--- a/example/config.yaml
+++ b/example/config.yaml
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ db-type: "sqlite"
 #
 # Examples: ["localhost","my.db.host","127.0.0.1","192.111.39.110",":memory:", "sqlite.db"]
 # Default: ""
-db-address: "sqlite.db"
+db-address: "/var/lib/gotosocial/sqlite.db"
 
 # Int. Port for postgres database connection; ignored for sqlite.
 # Examples: [5432, 1234, 6969]
@@ -297,12 +297,12 @@ cache:
 # String. Directory from which gotosocial will attempt to load html templates (.tmpl files).
 # Examples: ["/some/absolute/path/", "./relative/path/", "../../some/weird/path/"]
 # Default: "./web/template/"
-web-template-base-dir: "./web/template/"
+web-template-base-dir: "/etc/gotosocial/template"
 
 # String. Directory from which gotosocial will attempt to serve static web assets (images, scripts).
 # Examples: ["/some/absolute/path/", "./relative/path/", "../../some/weird/path/"]
 # Default: "./web/assets/"
-web-asset-base-dir: "./web/assets/"
+web-asset-base-dir: "/usr/share/gotosocial"
 
 ###########################
 ##### INSTANCE CONFIG #####
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ storage-backend: "local"
 # Only required when running with the local storage backend.
 # Examples: ["/home/gotosocial/storage", "/opt/gotosocial/datastorage"]
 # Default: "/gotosocial/storage"
-storage-local-base-path: "/gotosocial/storage"
+storage-local-base-path: "/var/lib/gotosocial/storage"
 
 # String. API endpoint of the S3 compatible service.
 # Only required when running with the s3 storage backend.
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ letsencrypt-port: 80
 # In any case, make sure GoToSocial has permissions to write to / read from this directory.
 # Examples: ["/home/gotosocial/storage/certs", "/acmecerts"]
 # Default: "/gotosocial/storage/certs"
-letsencrypt-cert-dir: "/gotosocial/storage/certs"
+letsencrypt-cert-dir: "/var/lib/gotosocial/storage/certs"
 
 # String. Email address to use when registering LetsEncrypt certs.
 # Most likely, this will be the email address of the instance administrator.
--- a/example/gotosocial.service
+++ b/example/gotosocial.service
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ Restart=on-failure
 #Environment="OTEL_METRICS_PRODUCERS=prometheus"
 
 # change if your path to the GoToSocial binary is different
-ExecStart=/gotosocial/gotosocial --config-path config.yaml server start
-WorkingDirectory=/gotosocial
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/gotosocial --config-path /etc/gotosocial/config.yaml server start
+WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/gotosocial
 
 # Sandboxing options to harden security
 # Details for these options: https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd.exec.html