diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py
index f9f19571..d7afbeb9 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py
@@ -82,13 +82,19 @@ def setup_config(app: Flask) -> None:
         app.config.from_pyfile(f"{app.instance_path}/config.py", silent=True)
 
     app.config["PERMISSIONS_FILE_FULLPATH"] = None
-    if app.config["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME"]:
+    permissions_file_name = app.config["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME"]
+    if permissions_file_name is not None:
         app.config["PERMISSIONS_FILE_FULLPATH"] = os.path.join(
             app.root_path,
             "config",
             "permissions",
-            app.config["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME"],
+            permissions_file_name,
         )
+        print(f"base_permissions: loaded permissions file: {permissions_file_name}")
+    else:
+        print("base_permissions: no permissions file loaded")
+
+
 
     # unversioned (see .gitignore) config that can override everything and include secrets.
     # src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/secrets.py
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py
index 252b2b89..4f0a8296 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ GIT_BRANCH = environ.get("GIT_BRANCH")
 GIT_CLONE_URL_FOR_PUBLISHING = environ.get("GIT_CLONE_URL")
 GIT_COMMIT_ON_SAVE = environ.get("GIT_COMMIT_ON_SAVE", default="false") == "true"
 GIT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY = environ.get("GIT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY")
+GIT_USERNAME = environ.get("GIT_USERNAME")
+GIT_USER_EMAIL = environ.get("GIT_USER_EMAIL")
 
 # Datbase Configuration
 SPIFF_DATABASE_TYPE = environ.get(