diff --git a/core/databases.go b/core/base/databases.go
similarity index 95%
rename from core/databases.go
rename to core/base/databases.go
index df8f37ae..cf8bd8f8 100644
--- a/core/databases.go
+++ b/core/base/databases.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package core
+package base
 
 import (
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/database"
@@ -46,5 +46,5 @@ func registerDatabases() error {
 	//   return err
 	// }
 
-	return registerControlDatabase()
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/core/global.go b/core/base/global.go
similarity index 92%
rename from core/global.go
rename to core/base/global.go
index d76bbaa5..813f74de 100644
--- a/core/global.go
+++ b/core/base/global.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package core
+package base
 
 import (
 	"errors"
@@ -48,13 +48,6 @@ func globalPrep() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// init config
-	logFlagOverrides()
-	err := registerConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// set api listen address
 	api.SetDefaultAPIListenAddress(DefaultAPIListenAddress)
 
diff --git a/core/base/module.go b/core/base/module.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3fdc92d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/base/module.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package base
+
+import (
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/modules"
+
+	// module dependencies
+	_ "github.com/safing/portbase/config"
+	_ "github.com/safing/portbase/rng"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	modules.Register("base", nil, registerDatabases, nil, "database", "config", "rng")
+
+	// For prettier subsystem graph, printed with --print-subsystem-graph
+	/*
+		subsystems.Register(
+			"base",
+			"Base",
+			"THE GROUND.",
+			baseModule,
+			"",
+			nil,
+		)
+	*/
+}
diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index f7a6d13a..a322f37e 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/modules/subsystems"
 
 	// module dependencies
-	_ "github.com/safing/portbase/rng"
+	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/netenv"
 	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/status"
 	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/ui"
 	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/updates"
@@ -18,20 +18,6 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	modules.Register("base", nil, registerDatabases, nil, "database", "config", "rng")
-
-	// For prettier subsystem graph, printed with --print-subsystem-graph
-	/*
-		subsystems.Register(
-			"base",
-			"Base",
-			"THE GROUND.",
-			baseModule,
-			"",
-			nil,
-		)
-	*/
-
 	module = modules.Register("core", prep, start, nil, "base", "subsystems", "status", "updates", "api", "notifications", "ui", "netenv", "network", "interception")
 	subsystems.Register(
 		"core",
@@ -45,6 +31,14 @@ func init() {
 
 func prep() error {
 	registerEvents()
+
+	// init config
+	logFlagOverrides()
+	err := registerConfig()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -57,5 +51,9 @@ func start() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if err := registerControlDatabase(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/core/pmtesting/testing.go b/core/pmtesting/testing.go
index f2aa215a..a3091586 100644
--- a/core/pmtesting/testing.go
+++ b/core/pmtesting/testing.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/dataroot"
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/log"
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/modules"
-	"github.com/safing/portmaster/core"
+	"github.com/safing/portmaster/core/base"
 
 	// module dependencies
 	_ "github.com/safing/portbase/database/storage/hashmap"
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ func TestMainWithHooks(m *testing.M, module *modules.Module, afterStartFn, befor
 	module.Enable()
 
 	// switch databases to memory only
-	core.DefaultDatabaseStorageType = "hashmap"
+	base.DefaultDatabaseStorageType = "hashmap"
 
 	// switch API to high port
-	core.DefaultAPIListenAddress = "127.0.0.1:10817"
+	base.DefaultAPIListenAddress = "127.0.0.1:10817"
 
 	// set log level
 	log.SetLogLevel(log.TraceLevel)
diff --git a/firewall/config.go b/firewall/config.go
index 2a9308b3..4a6a3abf 100644
--- a/firewall/config.go
+++ b/firewall/config.go
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ var (
 
 	CfgOptionAskWithSystemNotificationsKey   = "filter/askWithSystemNotifications"
 	CfgOptionAskWithSystemNotificationsOrder = 2
-	askWithSystemNotifications               config.BoolOption
-	useSystemNotifications                   config.BoolOption
 
 	CfgOptionAskTimeoutKey   = "filter/askTimeout"
 	CfgOptionAskTimeoutOrder = 3
@@ -56,8 +54,6 @@ func registerConfig() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	askWithSystemNotifications = config.Concurrent.GetAsBool(CfgOptionAskWithSystemNotificationsKey, true)
-	useSystemNotifications = config.Concurrent.GetAsBool(core.CfgUseSystemNotificationsKey, true)
 
 	err = config.Register(&config.Option{
 		Name:           "Timeout for Ask Notifications",
diff --git a/intel/filterlists/module.go b/intel/filterlists/module.go
index 38d9deaa..1f683d42 100644
--- a/intel/filterlists/module.go
+++ b/intel/filterlists/module.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ var (
 func init() {
 	ignoreNetEnvEvents.Set()
 
-	module = modules.Register("filterlists", prep, start, stop, "core")
+	module = modules.Register("filterlists", prep, start, stop, "base", "updates")
 }
 
 func prep() error {
diff --git a/intel/geoip/module.go b/intel/geoip/module.go
index be6a02ff..015eb349 100644
--- a/intel/geoip/module.go
+++ b/intel/geoip/module.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	module = modules.Register("geoip", prep, nil, nil, "core")
+	module = modules.Register("geoip", prep, nil, nil, "base", "updates")
 }
 
 func prep() error {
diff --git a/profile/module.go b/profile/module.go
index 1cc83688..3bd002ba 100644
--- a/profile/module.go
+++ b/profile/module.go
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/modules"
 
 	// module dependencies
-	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/core"
+	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/core/base"
+	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/updates" // dependency of semi-dependency filterlists
 )
 
 var (
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	module = modules.Register("profiles", prep, start, nil, "base")
+	module = modules.Register("profiles", prep, start, nil, "base", "updates")
 }
 
 func prep() error {
diff --git a/resolver/main.go b/resolver/main.go
index df54b793..9c71f5db 100644
--- a/resolver/main.go
+++ b/resolver/main.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/safing/portmaster/intel"
 
 	// module dependencies
-	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/core"
+	_ "github.com/safing/portmaster/core/base"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	module = modules.Register("resolver", prep, start, nil, "core", "netenv")
+	module = modules.Register("resolver", prep, start, nil, "base", "netenv")
 }
 
 func prep() error {