diff --git a/core/config.go b/core/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f25539e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package core
+
+import (
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/config"
+)
+
+var (
+	devMode config.BoolOption
+)
+
+func registerConfig() error {
+	err := config.Register(&config.Option{
+		Name:           "Development Mode",
+		Key:            "core/devMode",
+		Description:    "In Development Mode security restrictions are lifted/softened to enable easier access to Portmaster for debugging and testing purposes. This is potentially very insecure, only activate if you know what you are doing.",
+		ExpertiseLevel: config.ExpertiseLevelDeveloper,
+		OptType:        config.OptTypeBool,
+		DefaultValue:   true,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/core/databases.go b/core/databases.go
index 3373ea6e..ddb9cf9f 100644
--- a/core/databases.go
+++ b/core/databases.go
@@ -2,21 +2,12 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/database"
-	"github.com/safing/portbase/modules"
-	"github.com/safing/portbase/notifications"
 
 	// module dependencies
-	_ "github.com/safing/portbase/database/dbmodule"
 	_ "github.com/safing/portbase/database/storage/bbolt"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	modules.Register("core", nil, start, nil, "database")
-
-	notifications.SetPersistenceBasePath("core:notifications")
-}
-
-func start() error {
+func registerDatabases() error {
 	_, err := database.Register(&database.Database{
 		Name:        "core",
 		Description: "Holds core data, such as settings and profiles",
diff --git a/core/db.go b/core/db.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31f45822
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/db.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package core
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/database"
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/log"
+
+	"github.com/safing/portmaster/core/structure"
+)
+
+var (
+	maintenanceWg                sync.WaitGroup
+	maintenanceShortTickDuration = 10 * time.Minute
+	maintenanceLongTickDuration  = 1 * time.Hour
+)
+
+func startDB() error {
+	err := database.Initialize(dataDir, structure.Root())
+	if err == nil {
+		maintenanceWg.Add(1)
+		go maintenanceWorker()
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func stopDB() error {
+	maintenanceWg.Wait()
+	return database.Shutdown()
+}
+
+func maintenanceWorker() {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(maintenanceShortTickDuration)
+	longTicker := time.NewTicker(maintenanceLongTickDuration)
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			err := database.Maintain()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("database: maintenance error: %s", err)
+			}
+		case <-longTicker.C:
+			err := database.MaintainRecordStates()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("database: record states maintenance error: %s", err)
+			}
+			err = database.MaintainThorough()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("database: thorough maintenance error: %s", err)
+			}
+		case <-shuttingDown:
+			maintenanceWg.Done()
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/core/main.go b/core/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b216ce3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package core
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"flag"
+
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/modules"
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/notifications"
+
+	"github.com/safing/portmaster/core/structure"
+)
+
+var (
+	dataDir     string
+	databaseDir string
+
+	shuttingDown = make(chan struct{})
+)
+
+func init() {
+	flag.StringVar(&dataDir, "data", "", "set data directory")
+	flag.StringVar(&databaseDir, "db", "", "alias to --data (deprecated)")
+
+	modules.Register("core", prep, start, stop)
+
+	notifications.SetPersistenceBasePath("core:notifications")
+}
+
+func prep() error {
+	// backwards compatibility
+	if dataDir == "" {
+		dataDir = databaseDir
+	}
+
+	// check data dir
+	if dataDir == "" {
+		return errors.New("please set the data directory using --data=/path/to/data/dir")
+	}
+
+	// initialize structure
+	return structure.Initialize(dataDir, 0755)
+}
+
+func start() error {
+	// init DB
+	err := startDB()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// register DBs
+	return registerDatabases()
+}
+
+func stop() error {
+	close(shuttingDown)
+	return stopDB()
+}
diff --git a/core/structure/dirs.go b/core/structure/dirs.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2df06f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/structure/dirs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package structure
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/safing/portbase/utils"
+)
+
+var (
+	root *utils.DirStructure
+)
+
+// Initialize initializes the data root directory
+func Initialize(rootDir string, perm os.FileMode) error {
+	root = utils.NewDirStructure(rootDir, perm)
+	return root.Ensure()
+}
+
+// Root returns the data root directory.
+func Root() *utils.DirStructure {
+	return root
+}
+
+// NewRootDir calls ChildDir() on the data root directory.
+func NewRootDir(dirName string, perm os.FileMode) (childDir *utils.DirStructure) {
+	return root.ChildDir(dirName, perm)
+}