diff --git a/gen.py b/gen.py
index 6556d97..24a4318 100644
--- a/gen.py
+++ b/gen.py
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ import time
 from mastodon import Mastodon
 import re, random, subprocess
 
-api_base_url = "https://botsin.space" #todo: this shouldn't be hardcoded
+from os import environ
 
 client = Mastodon(
-        client_id="clientcred.secret", 
-        access_token="usercred.secret", 
-        api_base_url=api_base_url)
+  client_id=environ['client_id'],
+  client_secret=environ['client_secret'],
+  access_token=environ['access_token'],
+  api_base_url=environ['instance'],
+)
 
 with open("corpus.txt", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
   model = markovify.NewlineText(fp.read())
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index e9e72b7..9ebc03d 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -4,18 +4,7 @@ from os import path
 from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
 import re
 
-api_base_url = "https://botsin.space"
-
-if not path.exists("clientcred.secret"):
-	print("No clientcred.secret, registering application")
-	Mastodon.create_app("ebooks", api_base_url=api_base_url, to_file="clientcred.secret")
-
-if not path.exists("usercred.secret"):
-	print("No usercred.secret, registering application")
-	email = input("Email: ")
-	password = getpass("Password: ")
-	client = Mastodon(client_id="clientcred.secret", api_base_url=api_base_url)
-	client.log_in(email, password, to_file="usercred.secret")
+from os import environ
 
 def parse_toot(toot):
 	if toot.spoiler_text != "": return
@@ -76,9 +65,11 @@ def get_toots(client, id):
 			print(i)
 
 client = Mastodon(
-		client_id="clientcred.secret", 
-		access_token="usercred.secret", 
-		api_base_url=api_base_url)
+  client_id=environ['client_id'],
+  client_secret=environ['client_secret'],
+  access_token=environ['access_token'],
+  api_base_url=environ['instance'],
+)
 
 me = client.account_verify_credentials()
 following = client.account_following(me.id)