diff --git a/api/main.go b/api/main.go
index b522788..73955a8 100644
--- a/api/main.go
+++ b/api/main.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	modules.Register("api", prep, start, nil, "database")
+	modules.Register("api", prep, start, nil, "core")
 }
 
 func prep() error {
diff --git a/config/main.go b/config/main.go
index 52a2a4d..2c5003e 100644
--- a/config/main.go
+++ b/config/main.go
@@ -1,23 +1,40 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 
-	"github.com/safing/portbase/database"
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/modules"
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/utils"
+	"github.com/safing/portmaster/core/structure"
 )
 
+var (
+	dataRoot *utils.DirStructure
+)
+
+// SetDataRoot sets the data root from which the updates module derives its paths.
+func SetDataRoot(root *utils.DirStructure) {
+	if dataRoot == nil {
+		dataRoot = root
+	}
+}
+
 func init() {
-	modules.Register("config", prep, start, nil, "database")
+	modules.Register("config", prep, start, nil, "core")
 }
 
 func prep() error {
+	SetDataRoot(structure.Root())
+	if dataRoot == nil {
+		return errors.New("data root is not set")
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 func start() error {
-	configFilePath = path.Join(database.GetDatabaseRoot(), "config.json")
+	configFilePath = filepath.Join(dataRoot.Path, "config.json")
 
 	err := registerAsDatabase()
 	if err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
diff --git a/database/location.go b/database/location.go
index 7ca9777..636bab8 100644
--- a/database/location.go
+++ b/database/location.go
@@ -1,33 +1 @@
 package database
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"path/filepath"
-
-	"github.com/safing/portbase/utils"
-)
-
-const (
-	databasesSubDir = "databases"
-)
-
-var (
-	rootDir string
-)
-
-// GetDatabaseRoot returns the root directory of the database.
-func GetDatabaseRoot() string {
-	return rootDir
-}
-
-// getLocation returns the storage location for the given name and type.
-func getLocation(name, storageType string) (string, error) {
-	location := filepath.Join(rootDir, databasesSubDir, name, storageType)
-
-	// check location
-	err := utils.EnsureDirectory(location, 0700)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("location (%s) invalid: %s", location, err)
-	}
-	return location, nil
-}
diff --git a/database/main.go b/database/main.go
index f918a3b..3a51e8e 100644
--- a/database/main.go
+++ b/database/main.go
@@ -9,34 +9,40 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tevino/abool"
 )
 
+const (
+	databasesSubDir = "databases"
+)
+
 var (
 	initialized = abool.NewBool(false)
 
 	shuttingDown   = abool.NewBool(false)
 	shutdownSignal = make(chan struct{})
+
+	rootStructure      *utils.DirStructure
+	databasesStructure *utils.DirStructure
 )
 
-// SetLocation sets the location of the database. This is separate from the initialization to provide the location to other modules earlier.
-func SetLocation(location string) (ok bool) {
-	if !initialized.IsSet() && rootDir == "" {
-		rootDir = location
-		return true
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
-// Initialize initialized the database
-func Initialize() error {
+// Initialize initialized the database at the specified location. Supply either a path or dir structure.
+func Initialize(dirPath string, dirStructureRoot *utils.DirStructure) error {
 	if initialized.SetToIf(false, true) {
 
-		err := utils.EnsureDirectory(rootDir, 0755)
+		if dirStructureRoot != nil {
+			rootStructure = dirStructureRoot
+		} else {
+			rootStructure = utils.NewDirStructure(dirPath, 0755)
+		}
+
+		// ensure root and databases dirs
+		databasesStructure = rootStructure.ChildDir(databasesSubDir, 0700)
+		err := databasesStructure.Ensure()
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("could not create/open database directory (%s): %s", rootDir, err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("could not create/open database directory (%s): %s", rootStructure.Path, err)
 		}
 
 		err = loadRegistry()
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("could not load database registry (%s): %s", filepath.Join(rootDir, registryFileName), err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("could not load database registry (%s): %s", filepath.Join(rootStructure.Path, registryFileName), err)
 		}
 
 		// start registry writer
@@ -66,3 +72,14 @@ func Shutdown() (err error) {
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+// getLocation returns the storage location for the given name and type.
+func getLocation(name, storageType string) (string, error) {
+	location := databasesStructure.ChildDir(name, 0700).ChildDir(storageType, 0700)
+	// check location
+	err := location.Ensure()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf(`failed to create/check database dir "%s": %s`, location.Path, err)
+	}
+	return location.Path, nil
+}
diff --git a/database/registry.go b/database/registry.go
index 7195bc9..3cdc11d 100644
--- a/database/registry.go
+++ b/database/registry.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func loadRegistry() error {
 	defer registryLock.Unlock()
 
 	// read file
-	filePath := path.Join(rootDir, registryFileName)
+	filePath := path.Join(rootStructure.Path, registryFileName)
 	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func saveRegistry(lock bool) error {
 	}
 
 	// write file
-	filePath := path.Join(rootDir, registryFileName)
+	filePath := path.Join(rootStructure.Path, registryFileName)
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(filePath, data, 0600)
 }