diff --git a/cmd/queryService/main.go b/cmd/queryService/main.go
index 21f2c01f..7ac9a04b 100644
--- a/cmd/queryService/main.go
+++ b/cmd/queryService/main.go
@@ -95,14 +95,18 @@ func main() {
 		return swagger, nil
 	}
 
-	// this must be done before the rbac.InitializeAuthProvider
+	// Both of these operations (InitializeConfig and InitializeAuthProvider)
+	// would be better off in the service.new but there are temporal dependencies
+	// that make this not possible right now without more refactoring.
+
+	// This must be done before the rbac.InitializeAuthProvider
 	errInitializingConfig := serviceconfig.InitializeConfig(cfg)
 	if errInitializingConfig != nil {
 		slog.Error(errInitializingConfig.Error())
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	// initialize the rbac config here since only the API service needs it
+	// Initialize the rbac config here since only the API service needs it
 	errorGettingAuthProvider := rbac.InitializeAuthProvider(&cfg.AuthConfig)
 	if errorGettingAuthProvider != nil {
 		slog.Error(errorGettingAuthProvider.Error())
diff --git a/internal/serviceconfig/rbac/config.go b/internal/serviceconfig/rbac/config.go
index 287622c6..bcc35090 100644
--- a/internal/serviceconfig/rbac/config.go
+++ b/internal/serviceconfig/rbac/config.go
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ import (
 
 // AuthConfig holds the RBAC configuration and KeyProvider
 type AuthConfig struct {
-	AuthType string `env:"RBAC_PROVIDER" envDefault:"cognito"`
+	// cognito or local
+	AuthType string `env:"RBAC_PROVIDER" envDefault:"local"`
 	// Cognito Config
 	CognitoRegion     string `env:"COGNITO_REGION" envDefault:"us-east-1"`
 	CognitoUserPoolID string `env:"COGNITO_USER_POOL_ID"`
 	// Local Key Config
-	PrivateKeyPath string `env:"RBAC_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH"`
-	PublicKeyPath  string `env:"RBAC_PUBLIC_KEY_PATH"`
+	PrivateKeyPath string `env:"RBAC_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH" envDefault:"./public_key.pem"`
+	PublicKeyPath  string `env:"RBAC_PUBLIC_KEY_PATH" envDefault:"./private_key.pem"`
 
 	// Actual provider - can be either local or cognito
 	AuthProvider rbac.KeyProvider