diff --git a/incorporealcms/__init__.py b/incorporealcms/__init__.py
index 7960e33..7bc4145 100644
--- a/incorporealcms/__init__.py
+++ b/incorporealcms/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import os
 from logging.config import dictConfig
 
 from jinja2 import Environment, PackageLoader, select_autoescape
+from termcolor import cprint
 
 from incorporealcms.config import Config
 
@@ -24,7 +25,9 @@ def init_instance(instance_path: str, test_config: dict = None):
     instance_config = os.path.join(instance_path, 'config.json')
     if os.path.isfile(instance_config):
         with open(instance_config, 'r') as config:
-            Config.update(json.load(config))
+            config_dict = json.load(config)
+            cprint(f"splicing {config_dict} into the config", 'yellow')
+            Config.update(config_dict)
 
     if test_config:
         Config.update(test_config)
diff --git a/incorporealcms/config.py b/incorporealcms/config.py
index 38791e0..43a8efb 100644
--- a/incorporealcms/config.py
+++ b/incorporealcms/config.py
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ class Config(object):
         },
     }
 
-    MEDIA_DIR = 'media'
-
     # customizations
     PAGE_STYLES = {
         'dark': '/static/css/dark.css',
diff --git a/incorporealcms/pages.py b/incorporealcms/pages.py
index 35c3857..7c6a044 100644
--- a/incorporealcms/pages.py
+++ b/incorporealcms/pages.py
@@ -46,69 +46,12 @@ def handle_markdown_file_path(path: str) -> str:
                                image=get_meta_str(md, 'image'),
                                content=content,
                                user_style=Config.PAGE_STYLES.get(Config.DEFAULT_PAGE_STYLE),
-                               base_url=Config.BASE_HOST, navs=parent_navs,
+                               base_url=Config.BASE_HOST + instance_resource_path_to_request_path(path),
+                               navs=parent_navs,
                                mtime=mtime.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z'),
                                extra_footer=extra_footer)
 
 
-def request_path_to_instance_resource_path(path):
-    """Turn a request URL path to the full page path.
-
-    flask.Flask.open_instance_resource will open a file like /etc/hosts if you tell it to,
-    which sucks, so we do a lot of work here to make sure we have a valid request to
-    something inside the pages dir.
-    """
-    # check if the path is allowed
-    base_dir = os.path.realpath(f'{app.instance_path}/pages/')
-    safe_path = safe_join(base_dir, path)
-    # bail if the requested real path isn't inside the base directory
-    if not safe_path:
-        logger.warning("client tried to request a path '%s' outside of the base_dir!", path)
-        raise PermissionError
-
-    verbatim_path = os.path.abspath(safe_path)
-    resolved_path = os.path.realpath(verbatim_path)
-    logger.debug("base_dir '%s', constructed resolved_path '%s' for path '%s'", base_dir, resolved_path, path)
-
-    # see if we have a real file or if we should infer markdown rendering
-    if os.path.exists(resolved_path):
-        # if this is a file-like request but actually a directory, redirect the user
-        if os.path.isdir(resolved_path) and not path.endswith('/'):
-            logger.info("client requested a path '%s' that is actually a directory", path)
-            raise IsADirectoryError
-
-        # if the requested path contains a symlink, redirect the user
-        if verbatim_path != resolved_path:
-            logger.info("client requested a path '%s' that is actually a symlink to file '%s'", path, resolved_path)
-            return resolved_path.replace(f'{app.instance_path}{os.path.sep}', ''), 'symlink'
-
-        # derive the proper markdown or actual file depending on if this is a dir or file
-        if os.path.isdir(resolved_path):
-            resolved_path = os.path.join(resolved_path, 'index.md')
-            return resolved_path.replace(f'{app.instance_path}{os.path.sep}', ''), 'markdown'
-
-        logger.info("final DIRECT path = '%s' for request '%s'", resolved_path, path)
-        return resolved_path.replace(f'{app.instance_path}{os.path.sep}', ''), 'file'
-
-    # if we're here, this isn't direct file access, so try markdown inference
-    verbatim_path = f'{safe_path}.md'
-    resolved_path = os.path.realpath(verbatim_path)
-
-    # does the final file actually exist?
-    if not os.path.exists(resolved_path):
-        logger.warning("requested final path '%s' does not exist!", resolved_path)
-        raise FileNotFoundError
-
-    # check for symlinks
-    if verbatim_path != resolved_path:
-        logger.info("client requested a path '%s' that is actually a symlink to file '%s'", path, resolved_path)
-        return resolved_path.replace(f'{app.instance_path}{os.path.sep}', ''), 'symlink'
-
-    logger.info("final path = '%s' for request '%s'", resolved_path, path)
-    # we checked that the file exists via absolute path, but now we need to give the path relative to instance dir
-    return resolved_path.replace(f'{app.instance_path}{os.path.sep}', ''), 'markdown'
-
-
 def generate_parent_navs(path):
     """Create a series of paths/links to navigate up from the given resource path."""
     if path == 'index.md':
diff --git a/incorporealcms/templates/base.html b/incorporealcms/templates/base.html
index 737f351..d7ec4d8 100644
--- a/incorporealcms/templates/base.html
+++ b/incorporealcms/templates/base.html
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
             {% if not loop.last %} » {% endif %}
             {% endfor %}
         </div>
+        {% if page_styles %}
         <div class="styles">
             {% for style in page_styles %}
             <a href="?style={{ style }}">[{{ style }}]</a>
             {% endfor %}
         </div>
+        {% endif %}
     </div>
     {% endblock %}
     {% block body %}