diff --git a/coretk/coretk/app.py b/coretk/coretk/app.py
index fbce02e1..68060927 100644
--- a/coretk/coretk/app.py
+++ b/coretk/coretk/app.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class Application(tk.Frame):
         self.statusbar = None
 
         # setup
-        self.config = appconfig.read()
+        self.guiconfig = appconfig.read()
         self.style = ttk.Style()
         self.setup_theme()
         self.core = CoreClient(self)
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Application(tk.Frame):
 
     def setup_theme(self):
         themes.load(self.style)
-        self.style.theme_use(self.config["preferences"]["theme"])
+        self.style.theme_use(self.guiconfig["preferences"]["theme"])
         func = partial(themes.update_menu, self.style)
         self.master.bind_class("Menu", "<<ThemeChanged>>", func)
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class Application(tk.Frame):
         menu_action.on_quit()
 
     def save_config(self):
-        appconfig.save(self.config)
+        appconfig.save(self.guiconfig)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/coretk/coretk/coreclient.py b/coretk/coretk/coreclient.py
index d801875e..b64aab98 100644
--- a/coretk/coretk/coreclient.py
+++ b/coretk/coretk/coreclient.py
@@ -83,12 +83,12 @@ class CoreClient:
 
     def read_config(self):
         # read distributed server
-        for config in self.app.config.get("servers", []):
+        for config in self.app.guiconfig.get("servers", []):
             server = CoreServer(config["name"], config["address"], config["port"])
             self.servers[server.name] = server
 
         # read custom nodes
-        for config in self.app.config.get("nodes", []):
+        for config in self.app.guiconfig.get("nodes", []):
             name = config["name"]
             image_file = config["image"]
             services = set(config["services"])
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class CoreClient:
             self.custom_nodes[name] = node_draw
 
         # read observers
-        for config in self.app.config.get("observers", []):
+        for config in self.app.guiconfig.get("observers", []):
             observer = Observer(config["name"], config["cmd"])
             self.custom_observers[observer.name] = observer
 
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class CoreClient:
         """
         response = self.client.create_session()
         logging.info("created session: %s", response)
-        location_config = self.app.config["location"]
+        location_config = self.app.guiconfig["location"]
         self.location = core_pb2.SessionLocation(
             x=location_config["x"],
             y=location_config["y"],
diff --git a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/canvassizeandscale.py b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/canvassizeandscale.py
index 0d88b11f..f25dfdd6 100644
--- a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/canvassizeandscale.py
+++ b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/canvassizeandscale.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class SizeAndScaleDialog(Dialog):
         location.alt = self.alt.get()
         location.scale = self.scale.get()
         if self.save_default.get():
-            location_config = self.app.config["location"]
+            location_config = self.app.guiconfig["location"]
             location_config["x"] = location.x
             location_config["y"] = location.y
             location_config["z"] = location.z
diff --git a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/customnodes.py b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/customnodes.py
index da7a1fb0..55199541 100644
--- a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/customnodes.py
+++ b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/customnodes.py
@@ -180,17 +180,17 @@ class CustomNodesDialog(Dialog):
             self.services.update(dialog.current_services)
 
     def click_save(self):
-        self.app.config["nodes"].clear()
+        self.app.guiconfig["nodes"].clear()
         for name in sorted(self.app.core.custom_nodes):
             node_draw = self.app.core.custom_nodes[name]
-            self.app.config["nodes"].append(
+            self.app.guiconfig["nodes"].append(
                 {
                     "name": name,
                     "image": node_draw.image_file,
                     "services": list(node_draw.services),
                 }
             )
-        logging.info("saving custom nodes: %s", self.app.config["nodes"])
+        logging.info("saving custom nodes: %s", self.app.guiconfig["nodes"])
         self.app.save_config()
         self.destroy()
 
diff --git a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/observers.py b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/observers.py
index 78c5811f..58499bd7 100644
--- a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/observers.py
+++ b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/observers.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class ObserverDialog(Dialog):
         for name in sorted(self.app.core.custom_observers):
             observer = self.app.core.custom_observers[name]
             observers.append({"name": observer.name, "cmd": observer.cmd})
-        self.app.config["observers"] = observers
+        self.app.guiconfig["observers"] = observers
         self.app.save_config()
         self.destroy()
 
diff --git a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/preferences.py b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/preferences.py
index 148cb6bb..7298f727 100644
--- a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/preferences.py
+++ b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/preferences.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from coretk.dialogs.dialog import Dialog
 class PreferencesDialog(Dialog):
     def __init__(self, master, app):
         super().__init__(master, app, "Preferences", modal=True)
-        preferences = self.app.config["preferences"]
+        preferences = self.app.guiconfig["preferences"]
         self.editor = tk.StringVar(value=preferences["editor"])
         self.theme = tk.StringVar(value=preferences["theme"])
         self.terminal = tk.StringVar(value=preferences["terminal"])
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class PreferencesDialog(Dialog):
         self.app.style.theme_use(theme)
 
     def click_save(self):
-        preferences = self.app.config["preferences"]
+        preferences = self.app.guiconfig["preferences"]
         preferences["terminal"] = self.terminal.get()
         preferences["editor"] = self.editor.get()
         preferences["gui3d"] = self.gui3d.get()
diff --git a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/servers.py b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/servers.py
index d3db22e7..10a6e79e 100644
--- a/coretk/coretk/dialogs/servers.py
+++ b/coretk/coretk/dialogs/servers.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class ServersDialog(Dialog):
             servers.append(
                 {"name": server.name, "address": server.address, "port": server.port}
             )
-        self.app.config["servers"] = servers
+        self.app.guiconfig["servers"] = servers
         self.app.save_config()
         self.destroy()