diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index c835013e..01528fb9 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ const (
 
 // Headscale represents the base app of the service.
 type Headscale struct {
-	cfg        Config
+	cfg        *Config
 	db         *gorm.DB
 	dbString   string
 	dbType     string
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func LookupTLSClientAuthMode(mode string) (tls.ClientAuthType, bool) {
 	}
 }
 
-func NewHeadscale(cfg Config) (*Headscale, error) {
+func NewHeadscale(cfg *Config) (*Headscale, error) {
 	privKey, err := readOrCreatePrivateKey(cfg.PrivateKeyPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read or create private key: %w", err)
diff --git a/app_test.go b/app_test.go
index 96036a1d..170db482 100644
--- a/app_test.go
+++ b/app_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (s *Suite) ResetDB(c *check.C) {
 	}
 
 	app = Headscale{
-		cfg:      cfg,
+		cfg:      &cfg,
 		dbType:   "sqlite3",
 		dbString: tmpDir + "/headscale_test.db",
 	}
diff --git a/machine_test.go b/machine_test.go
index 0fb3ed78..bde96057 100644
--- a/machine_test.go
+++ b/machine_test.go
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ func TestHeadscale_GenerateGivenName(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "simple machine name generation",
 			h: &Headscale{
-				cfg: Config{
+				cfg: &Config{
 					OIDC: OIDCConfig{
 						StripEmaildomain: true,
 					},
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ func TestHeadscale_GenerateGivenName(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "machine name with 53 chars",
 			h: &Headscale{
-				cfg: Config{
+				cfg: &Config{
 					OIDC: OIDCConfig{
 						StripEmaildomain: true,
 					},
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ func TestHeadscale_GenerateGivenName(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "machine name with 60 chars",
 			h: &Headscale{
-				cfg: Config{
+				cfg: &Config{
 					OIDC: OIDCConfig{
 						StripEmaildomain: true,
 					},
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ func TestHeadscale_GenerateGivenName(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "machine name with 63 chars",
 			h: &Headscale{
-				cfg: Config{
+				cfg: &Config{
 					OIDC: OIDCConfig{
 						StripEmaildomain: true,
 					},
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ func TestHeadscale_GenerateGivenName(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "machine name with 64 chars",
 			h: &Headscale{
-				cfg: Config{
+				cfg: &Config{
 					OIDC: OIDCConfig{
 						StripEmaildomain: true,
 					},
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ func TestHeadscale_GenerateGivenName(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "machine name with 73 chars",
 			h: &Headscale{
-				cfg: Config{
+				cfg: &Config{
 					OIDC: OIDCConfig{
 						StripEmaildomain: true,
 					},