diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index b8a1c81c8..0ade95158 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -40,5 +40,7 @@ COPY --from=build-env /go/src/code.vikunja.io/api/public /app/vikunja/public
 COPY --from=build-env /go/src/code.vikunja.io/api/templates /app/vikunja/templates
 COPY --from=build-env /go/src/code.vikunja.io/api/vikunja /app/vikunja/vikunja
 
+ENV VIKUNJA_SERVICE_ROOTPATH=/app/vikunja/
+
 ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/s6-svscan", "/etc/services.d"]
 CMD []
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 10ea6f915..1e63c9c74 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ service:
   interface: ":3456"
   # The URL of the frontend, used to send password reset emails.
   frontendurl: ""
+  # The base path on the file system where the binary and assets are
+  rootpath: <the path of the executable>
 
 database:
   # Database type to use. Supported types are mysql and sqlite.
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index bd3162b7b..7504879be 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -21,6 +23,12 @@ func InitConfig() (err error) {
 	viper.SetDefault("service.JWTSecret", random)
 	viper.SetDefault("service.interface", ":3456")
 	viper.SetDefault("service.frontendurl", "")
+	ex, err := os.Executable()
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	exPath := filepath.Dir(ex)
+	viper.SetDefault("service.rootpath", exPath)
 	// Database
 	viper.SetDefault("database.type", "sqlite")
 	viper.SetDefault("database.host", "localhost")
diff --git a/pkg/mail/send_mail.go b/pkg/mail/send_mail.go
index 4c467d12d..3ba19a0a3 100644
--- a/pkg/mail/send_mail.go
+++ b/pkg/mail/send_mail.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func SendMailWithTemplate(to, subject, tpl string, data map[string]interface{})
 	var plainContent bytes.Buffer
 
 	t := &Template{
-		Templates: template.Must(template.ParseGlob("templates/mail/*.tmpl")),
+		Templates: template.Must(template.ParseGlob(viper.GetString("service.rootpath") + "/templates/mail/*.tmpl")),
 	}
 
 	boundary := "np" + utils.MakeRandomString(13)
diff --git a/pkg/routes/routes.go b/pkg/routes/routes.go
index 27e3e46bf..54affded8 100644
--- a/pkg/routes/routes.go
+++ b/pkg/routes/routes.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func RegisterRoutes(e *echo.Echo) {
 	a := e.Group("/api/v1")
 
 	// Swagger UI
-	a.Static("/swagger", "public/swagger")
+	a.Static("/swagger", viper.GetString("service.rootpath")+"/public/swagger")
 
 	a.POST("/login", apiv1.Login)
 	a.POST("/register", apiv1.RegisterUser)