diff --git a/repo_cloner/lib/cloner_config.py b/repo_cloner/lib/cloner_config.py
index 1f4e194..325e49a 100644
--- a/repo_cloner/lib/cloner_config.py
+++ b/repo_cloner/lib/cloner_config.py
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
+import os
+
 from repo_cloner.lib.default_cloner_config import DefaultClonerConfig
+from repo_cloner.lib.config_file_not_found_error import ConfigFileNotFoundError
+import logging
+
+l = logging.getLogger("rc.cfg")
 
 
 class ClonerConfig(DefaultClonerConfig):
@@ -37,6 +43,79 @@ class ClonerConfig(DefaultClonerConfig):
 	def _set_property(self, key: str, value):
 		if not self.has_property(key):
 			raise KeyError(f"{key} is not recognized config option")
-		if not isinstance(value, type(self.__getattribute__(key))):
-			raise ValueError(f"Invalid value for key {key}: type is {type(value)}")
+
+		requested_type = type(self.__getattribute__(key));
+		if not isinstance(value, requested_type):
+			l.debug(f"Trying conversion of {key} from {type(value)} to {requested_type}")
+			try:
+				if requested_type == bool:
+					value = True if value == "1" else False
+				else:
+					value = requested_type(value)
+				l.debug(f"Conversion result: {type(value)}: {value}")
+			except Exception as e:
+				l.critical(f"Conversion failed! ({str(e)}")
+				raise ValueError(
+					f"Invalid value for key {key}: type is {type(value)} instead of {requested_type}, conversion failed")
 		self.__values[key] = value
+
+
+class ClonerConfigParser:
+	__file: str = ""
+	__invalid_lines: list = []
+
+	def __init__(self, config_file: str):
+		self.__file = config_file
+		self.__config = ClonerConfig()
+		self.__invalid_lines = []
+		l.info(f"Parsing cloner config file: {self.__file}")
+
+		if not os.path.exists(self.__file):
+			l.critical(f"Config file: {self.__file} does not exist!")
+			raise ConfigFileNotFoundError(self.__file)
+
+		# parse config file
+		raw_lines = []
+		with open(self.__file, "r") as f:
+			raw_lines = f.readlines()
+		l.debug(f"Readen {len(raw_lines)} lines")
+		lines = []
+
+		# strip lines, remove comments
+		line: str = ""
+		for line in raw_lines:
+			if not line.startswith('#'):
+				line = line.strip()
+				# empty line? skip
+				if len(line) > 0:
+					lines.append(line)
+		l.debug(f"Found {len(lines)} config lines")
+
+		for line in lines:
+			if not "=" in line:
+				l.warning(f"Line '{line}' has invalid format!")
+				self.__invalid_lines.append((line, None))
+				continue
+			eq = line.find("=")
+			key: str = line[0:eq]
+			val: str = line[eq + 1:]
+			l.debug(f"Found config pair: {key} => '{val}'")
+
+			try:
+				self.__config._set_property(key, val)
+			except BaseException as e:
+				self.__invalid_lines.append((key, val))
+				l.critical(str(e))
+
+	@property
+	def config(self) -> ClonerConfig:
+		return self.__config
+
+	@property
+	def invalid(self) -> bool:
+		return len(self.__invalid_lines) > 0
+
+	@property
+	def invalid_lines(self):
+		return self.__invalid_lines
+
diff --git a/repo_cloner/lib/repo_dir_structure.py b/repo_cloner/lib/repo_dir_structure.py
index 7286aff..805795f 100644
--- a/repo_cloner/lib/repo_dir_structure.py
+++ b/repo_cloner/lib/repo_dir_structure.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import os.path
 from repo_cloner.lib.dir_not_found_error import DirNotFoundError
 from repo_cloner.lib.config_file_not_found_error import ConfigFileNotFoundError
+from repo_cloner.lib.cloner_config import ClonerConfig, ClonerConfigParser
 
 
 class RepoDirStructure():
@@ -8,12 +9,14 @@ class RepoDirStructure():
 	_conf_dir: str = ""
 	_cache_dir: str = ""
 	_repos_dir: str = ""
+	_config = None
 
 	def __init__(self, base_dir: str):
 		self._base_dir = base_dir
 		self._conf_dir = os.path.join(self._base_dir, "config")
 		self._cache_dir = os.path.join(self._base_dir, "cache")
 		self._repos_dir = os.path.join(self._base_dir, "repos")
+		self._config = None
 
 	@property
 	def __config_filename(self) -> str:
@@ -75,3 +78,15 @@ class RepoDirStructure():
 		if not os.path.exists(self.__config_filename):
 			raise ConfigFileNotFoundError(self.__config_filename)
 		return True
+
+	@property
+	def config_file(self):
+		return self.__config_filename
+
+	@property
+	def config(self) -> ClonerConfig:
+		self.has_config
+		if not self._config:
+			parser = ClonerConfigParser(self.__config_filename)
+			self._config = parser.config
+		return self._config
diff --git a/repo_cloner/process_repository_dir.py b/repo_cloner/process_repository_dir.py
index f772fde..f50d00b 100755
--- a/repo_cloner/process_repository_dir.py
+++ b/repo_cloner/process_repository_dir.py
@@ -1,24 +1,37 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import argparse
+import logging
 import os
 
+import logging as l
+
+#l.basicConfig(level = 0)
+
+# create console handler with a higher log level
+console_logger = l.StreamHandler()
+console_formatter = l.Formatter(
+	"%(asctime)-15s :: [%(levelname)8s] :: %(name)-15s ::  %(message)s (%(filename)s:%(lineno)s)",
+	"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
+# setup logger
+console_logger.setFormatter(console_formatter)
+log = l.getLogger("rc")
+log.addHandler(console_logger)
+log.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+
 from repo_cloner.lib.repo_dir_structure import RepoDirStructure
 from git.config import GitConfigParser
-import logging as l
-
-l.basicConfig(level = 0)
 
 
 def config_try_override(config_writer: GitConfigParser, section: str, option: str, value: str):
 	if not section in config_writer.sections():
-		l.debug(f"CFG Creating section: {section}")
+		log.debug(f"CFG Creating section: {section}")
 		config_writer.add_section(section)
 	if not config_writer.has_option(section, option):
-		l.debug(f"CFG Creating option: {option}")
+		log.debug(f"CFG Creating option: {option}")
 		config_writer.add_value(section, option, "")
 
-	l.debug(f"Setting {section}.{option} = {value}")
+	log.debug(f"Setting {section}.{option} = {value}")
 	config_writer.set(section, option, value)
 
 
@@ -48,9 +61,11 @@ def main():
 	with r.config_writer("user") as cfgw:
 		config_try_override(cfgw, "credential", "helper", f"store --file={cred_store}")
 		config_try_override(cfgw, "core", "sshcommand",
-					   f"ssh -i {ssh_identity} -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null -o BatchMode=yes -q")
+							f"ssh -i {ssh_identity} -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null -o BatchMode=yes -q")
+
+	from repo_cloner.lib.cloner_config import ClonerConfigParser
+	ClonerConfigParser(os.path.join(dirs.conf_dir, "cloner.cfg"))
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-
 	main()
diff --git a/tests/_support_data/config/empty.cfg b/tests/_support_data/config/empty.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f2d23d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/_support_data/config/empty.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# empty file with no directives
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/_support_data/config/invalid.cfg b/tests/_support_data/config/invalid.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a7acbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/_support_data/config/invalid.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# cloner.cfg
+# main config
+# created at 2018-03-23 20:24:57
+invalid_option1
+invalid_option=2
+
+# main url - url of main repo - just to clone
+cloner_repo_url=git@git.somerandomserver.test:/path
+
+# project name (names of volumes are derrived from this
+cloner_project_name=some-random-project
+
+# cloner interval (in minutes, default=0 - run always)
+cloner_interval=666
+
+# do you need submodules support? (1/0)
+cloner_submodules=1
+
+# max depth of submodule scan (default = unlimited, uncomment to use)
+cloner_submodule_depth=500000
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/_support_data/config/valid.cfg b/tests/_support_data/config/valid.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d064d45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/_support_data/config/valid.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# cloner.cfg
+# main config
+# created at 2018-03-23 20:24:57
+
+# main url - url of main repo - just to clone
+cloner_repo_url=git@git.somerandomserver.test:/path
+
+# project name (names of volumes are derrived from this
+cloner_project_name=some-random-project
+
+# cloner interval (in minutes, default=0 - run always)
+cloner_interval=666
+
+# do you need submodules support? (1/0)
+cloner_submodules=1
+
+# max depth of submodule scan (default = unlimited, uncomment to use)
+cloner_submodule_depth=500000
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/lib/test_cloner_config.py b/tests/lib/test_cloner_config.py
index cfeb1d2..b5faa6a 100644
--- a/tests/lib/test_cloner_config.py
+++ b/tests/lib/test_cloner_config.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def test_set_property():
 	# invalid type
 	with pytest.raises(ValueError) as exc:
 		x._set_property("cloner_interval", "č")
-	assert exc.exconly() == "ValueError: Invalid value for key cloner_interval: type is <class 'str'>"
+	assert exc.exconly() == "ValueError: Invalid value for key cloner_interval: type is <class 'str'> instead of <class 'int'>, conversion failed"
 
 	x._set_property("cloner_project_name", "č")
 
@@ -74,3 +74,15 @@ def test_set_property():
 	with pytest.raises(KeyError) as exc:
 		x._set_property("nonexistent_key", 888)
 	assert exc.exconly() == "KeyError: 'nonexistent_key is not recognized config option'"
+
+	# boolean conversion
+	x._set_property("cloner_submodules", "1")
+	assert x.cloner_submodules == True
+
+	x._set_property("cloner_submodules", "0")
+	assert x.cloner_submodules == False
+
+	# integer conversion
+	x._set_property("cloner_interval", 60)
+	assert x.cloner_interval == 60
+
diff --git a/tests/lib/test_cloner_config_parser.py b/tests/lib/test_cloner_config_parser.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d401e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lib/test_cloner_config_parser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+from repo_cloner.lib.cloner_config import ClonerConfigParser
+import pytest
+from repo_cloner.lib.config_file_not_found_error import ConfigFileNotFoundError
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def config_path() -> Path:
+	path = Path(__file__).parent.parent
+	return path.joinpath("_support_data", "config")
+
+
+def test_no_config_file():
+	with pytest.raises(ConfigFileNotFoundError) as e:
+		x = ClonerConfigParser("/tmp/path/that/does/not/exist")
+	assert e.__str__() == "<ExceptionInfo ConfigFileNotFoundError('/tmp/path/that/does/not/exist') tblen=2>"
+
+
+def test_valid_config(config_path: Path):
+	cfg = config_path.joinpath("valid.cfg")
+	x = ClonerConfigParser(cfg)
+	assert x.invalid == False
+	assert x.invalid_lines == []
+	c = x.config
+	assert c.cloner_project_name == "some-random-project"
+	assert c.cloner_repo_url == "git@git.somerandomserver.test:/path"
+	assert c.cloner_interval == 666
+	assert c.cloner_submodules == True
+	assert c.cloner_submodule_depth == 500000
+
+
+def test_empty_config(config_path: Path):
+	cfg = config_path.joinpath("empty.cfg")
+	x = ClonerConfigParser(cfg)
+	assert x.invalid == False
+	assert x.invalid_lines == []
+	c = x.config
+	assert c.cloner_project_name == ""
+	assert c.cloner_repo_url == ""
+	assert c.cloner_interval == 5
+	assert c.cloner_submodules == True
+	assert c.cloner_submodule_depth == 50000
+
+
+def test_invalid_config(config_path: Path, caplog):
+	cfg = config_path.joinpath("invalid.cfg")
+	with caplog.at_level(30):
+		x = ClonerConfigParser(cfg)
+
+	# two invalid lines
+	assert x.invalid == True
+	assert x.invalid_lines == [
+		('invalid_option1', None),
+		('invalid_option', "2"),
+	]
+	# test logging
+	assert any(
+		(r.levelname == "CRITICAL" and r.message == "'invalid_option is not recognized config option'")
+		for r in caplog.records
+	)
+
+	assert any(
+		(r.levelname == "WARNING" and r.message == "Line 'invalid_option1' has invalid format!")
+		for r in caplog.records
+	)
+
+	c = x.config
+	assert c.cloner_project_name == "some-random-project"
+	assert c.cloner_repo_url == "git@git.somerandomserver.test:/path"
+	assert c.cloner_interval == 666
+	assert c.cloner_submodules == True
+	assert c.cloner_submodule_depth == 500000
diff --git a/tests/lib/test_repo_dir_structure.py b/tests/lib/test_repo_dir_structure.py
index 69fde80..e747349 100644
--- a/tests/lib/test_repo_dir_structure.py
+++ b/tests/lib/test_repo_dir_structure.py
@@ -102,3 +102,25 @@ def test_has_config(tmp_path: PosixPath):
 
 	tmp_path.joinpath("config", "cloner.cfg").touch()
 	assert X.has_config
+
+
+def test_config_file(tmp_path: PosixPath):
+	X = RepoDirStructure(tmp_path)
+	assert X.config_file == tmp_path.joinpath("config", "cloner.cfg").__str__()
+
+
+def test_get_config(tmp_path: PosixPath):
+	tmp_path.joinpath("config").mkdir()
+	tmp_path.joinpath("cache").mkdir()
+	tmp_path.joinpath("repos").mkdir()
+
+	X = RepoDirStructure(tmp_path)
+	# no file provided
+	with pytest.raises(ConfigFileNotFoundError) as excinfo:
+		X.config
+
+	# create config file
+	tmp_path.joinpath("config", "cloner.cfg").touch()
+	X = RepoDirStructure(tmp_path)
+	assert X.has_config == True
+	assert 5 == X.config.cloner_interval