diff --git a/backend/src/api.js b/backend/src/api.js
index 6926720..22d512a 100644
--- a/backend/src/api.js
+++ b/backend/src/api.js
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 import { Router } from "express";
+import dotenv from 'dotenv';
+dotenv.config();
+
+const db = await import('./db.js'); // dynamic import because otherwise dotenv will not work correctly
 
 const router = Router();
 
@@ -7,13 +11,14 @@ router.get("/healthcheck", (req, res) => {
 });
 
 router.post("/scores", async (req, res) => {
+    console.log(req.body)
     const { name, game, score } = req.body;
 
     if (!name || !game || !Number.isFinite(score) || !Number.isInteger(score) || score < 0) {
         return res.status(400).json({ error: "Missing or invalid parameters" });
     }
 
-    const conn = await pool.getConnection();
+    const conn = await db.pool.getConnection();
 
     try {
         await conn.beginTransaction();
@@ -54,7 +59,7 @@ router.get("/leaderboard/:game", async (req, res) => {
     const gameName = req.params.game;
 
     try {
-        const [rows] = await pool.query(
+        const [rows] = await db.pool.query(
             `
             SELECT u.name AS user, s.score, s.created_at
             FROM scores s
diff --git a/backend/src/index.js b/backend/src/index.js
index 4f0422c..a847ae4 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.js
+++ b/backend/src/index.js
@@ -12,11 +12,13 @@ const app = express();
 
 db.initDB();
 
-app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, "public"), {
-  dotfiles: "ignore"
-}));
+app.use(express.json())
+app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }))
+//app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, "public"), {
+//  dotfiles: "ignore"
+//}));
 app.use("/api", apiRouter);
 
-const server = app.listen(0, () => {
+const server = app.listen(5555, () => {
   console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${server.address().port}`);
 });
\ No newline at end of file