diff --git a/app/src/config.py b/app/src/config.py
index 58b428a..1fbaffd 100644
--- a/app/src/config.py
+++ b/app/src/config.py
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ def get_config_file() -> ConfigType | Literal[False]:
     return False
 
 
+def get_variable_or_default(variable: str, default: str) -> str:
+    if not variable or len(variable) < 1:
+        return default
+    return variable
+
+
 def get_config_env() -> ConfigType | Literal[False]:
     """read config from environment"""
     if "TA_URL" in os.environ:
@@ -38,7 +44,9 @@ def get_config_env() -> ConfigType | Literal[False]:
             "ta_token": os.environ["TA_TOKEN"],
             "jf_url": os.environ["JF_URL"],
             "jf_token": os.environ["JF_TOKEN"],
-            "jf_folder": os.environ['JF_FOLDER']
+            "jf_folder": get_variable_or_default(
+                os.environ["JF_FOLDER"], "youtube"
+            ),
         }
         return config_content
 
diff --git a/app/src/connect.py b/app/src/connect.py
index 4478f5e..8d18541 100644
--- a/app/src/connect.py
+++ b/app/src/connect.py
@@ -9,7 +9,13 @@ from src.static_types import ConfigType, TAChannel, TAVideo
 
 CONFIG: ConfigType = get_config()
 TIMEOUT = 60
-EXPECTED_ENV = {"ta_url", "ta_token", "jf_url", "jf_token", "ta_video_path"} # js_folder is optional
+EXPECTED_ENV = {
+    "ta_url",
+    "ta_token",
+    "jf_url",
+    "jf_token",
+    "ta_video_path",
+}  # jf_folder is optional
 
 
 class Jellyfin:
diff --git a/app/src/series.py b/app/src/series.py
index 82f55e8..ad884dd 100644
--- a/app/src/series.py
+++ b/app/src/series.py
@@ -22,15 +22,10 @@ class Library:
         """get collection id for youtube folder"""
         path: str = "Items?Recursive=true&includeItemTypes=Folder"
         folders: dict = Jellyfin().get(path)
-        folder_name: str | None = get_config()["jf_folder"]
-
-        if not folder_name or len(folder_name) < 1:
-            folder_name = "youtube"
-        else:
-            folder_name = folder_name.lower()
+        folder_name: str = get_config()["jf_folder"]
 
         for folder in folders["Items"]:
-            if folder.get("Name").lower() == folder_name:
+            if folder.get("Name").lower() == folder_name.lower():
                 return folder.get("Id")
 
         raise ValueError("youtube folder not found")
diff --git a/app/src/static_types.py b/app/src/static_types.py
index 1c2d62a..ecf7fee 100644
--- a/app/src/static_types.py
+++ b/app/src/static_types.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class ConfigType(TypedDict):
     ta_token: str
     jf_url: str
     jf_token: str
-    jf_folder: str | None
+    jf_folder: str
 
 
 class TAChannel(TypedDict):