diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index 372235b..f541123 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import logging
+import os
 
 # uncomment this if using MAX-31856
 #from lib.max31856 import MAX31856
@@ -160,6 +161,9 @@ ignore_emergencies = False
 # automatically on boot-up for this to work.
 # DO NOT put automatic_restart_state_file anywhere in /tmp. It could be
 # cleaned up (deleted) by the OS on boot.
+# The state file is written to disk every sensor_time_wait seconds (2s by default)
+# and is written in the same directory as config.py.
 automatic_restarts = True
 automatic_restart_window = 15 # max minutes since power outage
-automatic_restart_state_file = "/home/jason/repos/kiln-controller/state/kiln_controller_state.json"
+automatic_restart_state_file = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname( __file__ ),'state.json'))
+
diff --git a/lib/oven.py b/lib/oven.py
index d98b536..c1c7d8e 100644
--- a/lib/oven.py
+++ b/lib/oven.py
@@ -328,7 +328,8 @@ class Oven(threading.Thread):
         if not config.automatic_restarts == True:
             return False
         if self.state_file_is_old():
-            log.info("restart not possible. state file too old.")
+            # this log statement is too noisy.
+            #log.info("restart not possible. state file too old.")
             return False
         if os.path.isfile(config.automatic_restart_state_file):
             with open(config.automatic_restart_state_file) as infile: d = json.load(infile)
@@ -352,6 +353,7 @@ class Oven(threading.Thread):
             profile_json = json.dumps(json.load(infile))
         profile = Profile(profile_json)
         self.run_profile(profile,startat=startat)
+        time.sleep(1)
         self.ovenwatcher.record(profile)
 
     def set_ovenwatcher(self,watcher):