diff --git a/auth/login.py b/auth/login.py
index 4aecf71..7b60892 100644
--- a/auth/login.py
+++ b/auth/login.py
@@ -3,13 +3,20 @@ import logging
 from fastapi.responses import RedirectResponse
 from nicegui import APIRouter, app, ui
 
-from auth.fakeldap import get_data
+from state import config
 
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 router = APIRouter()
 
 
+if config.fake:
+    log.warning("using fake LDAP")
+    from auth.fakeldap import get_data
+else:
+    from auth.psildap import get_data
+
+
 @router.page("/login")
 def login(redirect_to: str = "/") -> RedirectResponse | None:
     if app.storage.user.get("authenticated"):
diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77532b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import argparse
+
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+
+parser.add_argument("-f", "--fake", action="store_true")
+
+clargs = parser.parse_args()
+
+
+
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..788d7d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+
+class Config(dict):
+    __getattr__ = dict.__getitem__
+    __setattr__ = dict.__setitem__
+    __delattr__ = dict.__delitem__
+
+
+
diff --git a/stand.py b/stand.py
index 54a27ed..c0e97e6 100755
--- a/stand.py
+++ b/stand.py
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 from nicegui import app, ui
 
+from cli import clargs
+from state import config
+config.update(vars(clargs))
+
 from logcfg import logcfg
 logcfg()
 
diff --git a/state.py b/state.py
index 7a66bf9..d07af00 100644
--- a/state.py
+++ b/state.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 
 import arcticdb as adb
 
+from config import Config
 from registry import Registry
 
 
@@ -15,6 +16,11 @@ lib = ac.get_library(
 )
 
 
+config = Config(
+    fake=False
+)
+
+
 grids = defaultdict(Registry)