diff --git a/crates/api/src/endpoints/private.rs b/crates/api/src/endpoints/private.rs
index 2116e3c5..cbc7cf41 100644
--- a/crates/api/src/endpoints/private.rs
+++ b/crates/api/src/endpoints/private.rs
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ pub async fn discord_callback(
         .expect("error making client");
 
     let reqbody = serde_urlencoded::to_string(&CallbackDiscordData {
-        client_id: config.discord.as_ref().unwrap().client_id.get().to_string(),
-        client_secret: config.discord.as_ref().unwrap().client_secret.clone(),
+        client_id: config.discord().client_id.get().to_string(),
+        client_secret: config.discord().client_secret.clone(),
         grant_type: "authorization_code".to_string(),
         redirect_uri: request_data.redirect_domain, // change this!
         code: request_data.code,
diff --git a/crates/api/src/main.rs b/crates/api/src/main.rs
index a6e2680a..a29f21ad 100644
--- a/crates/api/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/api/src/main.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ use hyper_util::{
     client::legacy::{Client, connect::HttpConnector},
     rt::TokioExecutor,
 };
-use tracing::info;
+use libpk::config;
+use tracing::{info, warn};
 
 use pk_macros::api_endpoint;
 
@@ -128,7 +129,15 @@ fn router(ctx: ApiContext) -> Router {
         .route("/v2/members/{member_id}/oembed.json", get(rproxy))
         .route("/v2/groups/{group_id}/oembed.json", get(rproxy))
 
-        .layer(middleware::ratelimit::ratelimiter(middleware::ratelimit::do_request_ratelimited)) // this sucks
+        .layer(axum::middleware::from_fn_with_state(
+            if config.api().use_ratelimiter {
+                Some(ctx.redis.clone())
+            } else {
+                warn!("running without request rate limiting!");
+                None
+            },
+            middleware::ratelimit::do_request_ratelimited)
+        )
         .layer(axum::middleware::from_fn(middleware::ignore_invalid_routes::ignore_invalid_routes))
         .layer(axum::middleware::from_fn_with_state(ctx.clone(), middleware::params::params))
         .layer(axum::middleware::from_fn_with_state(ctx.clone(), middleware::auth::auth))
@@ -146,14 +155,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let db = libpk::db::init_data_db().await?;
     let redis = libpk::db::init_redis().await?;
 
-    let rproxy_uri = Uri::from_static(
-        &libpk::config
-            .api
-            .as_ref()
-            .expect("missing api config")
-            .remote_url,
-    )
-    .to_string();
+    let rproxy_uri = Uri::from_static(&libpk::config.api().remote_url).to_string();
     let rproxy_client = hyper_util::client::legacy::Client::<(), ()>::builder(TokioExecutor::new())
         .build(HttpConnector::new());
 
@@ -167,12 +169,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 
     let app = router(ctx);
 
-    let addr: &str = libpk::config
-        .api
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing api config")
-        .addr
-        .as_ref();
+    let addr: &str = libpk::config.api().addr.as_ref();
 
     let listener = tokio::net::TcpListener::bind(addr).await?;
     info!("listening on {}", addr);
diff --git a/crates/api/src/middleware/auth.rs b/crates/api/src/middleware/auth.rs
index 8487e932..5a47e2b2 100644
--- a/crates/api/src/middleware/auth.rs
+++ b/crates/api/src/middleware/auth.rs
@@ -44,12 +44,7 @@ pub async fn auth(State(ctx): State<ApiContext>, mut req: Request, next: Next) -
         .get("x-pluralkit-app")
         .map(|h| h.to_str().ok())
         .flatten()
-        && let Some(config_token2) = libpk::config
-            .api
-            .as_ref()
-            .expect("missing api config")
-            .temp_token2
-            .as_ref()
+        && let Some(config_token2) = libpk::config.api().temp_token2.as_ref()
         && app_auth_header
             .as_bytes()
             .ct_eq(config_token2.as_bytes())
diff --git a/crates/api/src/middleware/ratelimit.rs b/crates/api/src/middleware/ratelimit.rs
index 1638ecc9..e8ac7976 100644
--- a/crates/api/src/middleware/ratelimit.rs
+++ b/crates/api/src/middleware/ratelimit.rs
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@ use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime};
 use axum::{
     extract::{MatchedPath, Request, State},
     http::{HeaderValue, Method, StatusCode},
-    middleware::{FromFnLayer, Next},
+    middleware::Next,
     response::Response,
 };
-use fred::{clients::RedisPool, interfaces::ClientLike, prelude::LuaInterface, util::sha1_hash};
+use fred::{clients::RedisPool, prelude::LuaInterface, util::sha1_hash};
 use metrics::counter;
-use tracing::{debug, error, info, warn};
+use tracing::{debug, error, info};
 
 use crate::{
     auth::AuthState,
@@ -21,40 +21,6 @@ lazy_static::lazy_static! {
     static ref LUA_SCRIPT_SHA: String = sha1_hash(LUA_SCRIPT);
 }
 
-// this is awful but it works
-pub fn ratelimiter<F, T>(f: F) -> FromFnLayer<F, Option<RedisPool>, T> {
-    let redis = libpk::config
-        .api
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing api config")
-        .ratelimit_redis_addr
-        .as_ref()
-        .map(|val| {
-            // todo: this should probably use the global pool
-            let r = RedisPool::new(
-                fred::types::RedisConfig::from_url_centralized(val.as_ref())
-                    .expect("redis url is invalid"),
-                None,
-                None,
-                Some(Default::default()),
-                10,
-            )
-            .expect("failed to connect to redis");
-
-            let handle = r.connect();
-
-            tokio::spawn(async move { handle });
-
-            r
-        });
-
-    if redis.is_none() {
-        warn!("running without request rate limiting!");
-    }
-
-    axum::middleware::from_fn_with_state(redis, f)
-}
-
 enum RatelimitType {
     GenericGet,
     GenericUpdate,
diff --git a/crates/app-commands/src/main.rs b/crates/app-commands/src/main.rs
index a03f5b70..93fc4b4e 100644
--- a/crates/app-commands/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/app-commands/src/main.rs
@@ -1,30 +1,14 @@
-use twilight_model::{
-    application::command::{Command, CommandType},
-    guild::IntegrationApplication,
-};
+use twilight_model::application::command::CommandType;
 use twilight_util::builder::command::CommandBuilder;
 
 #[libpk::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let discord = twilight_http::Client::builder()
-        .token(
-            libpk::config
-                .discord
-                .as_ref()
-                .expect("missing discord config")
-                .bot_token
-                .clone(),
-        )
+        .token(libpk::config.discord().bot_token.clone())
         .build();
 
     let interaction = discord.interaction(twilight_model::id::Id::new(
-        libpk::config
-            .discord
-            .as_ref()
-            .expect("missing discord config")
-            .client_id
-            .clone()
-            .get(),
+        libpk::config.discord().client_id.clone().get(),
     ));
 
     let commands = vec![
diff --git a/crates/avatars/src/cleanup.rs b/crates/avatars/src/cleanup.rs
index 48b25f98..ebff3960 100644
--- a/crates/avatars/src/cleanup.rs
+++ b/crates/avatars/src/cleanup.rs
@@ -6,10 +6,7 @@ use tracing::{error, info};
 
 #[libpk::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let config = libpk::config
-        .avatars
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing avatar service config");
+    let config = libpk::config.avatars();
 
     let bucket = {
         let region = s3::Region::Custom {
@@ -83,10 +80,7 @@ async fn cleanup_job(pool: sqlx::PgPool, bucket: Arc<s3::Bucket>) -> anyhow::Res
     }
     let image_data = image_data.unwrap();
 
-    let config = libpk::config
-        .avatars
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing avatar service config");
+    let config = libpk::config.avatars();
 
     let path = image_data
         .url
diff --git a/crates/avatars/src/main.rs b/crates/avatars/src/main.rs
index df80ac82..d976ae52 100644
--- a/crates/avatars/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/avatars/src/main.rs
@@ -172,10 +172,7 @@ pub struct AppState {
 
 #[libpk::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let config = libpk::config
-        .avatars
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing avatar service config");
+    let config = libpk::config.avatars();
 
     let bucket = {
         let region = s3::Region::Custom {
diff --git a/crates/gateway/src/api.rs b/crates/gateway/src/api.rs
index aa2d069e..0fbb88c1 100644
--- a/crates/gateway/src/api.rs
+++ b/crates/gateway/src/api.rs
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ pub async fn run_server(cache: Arc<DiscordCache>, shard_state: Arc<ShardStateMan
         .route(
             "/guilds/{guild_id}/members/@me",
             get(|State(cache): State<Arc<DiscordCache>>, Path(guild_id): Path<u64>| async move {
-                match cache.0.member(Id::new(guild_id), libpk::config.discord.as_ref().expect("missing discord config").client_id) {
+                match cache.0.member(Id::new(guild_id), libpk::config.discord().client_id) {
                     Some(member) => status_code(StatusCode::FOUND, to_string(member.value()).unwrap()),
                     None => status_code(StatusCode::NOT_FOUND, "".to_string()),
                 }
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ pub async fn run_server(cache: Arc<DiscordCache>, shard_state: Arc<ShardStateMan
         .route(
             "/guilds/{guild_id}/permissions/@me",
             get(|State(cache): State<Arc<DiscordCache>>, Path(guild_id): Path<u64>| async move {
-                match cache.guild_permissions(Id::new(guild_id), libpk::config.discord.as_ref().expect("missing discord config").client_id).await {
+                match cache.guild_permissions(Id::new(guild_id), libpk::config.discord().client_id).await {
                     Ok(val) => {
                         status_code(StatusCode::FOUND, to_string(&val.bits()).unwrap())
                     },
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ pub async fn run_server(cache: Arc<DiscordCache>, shard_state: Arc<ShardStateMan
                 if guild_id == 0 {
                     return status_code(StatusCode::FOUND, to_string(&*DM_PERMISSIONS).unwrap());
                 }
-                match cache.channel_permissions(Id::new(channel_id), libpk::config.discord.as_ref().expect("missing discord config").client_id).await {
+                match cache.channel_permissions(Id::new(channel_id), libpk::config.discord().client_id).await {
                     Ok(val) => status_code(StatusCode::FOUND, to_string(&val).unwrap()),
                     Err(err) => {
                         error!(?err, ?channel_id, ?guild_id, "failed to get own channelpermissions");
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ pub async fn run_server(cache: Arc<DiscordCache>, shard_state: Arc<ShardStateMan
         .layer(axum::middleware::from_fn(crate::logger::logger))
         .with_state(cache);
 
-    let addr: &str = libpk::config.discord.as_ref().expect("missing discord config").cache_api_addr.as_ref();
+    let addr: &str = libpk::config.discord().cache_api_addr.as_ref();
     let listener = tokio::net::TcpListener::bind(addr).await?;
     info!("listening on {}", addr);
     axum::serve(listener, app.into_make_service_with_connect_info::<SocketAddr>()).await?;
diff --git a/crates/gateway/src/discord/cache.rs b/crates/gateway/src/discord/cache.rs
index cc538d08..9cd5c112 100644
--- a/crates/gateway/src/discord/cache.rs
+++ b/crates/gateway/src/discord/cache.rs
@@ -91,22 +91,10 @@ fn member_to_cached_member(item: Member, id: Id<UserMarker>) -> CachedMember {
 }
 
 pub fn new() -> DiscordCache {
-    let mut client_builder = twilight_http::Client::builder().token(
-        libpk::config
-            .discord
-            .as_ref()
-            .expect("missing discord config")
-            .bot_token
-            .clone(),
-    );
+    let mut client_builder =
+        twilight_http::Client::builder().token(libpk::config.discord().bot_token.clone());
 
-    if let Some(base_url) = libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing discord config")
-        .api_base_url
-        .clone()
-    {
+    if let Some(base_url) = libpk::config.discord().api_base_url.clone() {
         client_builder = client_builder.proxy(base_url, true).ratelimiter(None);
     }
 
@@ -268,13 +256,7 @@ impl DiscordCache {
             return Ok(Permissions::all());
         }
 
-        let member = if user_id
-            == libpk::config
-                .discord
-                .as_ref()
-                .expect("missing discord config")
-                .client_id
-        {
+        let member = if user_id == libpk::config.discord().client_id {
             self.0
                 .member(guild_id, user_id)
                 .ok_or(format_err!("self member not found"))?
@@ -340,13 +322,7 @@ impl DiscordCache {
             return Ok(Permissions::all());
         }
 
-        let member = if user_id
-            == libpk::config
-                .discord
-                .as_ref()
-                .expect("missing discord config")
-                .client_id
-        {
+        let member = if user_id == libpk::config.discord().client_id {
             self.0
                 .member(guild_id, user_id)
                 .ok_or_else(|| {
diff --git a/crates/gateway/src/discord/gateway.rs b/crates/gateway/src/discord/gateway.rs
index c4d0483e..10e1e86b 100644
--- a/crates/gateway/src/discord/gateway.rs
+++ b/crates/gateway/src/discord/gateway.rs
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ use super::cache::DiscordCache;
 
 pub fn cluster_config() -> ClusterSettings {
     libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing discord config")
+        .discord()
         .cluster
         .clone()
         .unwrap_or(libpk::_config::ClusterSettings {
@@ -63,28 +61,15 @@ pub fn create_shards(redis: fred::clients::RedisPool) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<Shar
         )
     };
 
-    let prefix = libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing discord config")
-        .bot_prefix_for_gateway
-        .clone();
+    let prefix = libpk::config.discord().bot_prefix_for_gateway.clone();
 
     let shards = create_iterator(
         start_shard..end_shard + 1,
         cluster_settings.total_shards,
-        ConfigBuilder::new(
-            libpk::config
-                .discord
-                .as_ref()
-                .expect("missing discord config")
-                .bot_token
-                .to_owned(),
-            intents,
-        )
-        .presence(presence(format!("{prefix}help").as_str(), false))
-        .queue(queue.clone())
-        .build(),
+        ConfigBuilder::new(libpk::config.discord().bot_token.to_owned(), intents)
+            .presence(presence(format!("{prefix}help").as_str(), false))
+            .queue(queue.clone())
+            .build(),
         |_, builder| builder.build(),
     );
 
@@ -105,11 +90,7 @@ pub async fn runner(
     // let _span = info_span!("shard_runner", shard_id = shard.id().number()).entered();
     let shard_id = shard.id().number();
 
-    let our_user_id = libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing discord config")
-        .client_id;
+    let our_user_id = libpk::config.discord().client_id;
 
     info!("waiting for events");
     while let Some(item) = shard.next().await {
diff --git a/crates/gateway/src/discord/identify_queue.rs b/crates/gateway/src/discord/identify_queue.rs
index 4df8dc4f..4b42429a 100644
--- a/crates/gateway/src/discord/identify_queue.rs
+++ b/crates/gateway/src/discord/identify_queue.rs
@@ -13,11 +13,7 @@ use twilight_gateway::queue::Queue;
 pub fn new(redis: RedisPool) -> RedisQueue {
     RedisQueue {
         redis,
-        concurrency: libpk::config
-            .discord
-            .as_ref()
-            .expect("missing discord config")
-            .max_concurrency,
+        concurrency: libpk::config.discord().max_concurrency,
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/gateway/src/main.rs b/crates/gateway/src/main.rs
index 3ac7be21..5e93d35e 100644
--- a/crates/gateway/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/gateway/src/main.rs
@@ -41,13 +41,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     );
 
     // hacky, but needed for selfhost for now
-    if let Some(target) = libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .unwrap()
-        .gateway_target
-        .clone()
-    {
+    if let Some(target) = libpk::config.discord().gateway_target.clone() {
         runtime_config
             .set(RUNTIME_CONFIG_KEY_EVENT_TARGET.to_string(), target)
             .await?;
@@ -237,12 +231,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 }
 
 async fn scheduled_task(redis: RedisPool, senders: Vec<(ShardId, MessageSender)>) {
-    let prefix = libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing discord config")
-        .bot_prefix_for_gateway
-        .clone();
+    let prefix = libpk::config.discord().bot_prefix_for_gateway.clone();
 
     println!("{prefix}");
 
diff --git a/crates/gdpr_worker/src/main.rs b/crates/gdpr_worker/src/main.rs
index bcedbedd..ef9a4cf0 100644
--- a/crates/gdpr_worker/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/gdpr_worker/src/main.rs
@@ -14,23 +14,10 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let db = libpk::db::init_messages_db().await?;
 
     let mut client_builder = twilight_http::Client::builder()
-        .token(
-            libpk::config
-                .discord
-                .as_ref()
-                .expect("missing discord config")
-                .bot_token
-                .clone(),
-        )
+        .token(libpk::config.discord().bot_token.clone())
         .timeout(Duration::from_secs(30));
 
-    if let Some(base_url) = libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing discord config")
-        .api_base_url
-        .clone()
-    {
+    if let Some(base_url) = libpk::config.discord().api_base_url.clone() {
         client_builder = client_builder.proxy(base_url, true).ratelimiter(None);
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/libpk/src/_config.rs b/crates/libpk/src/_config.rs
index f21d9adf..ec76e27a 100644
--- a/crates/libpk/src/_config.rs
+++ b/crates/libpk/src/_config.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ pub struct ApiConfig {
     pub addr: String,
 
     #[serde(default)]
-    pub ratelimit_redis_addr: Option<String>,
+    pub use_ratelimiter: bool,
 
     pub remote_url: String,
 
@@ -109,11 +109,11 @@ pub struct PKConfig {
     pub db: DatabaseConfig,
 
     #[serde(default)]
-    pub discord: Option<DiscordConfig>,
+    discord: Option<DiscordConfig>,
     #[serde(default)]
-    pub api: Option<ApiConfig>,
+    api: Option<ApiConfig>,
     #[serde(default)]
-    pub avatars: Option<AvatarsConfig>,
+    avatars: Option<AvatarsConfig>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub scheduled_tasks: Option<ScheduledTasksConfig>,
 
@@ -134,12 +134,18 @@ pub struct PKConfig {
 }
 
 impl PKConfig {
-    pub fn api(self) -> ApiConfig {
-        self.api.expect("missing api config")
+    pub fn api(&self) -> &ApiConfig {
+        self.api.as_ref().expect("missing api config")
     }
 
-    pub fn discord_config(self) -> DiscordConfig {
-        self.discord.expect("missing discord config")
+    pub fn discord(&self) -> &DiscordConfig {
+        self.discord.as_ref().expect("missing discord config")
+    }
+
+    pub fn avatars(&self) -> &AvatarsConfig {
+        self.avatars
+            .as_ref()
+            .expect("missing avatar service config")
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/scheduled_tasks/src/main.rs b/crates/scheduled_tasks/src/main.rs
index 805246f1..c78f3d16 100644
--- a/crates/scheduled_tasks/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/scheduled_tasks/src/main.rs
@@ -22,22 +22,10 @@ pub struct AppCtx {
 
 #[libpk::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let mut client_builder = twilight_http::Client::builder().token(
-        libpk::config
-            .discord
-            .as_ref()
-            .expect("missing discord config")
-            .bot_token
-            .clone(),
-    );
+    let mut client_builder =
+        twilight_http::Client::builder().token(libpk::config.discord().bot_token.clone());
 
-    if let Some(base_url) = libpk::config
-        .discord
-        .as_ref()
-        .expect("missing discord config")
-        .api_base_url
-        .clone()
-    {
+    if let Some(base_url) = libpk::config.discord().api_base_url.clone() {
         client_builder = client_builder.proxy(base_url, true).ratelimiter(None);
     }