diff --git a/packages/server/prisma/dbml/schema.dbml b/packages/server/prisma/dbml/schema.dbml
index d7f5123..19dc59d 100644
--- a/packages/server/prisma/dbml/schema.dbml
+++ b/packages/server/prisma/dbml/schema.dbml
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 //// THIS FILE WAS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED (DO NOT MODIFY)
 //// ------------------------------------------------------
 
+Table Setting {
+  key String [pk]
+  value String [not null]
+}
+
 Table User {
   sub String [pk]
   lastPixelTime DateTime [default: `now()`, not null]
diff --git a/packages/server/prisma/migrations/20240530220300_add_settings/migration.sql b/packages/server/prisma/migrations/20240530220300_add_settings/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..666328d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/prisma/migrations/20240530220300_add_settings/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+-- CreateTable
+CREATE TABLE "Setting" (
+    "key" TEXT NOT NULL,
+    "value" TEXT NOT NULL,
+
+    CONSTRAINT "Setting_pkey" PRIMARY KEY ("key")
+);
diff --git a/packages/server/prisma/schema.prisma b/packages/server/prisma/schema.prisma
index 599b5b1..85f3280 100644
--- a/packages/server/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/packages/server/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ datasource db {
   url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
 }
 
+model Setting {
+  key   String @id
+  value String // this value will be parsed with JSON.parse
+}
+
 model User {
   sub           String    @id
   lastPixelTime DateTime  @default(now()) // the time the last pixel was placed at
diff --git a/packages/server/src/index.ts b/packages/server/src/index.ts
index 7da56d3..b8fdd8a 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { Logger } from "./lib/Logger";
 import { ExpressServer } from "./lib/Express";
 import { SocketServer } from "./lib/SocketServer";
 import { OpenID } from "./lib/oidc";
+import { loadSettings } from "./lib/Settings";
 
 // Validate environment variables
 
@@ -57,10 +58,16 @@ if (!process.env.OIDC_CALLBACK_HOST) {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-Redis.connect();
-OpenID.setup().then(() => {
-  Logger.info("Setup OpenID");
-});
+// run startup tasks, all of these need to be completed to serve
+Promise.all([
+  Redis.connect(),
+  OpenID.setup().then(() => {
+    Logger.info("Setup OpenID");
+  }),
+  loadSettings(),
+]).then(() => {
+  Logger.info("Startup tasks have completed, starting server");
 
-const express = new ExpressServer();
-new SocketServer(express.httpServer);
+  const express = new ExpressServer();
+  new SocketServer(express.httpServer);
+});
diff --git a/packages/server/src/lib/Canvas.ts b/packages/server/src/lib/Canvas.ts
index 9c4fc80..fcf75c0 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/lib/Canvas.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/lib/Canvas.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { CanvasConfig } from "@sc07-canvas/lib/src/net";
 import { prisma } from "./prisma";
 import { Redis } from "./redis";
 import { SocketServer } from "./SocketServer";
+import { Logger } from "./Logger";
 
 class Canvas {
   /**
@@ -37,7 +38,23 @@ class Canvas {
    * @param height
    */
   async setSize(width: number, height: number) {
+    Logger.info("Canvas#setSize has started", {
+      old: this.canvasSize,
+      new: [width, height],
+    });
+
     this.canvasSize = [width, height];
+    await prisma.setting.upsert({
+      where: { key: "canvas.size" },
+      create: {
+        key: "canvas.size",
+        value: JSON.stringify({ width, height }),
+      },
+      update: {
+        key: "canvas.size",
+        value: JSON.stringify({ width, height }),
+      },
+    });
 
     // we're about to use the redis keys, make sure they are all updated
     await this.pixelsToRedis();
@@ -51,6 +68,8 @@ class Canvas {
     await this.getPixelsArray().then((pixels) => {
       SocketServer.instance.io.emit("canvas", pixels);
     });
+
+    Logger.info("Canvas#setSize has finished");
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/server/src/lib/Settings.ts b/packages/server/src/lib/Settings.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b95600
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/lib/Settings.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import Canvas from "./Canvas";
+import { Logger } from "./Logger";
+import { prisma } from "./prisma";
+
+export const loadSettings = async () => {
+  Logger.info("Loading settings...");
+
+  const sideEffects: Promise<unknown>[] = [];
+
+  // canvas size
+  const canvasSize = await prisma.setting.findFirst({
+    where: { key: "canvas.size" },
+  });
+  if (canvasSize) {
+    const data = JSON.parse(canvasSize.value);
+    Logger.info("Canvas size loaded as " + JSON.stringify(data));
+    sideEffects.push(
+      Canvas.setSize(data.width, data.height).then(() => {
+        Logger.info("Canvas size successfully updated");
+      })
+    );
+  } else {
+    Logger.warn("Setting canvas.size is not set, did you run init_settings?");
+  }
+
+  Logger.info(
+    "Settings loaded into memory, waiting for side effects to finish..."
+  );
+
+  await Promise.allSettled(sideEffects);
+};
diff --git a/packages/server/src/tools/init_settings.ts b/packages/server/src/tools/init_settings.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2fe3b45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/tools/init_settings.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { PrismaClient } from "@prisma/client";
+
+const prisma = new PrismaClient();
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+const log = (...msg: any[]) => console.log(...msg);
+
+async function main() {
+  const SETTINGS: { key: string; defaultValue: any }[] = [
+    {
+      key: "canvas.size",
+      defaultValue: {
+        width: 100,
+        height: 100,
+      },
+    },
+  ];
+
+  for (const setting of SETTINGS) {
+    log("Ensuring setting", setting.key);
+    await prisma.setting.upsert({
+      where: { key: setting.key },
+      update: {},
+      create: {
+        key: setting.key,
+        value: JSON.stringify(setting.defaultValue),
+      },
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+main()
+  .then(async () => {
+    await prisma.$disconnect();
+  })
+  .catch(async (e) => {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+    console.error(e);
+    await prisma.$disconnect();
+    process.exit(1);
+  });