diff --git a/auth/auth_middleware.py b/auth/auth_middleware.py
index e382842..22c3b11 100644
--- a/auth/auth_middleware.py
+++ b/auth/auth_middleware.py
@@ -1,33 +1,53 @@
-from functools import wraps
+import os
+import functools
 from flask import request, Response
 import configparser
 
-# Load basic auth credentials
-auth_config = configparser.ConfigParser()
-auth_config.read('auth/auth.cfg')
-BASIC_AUTH_USERNAME = auth_config.get('auth', 'username')
-BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD = auth_config.get('auth', 'password')
+# Docker paths
+CONFIG_DIR = '/app/config'
+AUTH_CFG = os.path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'auth', 'auth.cfg')
+
+# Ensure config directory exists
+os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(AUTH_CFG), exist_ok=True)
+
+# Load auth credentials with fallback defaults
+BASIC_AUTH_USERNAME = "admin"
+BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD = "admin"
+
+try:
+    if os.path.exists(AUTH_CFG):
+        auth_config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+        auth_config.read(AUTH_CFG)
+        if auth_config.has_section('auth'):
+            BASIC_AUTH_USERNAME = auth_config.get('auth', 'username', fallback='admin')
+            BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD = auth_config.get('auth', 'password', fallback='admin')
+            print(f"[AUTH] Loaded credentials from {AUTH_CFG}", flush=True)
+        else:
+            print(f"[AUTH] No [auth] section in {AUTH_CFG}, using defaults", flush=True)
+    else:
+        print(f"[AUTH] {AUTH_CFG} not found, using defaults", flush=True)
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"[AUTH] Error loading config: {e}, using defaults", flush=True)
 
 def check_auth(username, password):
     return username == BASIC_AUTH_USERNAME and password == BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD
 
 def authenticate():
     return Response(
-        'Authentication required.', 401,
+        'Could not verify your access level for that URL.\n'
+        'You have to login with proper credentials',
+        401,
         {'WWW-Authenticate': 'Basic realm="Login Required"'}
     )
 
 def requires_auth(f):
-    @wraps(f)
-    def decorated(*args, **kwargs):
+    @functools.wraps(f)
+    def decorated_function(*args, **kwargs):
         auth = request.authorization
         if not auth or not check_auth(auth.username, auth.password):
             return authenticate()
         return f(*args, **kwargs)
-    return decorated
+    return decorated_function
 
 def setup_auth(app):
-    """Setup authentication for the Flask app"""
-    # This function can be used to register auth-related configurations
-    # if needed in the future
     pass