diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index ac49f2b..bf58e16 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ type Config struct {
 // DatabaseConfig holds database-specific configuration.
 type DatabaseConfig struct {
 	Type string `yaml:"type"` // "sqlite" (default) or "mysql"
-	DSN  string `yaml:"dsn"`  // MySQL connection string (ignored for sqlite)
+	DSN  string `yaml:"dsn"`  // MySQL connection string (required when type is "mysql")
 }
 
-// defaultPort is the fallback web server port.
 const defaultPort = "8080"
 
+// mysqlExampleDSN is written into new config files as a reference.
+const mysqlExampleDSN = "user:password@tcp(127.0.0.1:3306)/blog_go?charset=utf8mb4&parseTime=True&loc=Local"
+
 // getConfigPath returns the OS-aware config directory and config file path.
 func getConfigPath() (dir, file string) {
 	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
@@ -49,7 +51,6 @@ func getDefaultStoragePath() string {
 
 // generateSecret returns a random-ish hex string for the session secret.
 func generateSecret() string {
-	// Use a combination of hostname + random to produce a unique secret.
 	hostname, _ := os.Hostname()
 	input := fmt.Sprintf("%s-%d", hostname, os.Getpid())
 	hash := sha256.Sum256([]byte(input))
@@ -61,8 +62,6 @@ func LoadConfig() *Config {
 	configDir, configFile := getConfigPath()
 	defaultPath := getDefaultStoragePath()
 
-	cfg := &Config{}
-
 	// Check if config file exists; create with defaults if not.
 	if _, err := os.Stat(configFile); os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		log.Printf("Config file not found at %s, creating with defaults...", configFile)
@@ -70,10 +69,10 @@ func LoadConfig() *Config {
 			log.Fatalf("Failed to create config directory %s: %v", configDir, err)
 		}
 
-		cfg = &Config{
+		cfg := &Config{
 			Database: DatabaseConfig{
 				Type: "sqlite",
-				DSN:  "",
+				DSN:  mysqlExampleDSN,
 			},
 			Port:   defaultPort,
 			Path:   defaultPath,
@@ -96,12 +95,13 @@ func LoadConfig() *Config {
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(configFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Warning: could not read config file %s: %v, using defaults", configFile, err)
+		cfg := &Config{}
 		return applyDefaults(cfg, defaultPath)
 	}
 
+	cfg := &Config{}
 	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(data, cfg); err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Warning: malformed config file %s: %v, using defaults", configFile, err)
-		cfg = &Config{}
 	}
 
 	return applyDefaults(cfg, defaultPath)
diff --git a/models/db.go b/models/db.go
index d04f14a..fd725fc 100644
--- a/models/db.go
+++ b/models/db.go
@@ -28,11 +28,10 @@ func InitDB(cfg *config.Config) *gorm.DB {
 
 	switch cfg.Database.Type {
 	case "mysql":
-		dsn := cfg.Database.DSN
-		if dsn == "" {
-			dsn = "root:password@tcp(127.0.0.1:3306)/blog_go?charset=utf8mb4&parseTime=True&loc=Local"
+		if cfg.Database.DSN == "" {
+			log.Fatalf("Database DSN is required when type is 'mysql'. Please set it in your config file.")
 		}
-		dialector = mysql.Open(dsn)
+		dialector = mysql.Open(cfg.Database.DSN)
 	default:
 		dbPath := filepath.Join(cfg.Path, "blog.db")
 		dialector = sqlite.Open(dbPath)