refer [config describe-config]]
             [ciste.service :as service]
             [environ.core :refer [env]]
             [taoensso.timbre :as timbre])
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@
   "A namespace containing a logging config")
 
 (defn configure-logging
-  [environment]
-  (let [logger (symbol (env :ciste-logger "ciste.logger"))]
-    (require logger)
-    ((ns-resolve logger 'set-logger))))
+  []
+  (try
+    (let [logger (symbol (env :ciste-logger "ciste.logger"))]
+     (require logger)
+     ((ns-resolve logger 'set-logger)))
+    (catch Exception ex
+      (timbre/error "Could not set up logging" ex))))
 
 (defn stop-application!
   []
@@ -29,14 +32,11 @@
     (timbre/error "Application promise is nil")))
 
 (defn start-application!
-  ([] (start-application! (env :ciste-env "default")))
-  ([environment] (start-application! environment nil))
-  ([environment modules]
-   (set-environment! environment)
-   (configure-logging environment)
-   (timbre/with-context {:env environment}
-     (timbre/infof "Starting application with environment: %s" environment))
-   (service/init-services environment modules)
+  ([] (start-application! nil))
+  ([modules]
+   (configure-logging)
+   (timbre/infof "Starting application")
+   (service/init-services modules)
    ;; (service/start-services!)
    (dosync (ref-set application-promise (promise)))
    (timbre/info "application initialized")
diff --git a/src/ciste/service.clj b/src/ciste/service.clj
index a277bc2..2ed9ca9 100644
--- a/src/ciste/service.clj
+++ b/src/ciste/service.clj
@@ -24,13 +24,11 @@
 (defn init-services
   "Ensure that all namespaces for services have been required and that the
    config provider has benn initialized"
-  ([environment] (init-services environment nil))
-  ([environment modules]
-   (timbre/info "initializing services")
-   ;; TODO: initialize config backend
-   (load-config! (env :ciste-properties (str "config/" (name environment) ".properties")))
-   (loader/require-modules modules)
-   (loader/process-requires)))
+  [modules]
+  ;; TODO: initialize config backend
+  (load-config! (env :ciste-properties "config/ciste.properties"))
+  (loader/require-modules modules)
+  (loader/process-requires))
 
 (defn stop-services!
   "Shut down all services"
diff --git a/src/ciste/test_helper.clj b/src/ciste/test_helper.clj
index 4103759..ea0e099 100644
--- a/src/ciste/test_helper.clj
+++ b/src/ciste/test_helper.clj
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
   "Wrapper to ensure tests are run in the test environment"
   [& body]
   `(do
-     (start-application! :test)
+     (start-application!)
      ~@body
      (stop-application!)))
diff --git a/test/ciste/config_test.clj b/test/ciste/config_test.clj
index 396d088..3256881 100644
--- a/test/ciste/config_test.clj
+++ b/test/ciste/config_test.clj
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
 (ns ciste.config-test
-  (:require [ciste.config :refer [environment get-host-address merge-config]]
+  (:require [ciste.config :refer [get-host-address merge-config]]
             [midje.sweet :refer [contains fact =>]]))
 
 (fact "#'ciste.config/get-host-address"
   (fact "should return a string"
     (get-host-address) => string?))
 
-(fact "#'ciste.config/environment"
-  (environment) => :test)
-
 (fact "#'ciste.config/merge-config"
   (let [m1 {:key1 "value1"
             :key2 {:sub-key1 "value2"