diff --git a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
index 8ea62026..16e7f37b 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
@@ -86,15 +86,10 @@ def _start_plot_process(gui_id, gui_class, config) -> None:
     Start the plot in a new process.
     """
     # pylint: disable=subprocess-run-check
-    command = [
-        "bec-gui-server",
-        "--id",
-        gui_id,
-        "--config",
-        config,
-        "--gui_class",
-        gui_class.__name__,
-    ]
+    command = ["bec-gui-server", "--id", gui_id, "--gui_class", gui_class.__name__]
+    if config:
+        command.extend(["--config", config])
+
     env_dict = os.environ.copy()
     env_dict["PYTHONUNBUFFERED"] = "1"
     process = subprocess.Popen(
@@ -165,7 +160,7 @@ class BECGuiClientMixin:
         if self._process is None or self._process.poll() is not None:
             self._start_update_script()
             self._process, self._process_output_processing_thread = _start_plot_process(
-                self._gui_id, self.__class__, self._client._service_config.redis
+                self._gui_id, self.__class__, self._client._service_config.config_path
             )
         while not self.gui_is_alive():
             print("Waiting for GUI to start...")
diff --git a/bec_widgets/cli/server.py b/bec_widgets/cli/server.py
index eeac0736..f83f7ee9 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/cli/server.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/cli/server.py
@@ -2,16 +2,20 @@ import inspect
 from typing import Union
 
 from bec_lib.endpoints import MessageEndpoints
+from bec_lib.logger import bec_logger
+from bec_lib.service_config import ServiceConfig
 from bec_lib.utils.import_utils import lazy_import
 from qtpy.QtCore import QTimer
 
 from bec_widgets.cli.rpc_register import RPCRegister
 from bec_widgets.utils import BECDispatcher
 from bec_widgets.utils.bec_connector import BECConnector
+from bec_widgets.utils.bec_dispatcher import QtRedisConnector
 from bec_widgets.widgets.dock.dock_area import BECDockArea
 from bec_widgets.widgets.figure import BECFigure
 
 messages = lazy_import("bec_lib.messages")
+logger = bec_logger.logger
 
 
 class BECWidgetsCLIServer:
@@ -157,6 +161,13 @@ def main():
         )
         gui_class = BECFigure
 
+    service_config = ServiceConfig(args.config)
+    bec_logger.configure(
+        service_config.redis,
+        QtRedisConnector,
+        service_name="BECWidgetsCLIServer",
+        service_config=service_config.service_config,
+    )
     server = BECWidgetsCLIServer(gui_id=args.id, config=args.config, gui_class=gui_class)
 
     gui = server.gui
diff --git a/bec_widgets/utils/bec_dispatcher.py b/bec_widgets/utils/bec_dispatcher.py
index 3362ee5c..70290780 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/utils/bec_dispatcher.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/utils/bec_dispatcher.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class BECDispatcher:
             cls._initialized = False
         return cls._instance
 
-    def __init__(self, client=None, config: str = None):
+    def __init__(self, client=None, config: str | ServiceConfig = None):
         if self._initialized:
             return
 
@@ -91,10 +91,11 @@ class BECDispatcher:
 
         if self.client is None:
             if config is not None:
-                host, port = config.split(":")
-                redis_config = {"host": host, "port": port}
+                if not isinstance(config, ServiceConfig):
+                    # config is supposed to be a path
+                    config = ServiceConfig(config)
                 self.client = BECClient(
-                    config=ServiceConfig(redis=redis_config), connector_cls=QtRedisConnector
+                    config=config, connector_cls=QtRedisConnector
                 )  # , forced=True)
             else:
                 self.client = BECClient(connector_cls=QtRedisConnector)  # , forced=True)
diff --git a/tests/end-2-end/conftest.py b/tests/end-2-end/conftest.py
index 1f4a9653..cbda6aad 100644
--- a/tests/end-2-end/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/end-2-end/conftest.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def gui_id():
 def plot_server(gui_id, klass, client_lib):
     dispatcher = BECDispatcher(client=client_lib)  # Has to init singleton with fixture client
     process, output_thread = _start_plot_process(
-        gui_id, klass, client_lib._client._service_config.redis
+        gui_id, klass, client_lib._client._service_config.config_path
     )
     try:
         while client_lib._client.connector.get(MessageEndpoints.gui_heartbeat(gui_id)) is None: