diff --git a/config/defaults.toml b/config/defaults.toml
index cf920fb..83f7333 100644
--- a/config/defaults.toml
+++ b/config/defaults.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-# Address where ibis should listen for incoming requests
-bind = "127.0.0.1:8081"
-
 # Whether users can create new accounts
 registration_open = true
 
diff --git a/src/backend/mod.rs b/src/backend/mod.rs
index c2f3a82..93ad456 100644
--- a/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -38,9 +38,10 @@ use diesel::{
     PgConnection,
 };
 use diesel_migrations::{embed_migrations, EmbeddedMigrations, MigrationHarness};
-use leptos::leptos_config::get_config_from_str;
+use leptos::get_configuration;
 use leptos_axum::{generate_route_list, LeptosRoutes};
 use log::info;
+use std::net::SocketAddr;
 use tokio::net::TcpListener;
 use tower_http::cors::CorsLayer;
 use tower_layer::Layer;
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ const MIGRATIONS: EmbeddedMigrations = embed_migrations!("migrations");
 
 const FEDERATION_ROUTES_PREFIX: &str = "/federation_routes";
 
-pub async fn start(config: IbisConfig) -> MyResult<()> {
+pub async fn start(config: IbisConfig, override_hostname: Option<SocketAddr>) -> MyResult<()> {
     let manager = ConnectionManager::<PgConnection>::new(&config.database.connection_url);
     let db_pool = Pool::builder()
         .max_size(config.database.pool_size)
@@ -82,8 +83,11 @@ pub async fn start(config: IbisConfig) -> MyResult<()> {
         setup(&data.to_request_data()).await?;
     }
 
-    let leptos_options = get_config_from_str(include_str!("../../Cargo.toml"))?;
-    let addr = leptos_options.site_addr;
+    let leptos_options = get_configuration(Some("Cargo.toml")).await?.leptos_options;
+    let mut addr = leptos_options.site_addr;
+    if let Some(override_hostname) = override_hostname {
+        addr = override_hostname;
+    }
     let routes = generate_route_list(App);
 
     let config = data.clone();
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index e89d214..dfd3baa 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub async fn main() -> ibis::backend::error::MyResult<()> {
         .init();
 
     let ibis_config = IbisConfig::read()?;
-    ibis::backend::start(ibis_config).await?;
+    ibis::backend::start(ibis_config, None).await?;
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/common.rs b/tests/common.rs
index 0c99362..dcd2908 100644
--- a/tests/common.rs
+++ b/tests/common.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use std::{
     thread::{sleep, spawn},
     time::Duration,
 };
-use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
+use tokio::{join, task::JoinHandle};
 use tracing::log::LevelFilter;
 
 pub struct TestData {
@@ -66,11 +66,13 @@ impl TestData {
             j.join().unwrap();
         }
 
-        Self {
-            alpha: IbisInstance::start(alpha_db_path, port_alpha, "alpha").await,
-            beta: IbisInstance::start(beta_db_path, port_beta, "beta").await,
-            gamma: IbisInstance::start(gamma_db_path, port_gamma, "gamma").await,
-        }
+        let (alpha, beta, gamma) = join!(
+            IbisInstance::start(alpha_db_path, port_alpha, "alpha"),
+            IbisInstance::start(beta_db_path, port_beta, "beta"),
+            IbisInstance::start(gamma_db_path, port_gamma, "gamma")
+        );
+
+        Self { alpha, beta, gamma }
     }
 
     pub fn stop(self) -> MyResult<()> {
@@ -115,7 +117,8 @@ impl IbisInstance {
 
     async fn start(db_path: String, port: i32, username: &str) -> Self {
         let connection_url = format!("postgresql://ibis:password@/ibis?host={db_path}");
-        let hostname = format!("localhost:{port}");
+        let hostname = format!("127.0.0.1:{port}");
+        let domain = format!("localhost:{port}");
         let config = IbisConfig {
             database: IbisConfigDatabase {
                 connection_url,
@@ -123,13 +126,17 @@ impl IbisInstance {
             },
             registration_open: true,
             federation: IbisConfigFederation {
-                domain: hostname.clone(),
+                domain: domain.clone(),
                 ..Default::default()
             },
             ..Default::default()
         };
+        let client = ClientBuilder::new().cookie_store(true).build().unwrap();
+        let api_client = ApiClient::new(client, Some(domain));
         let handle = tokio::task::spawn(async move {
-            start(config).await.unwrap();
+            start(config, Some(hostname.parse().unwrap()))
+                .await
+                .unwrap();
         });
         // wait a moment for the backend to start
         tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(5000)).await;
@@ -137,8 +144,6 @@ impl IbisInstance {
             username: username.to_string(),
             password: "hunter2".to_string(),
         };
-        let client = ClientBuilder::new().cookie_store(true).build().unwrap();
-        let api_client = ApiClient::new(client, Some(hostname));
         api_client.register(form).await.unwrap();
         Self {
             api_client,
diff --git a/tests/test.rs b/tests/test.rs
index d199062..712bdad 100644
--- a/tests/test.rs
+++ b/tests/test.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 #![allow(clippy::unwrap_used)]
 
-extern crate ibis;
-
 mod common;
 
 use crate::common::{TestData, TEST_ARTICLE_DEFAULT_TEXT};