diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index c9127a4..75af774 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
+	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	// Create a new Gin router.
 	router := gin.Default()
+	serverPort := strconv.Itoa(int(settings.Port))
 
 	// Load HTML templates depending on whether the application is running inside a container.
 	_, container := os.LookupEnv("CONTAINER")
@@ -38,18 +40,18 @@ func main() {
 	// Register all application routes, including the static file serving route for locales.
 	web.RegisterRoutes(router)
 
-	printWelcomeBanner()
+	printWelcomeBanner(serverPort)
 	log.Println("--- Fail2Ban-UI started in", gin.Mode(), "mode ---")
-	log.Println("Server listening on port :8080.")
+	log.Println("Server listening on port", serverPort, ".")
 
 	// Start the server on port 8080.
-	if err := router.Run(":8080"); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Server crashed: %v", err)
+	if err := router.Run(":" + serverPort); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Could not start server: %v\n", err)
 	}
 }
 
 // printWelcomeBanner prints a cool Tux banner with startup info.
-func printWelcomeBanner() {
+func printWelcomeBanner(appPort string) {
 	greeting := getGreeting()
 	const tuxBanner = `
       .--.
@@ -62,13 +64,13 @@ func printWelcomeBanner() {
 
 Fail2Ban UI - A Swissmade Management Interface
 ----------------------------------------------
-Developers: https://swissmakers.ch
-Mode: %s
-Listening on: http://0.0.0.0:8080
+Developers:   https://swissmakers.ch
+Mode:         %s
+Listening on: http://0.0.0.0:%s
 ----------------------------------------------
 
 `
-	fmt.Printf(tuxBanner, greeting, gin.Mode())
+	fmt.Printf(tuxBanner, greeting, gin.Mode(), appPort)
 }
 
 // getGreeting returns a friendly greeting based on the time of day.
diff --git a/internal/config/settings.go b/internal/config/settings.go
index 10d2154..27fba0e 100644
--- a/internal/config/settings.go
+++ b/internal/config/settings.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ type SMTPSettings struct {
 // AppSettings holds the main UI settings and Fail2ban configuration
 type AppSettings struct {
 	Language       string       `json:"language"`
+	Port           int          `json:"port"`
 	Debug          bool         `json:"debug"`
 	ReloadNeeded   bool         `json:"reloadNeeded"`
 	AlertCountries []string     `json:"alertCountries"`
@@ -57,10 +59,11 @@ type AppSettings struct {
 
 // init paths to key-files
 const (
-	settingsFile = "fail2ban-ui-settings.json" // this is relative to where the app was started
-	jailFile     = "/etc/fail2ban/jail.local"  // Path to jail.local (to override conf-values from jail.conf)
-	jailDFile    = "/etc/fail2ban/jail.d/ui-custom-action.conf"
-	actionFile   = "/etc/fail2ban/action.d/ui-custom-action.conf"
+	settingsFile    = "fail2ban-ui-settings.json" // this file is created, relatively to where the app was started
+	defaultJailFile = "/etc/fail2ban/jail.conf"
+	jailFile        = "/etc/fail2ban/jail.local" // Path to jail.local (to override conf-values from jail.conf)
+	jailDFile       = "/etc/fail2ban/jail.d/ui-custom-action.conf"
+	actionFile      = "/etc/fail2ban/action.d/ui-custom-action.conf"
 )
 
 // in-memory copy of settings
@@ -97,6 +100,9 @@ func setDefaults() {
 	if currentSettings.Language == "" {
 		currentSettings.Language = "en"
 	}
+	if currentSettings.Port == 0 {
+		currentSettings.Port = 8080
+	}
 	if currentSettings.AlertCountries == nil {
 		currentSettings.AlertCountries = []string{"ALL"}
 	}
@@ -201,7 +207,19 @@ func initializeFail2banAction() error {
 func setupGeoCustomAction() error {
 	file, err := os.Open(jailFile)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err // File not found or inaccessible
+		// Fallback: Copy default file if jail.local is not found
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			if err := copyFile(defaultJailFile, jailFile); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to copy default jail.conf to jail.local: %w", err)
+			}
+			fmt.Println("Successfully created jail.local from jail.conf.")
+			file, err = os.Open(jailFile)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		} else {
+			return err // Other error
+		}
 	}
 	defer file.Close()
 
@@ -246,6 +264,24 @@ func setupGeoCustomAction() error {
 	return os.WriteFile(jailFile, []byte(output), 0644)
 }
 
+// copyFile copies a file from src to dst. If the destination file does not exist, it will be created.
+func copyFile(src, dst string) error {
+	sourceFile, err := os.Open(src)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer sourceFile.Close()
+
+	destFile, err := os.Create(dst)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer destFile.Close()
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(destFile, sourceFile)
+	return err
+}
+
 // ensureJailDConfig checks if the jail.d file exists and creates it if necessary
 func ensureJailDConfig() error {
 	// Check if the file already exists
diff --git a/internal/fail2ban/client.go b/internal/fail2ban/client.go
index 654aa8b..546ff7e 100644
--- a/internal/fail2ban/client.go
+++ b/internal/fail2ban/client.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func GetJails() ([]string, error) {
 	cmd := exec.Command("fail2ban-client", "status")
 	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not get jail information. is fail2ban running? error: %v", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error: unable to retrieve jail information. is your fail2ban service running? details: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	var jails []string