diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 3dd8036..1ff7352 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ DEST_PORT=993
 DEST_USER=your@mxroute.com
 DEST_PASS=password
 FOLDERS=INBOX,Sent
+STATE_DIR=./state
 DRY_RUN=false
 UPTIME_SUCCESS_URL=https://your-uptime-instance.com/api/push/your-token?status=up&msg=OK&ping=
 UPTIME_FAIL_URL=https://your-uptime-instance.com/api/push/your-token?status=down&msg=Failed
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f281f25..8767976 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ This will set up the virtual environment, systemd services, and provide post-ins
 - `DEST_USER`: Destination email/username
 - `DEST_PASS`: Destination password
 - `FOLDERS`: Folders to sync (default "INBOX,Sent"; use "all" for all folders or comma-separated list)
+- `STATE_DIR`: Directory for state files (default "./state")
 - `DRY_RUN`: Set to `true` for testing without forwarding (default false)
 - `UPTIME_SUCCESS_URL`: URL for success ping
 - `UPTIME_FAIL_URL`: URL for failure ping
diff --git a/email_forwarder/email_forwarder.py b/email_forwarder/email_forwarder.py
index 712206e..d7d0625 100644
--- a/email_forwarder/email_forwarder.py
+++ b/email_forwarder/email_forwarder.py
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ class EmailForwarder:
 
     def __init__(self, config: dict):
         self.config = config
+        self.state_dir = config["state_dir"]
+        os.makedirs(self.state_dir, exist_ok=True)
+        self.processed_file = os.path.join(self.state_dir, "processed_message_ids.txt")
+        self.last_run_file = os.path.join(self.state_dir, "last_run.txt")
         self.source = SourceImap(
             config["source_host"],
             config["source_port"],
@@ -144,23 +148,21 @@ class EmailForwarder:
 
     def load_state(self):
         """Load last run and processed IDs."""
-        last_run_file = self.config["last_run_file"]
-        if os.path.exists(last_run_file):
-            with open(last_run_file) as f:
+        if os.path.exists(self.last_run_file):
+            with open(self.last_run_file) as f:
                 last_run_str = f.read().strip()
             self.last_run = datetime.fromisoformat(last_run_str)
         else:
             self.last_run = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
 
-        processed_file = self.config["processed_file"]
-        if os.path.exists(processed_file):
-            with open(processed_file, "r") as f:
+        if os.path.exists(self.processed_file):
+            with open(self.processed_file, "r") as f:
                 self.processed_ids = set(filter(None, (line.strip() for line in f)))
 
     def save_state(self):
         """Save last run and processed IDs."""
         if not self.dry_run:
-            with open(self.config["last_run_file"], "w") as f:
+            with open(self.last_run_file, "w") as f:
                 f.write(datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat())
 
     def sync_all_folders(self):
@@ -209,7 +211,7 @@ class EmailForwarder:
                 if not self.dry_run:
                     self.dest.append_email(folder, raw_msg)
                     self.processed_ids.add(msg_id)
-                    with open(self.config["processed_file"], "a") as f:
+                    with open(self.processed_file, "a") as f:
                         f.write(msg_id + "\n")
                     forwarded += 1
                     logging.info(f"Forwarded {msg_id} from {folder}")
@@ -239,8 +241,7 @@ def load_config():
         "dest_user": os.getenv("DEST_USER"),
         "dest_pass": os.getenv("DEST_PASS"),
         "folders": os.getenv("FOLDERS", "INBOX"),
-        "processed_file": "processed_message_ids.txt",
-        "last_run_file": "last_run.txt",
+        "state_dir": os.getenv("STATE_DIR", "./state"),
         "dry_run": os.getenv("DRY_RUN", "false").lower() == "true",
     }
     # Validate required