diff --git a/app/main.py b/app/main.py
index 580bc76..3ba5ae4 100644
--- a/app/main.py
+++ b/app/main.py
@@ -74,21 +74,22 @@ class Config:
         if not self.URL_PREFIX.endswith('/'):
             self.URL_PREFIX += '/'
 
-        success,_ = self.load_ytdl_options(True)
+        success,_ = self.load_ytdl_options()
         if not success:
             sys.exit(1)
 
-    def load_ytdl_options(self, is_init=False) -> tuple[bool, str]:
-        msg = ''
-        if not self.load_ytdl_options_env(is_init):
+    def load_ytdl_options(self) -> tuple[bool, str]:
+        try:
+            self.YTDL_OPTIONS = json.loads(os.environ.get('YTDL_OPTIONS', '{}'))
+            assert isinstance(self.YTDL_OPTIONS, dict)
+        except (json.decoder.JSONDecodeError, AssertionError):
             msg = 'Environment variable YTDL_OPTIONS is invalid'
+            log.error(msg)
             return (False, msg)
-        
+
         if not self.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE:
-            msg='YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE is not set'
-            if not is_init:
-                log.error(msg)
-            return (is_init, msg)
+            return (True, '')
+
         log.info(f'Loading yt-dlp custom options from "{self.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE}"')
         if not os.path.exists(self.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE):
             msg = f'File "{self.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE}" not found'
@@ -104,21 +105,7 @@ class Config:
             return (False, msg)
 
         self.YTDL_OPTIONS.update(opts)
-        return (True, msg)
-    
-    def load_ytdl_options_env(self, is_init=False) -> tuple[bool, str]:
-        k = 'YTDL_OPTIONS'
-        if not is_init:
-            
-            setattr(self, k, os.environ.get(k, '{}'))
-        print(os.environ.get(k, '{}'))
-        try:
-            self.YTDL_OPTIONS = json.loads(self.YTDL_OPTIONS)
-            assert isinstance(self.YTDL_OPTIONS, dict)
-        except (json.decoder.JSONDecodeError, AssertionError):
-            log.error('YTDL_OPTIONS is invalid')
-            return False
-        return True
+        return (True, '')
 
 config = Config()
 
@@ -161,15 +148,40 @@ app.on_startup.append(lambda app: dqueue.initialize())
 
 class FileOpsFilter(DefaultFilter):
     def __call__(self, change_type: int, path: str) -> bool:
-        return (os.path.samefile(path, config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE) and
-                change_type in (Change.modified,Change.added))
+        # Check if this path matches our YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE
+        if path != config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE:
+            return False
+
+        # For existing files, use samefile comparison to handle symlinks correctly
+        if os.path.exists(config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE):
+            try:
+                if not os.path.samefile(path, config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE):
+                    return False
+            except (OSError, IOError):
+                # If samefile fails, fall back to string comparison
+                if path != config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE:
+                    return False
+
+        # Accept all change types for our file: modified, added, deleted
+        return change_type in (Change.modified, Change.added, Change.deleted)
+
 def get_options_update_time(success=True, msg=''):
     result = {
         'success': success,
         'msg': msg,
-        'update_time': os.path.getmtime(config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE)
+        'update_time': None
     }
+
+    # Only try to get file modification time if YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE is set and file exists
+    if config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE and os.path.exists(config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE):
+        try:
+            result['update_time'] = os.path.getmtime(config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE)
+        except (OSError, IOError) as e:
+            log.warning(f"Could not get modification time for {config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE}: {e}")
+            result['update_time'] = None
+
     return result
+
 async def watch_files():
     path_to_watch = Path(config.YTDL_OPTIONS_FILE).resolve()
     async def _watch_files():