diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index a505dab5defc9..67735d24453cc 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ TODO
 
 #### Backend
 * Callbacks
+* Master auto dag refresh at time intervals
 * Set default args at the DAG level?
 * Prevent timezone chagne on import
 * Add decorator to timeout imports on master process [lib](https://github.com/pnpnpn/timeout-decorator)
diff --git a/airflow/bin/cli.py b/airflow/bin/cli.py
index 445b8449950f4..e470db371cc92 100755
--- a/airflow/bin/cli.py
+++ b/airflow/bin/cli.py
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ def run(args):
 
     utils.pessimistic_connection_handling()
     # Setting up logging
-    directory = conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER') + \
-        "/{args.dag_id}/{args.task_id}".format(args=args)
+    log = os.path.expanduser(conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER'))
+    directory = log + "/{args.dag_id}/{args.task_id}".format(args=args)
     if not os.path.exists(directory):
         os.makedirs(directory)
     args.execution_date = dateutil.parser.parse(args.execution_date)
@@ -230,14 +230,12 @@ def serve_logs(args):
 
     @flask_app.route('/log/<path:filename>')
     def serve_logs(filename):
-        conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER')
-        print filename
+        log = os.path.expanduser(conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER'))
         return flask.send_from_directory(
-            conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER'),
+            log,
             filename,
             mimetype="application/json",
             as_attachment=False)
-    print(conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER'))
     WORKER_LOG_SERVER_PORT = \
         int(conf.get('celery', 'WORKER_LOG_SERVER_PORT'))
     flask_app.run(
diff --git a/airflow/configuration.py b/airflow/configuration.py
index b53252237cc41..98a42c92bf2ca 100644
--- a/airflow/configuration.py
+++ b/airflow/configuration.py
@@ -9,18 +9,20 @@
         'statsd_host': 'localhost',
         'statsd_port': 8125,
     },
+    'core': {
+        'authenticate': False,
+        'unit_test_mode': False,
+    },
 }
 
 DEFAULT_CONFIG = """\
 [core]
 airflow_home = {AIRFLOW_HOME}
-authenticate = False
 dags_folder = {AIRFLOW_HOME}/dags
 base_log_folder = {AIRFLOW_HOME}/logs
 base_url = http://localhost:8080
 executor = SequentialExecutor
 sql_alchemy_conn = sqlite:///{AIRFLOW_HOME}/airflow.db
-unit_test_mode = False
 
 [server]
 web_server_host = 0.0.0.0
@@ -44,7 +46,6 @@
 [misc]
 job_heartbeat_sec = 5
 master_heartbeat_sec = 60
-id_len = 250
 statsd_on = false
 statsd_host = localhost
 statsd_port = 8125
@@ -83,7 +84,6 @@
 [misc]
 job_heartbeat_sec = 1
 master_heartbeat_sec = 30
-id_len = 250
 
 [statsd]
 statsd_on = false
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ def mkdir_p(path):
 if 'AIRFLOW_HOME' not in os.environ:
     AIRFLOW_HOME = os.path.expanduser('~/airflow')
 else:
-    AIRFLOW_HOME = os.environ['AIRFLOW_HOME']
+    AIRFLOW_HOME = os.path.expanduser(os.environ['AIRFLOW_HOME'])
 
 mkdir_p(AIRFLOW_HOME)
 
diff --git a/airflow/jobs.py b/airflow/jobs.py
index a69f67a7369ed..f672dd364c225 100644
--- a/airflow/jobs.py
+++ b/airflow/jobs.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 
 Base = models.Base
-ID_LEN = conf.getint('misc', 'ID_LEN')
+ID_LEN = models.ID_LEN
 
 # Setting up a statsd client if needed
 statsd = None
diff --git a/airflow/models.py b/airflow/models.py
index 30296bff514bc..a0dde5a7175d6 100644
--- a/airflow/models.py
+++ b/airflow/models.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from airflow.utils import apply_defaults
 
 Base = declarative_base()
-ID_LEN = conf.getint('misc', 'ID_LEN')
+ID_LEN = 250
 SQL_ALCHEMY_CONN = conf.get('core', 'SQL_ALCHEMY_CONN')
 if 'mysql' in SQL_ALCHEMY_CONN:
     LongText = LONGTEXT
@@ -326,8 +326,9 @@ def command(
     @property
     def log_filepath(self):
         iso = self.execution_date.isoformat()
-        return conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER') + \
-            "/{self.dag_id}/{self.task_id}/{iso}.log".format(**locals())
+        log = os.path.expanduser(conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER'))
+        return (
+            "{log}/{self.dag_id}/{self.task_id}/{iso}.log".format(**locals()))
 
     @property
     def log_url(self):
diff --git a/airflow/www/app.py b/airflow/www/app.py
index 1dd37e9581eb4..40630ee32c970 100644
--- a/airflow/www/app.py
+++ b/airflow/www/app.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import dateutil.parser
 import json
 import logging
+import os
 import re
 import socket
 import sys
@@ -684,7 +685,8 @@ def rendered(self):
 
     @expose('/log')
     def log(self):
-        BASE_LOG_FOLDER = conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER')
+        BASE_LOG_FOLDER = os.path.expanduser(
+            conf.get('core', 'BASE_LOG_FOLDER'))
         dag_id = request.args.get('dag_id')
         task_id = request.args.get('task_id')
         execution_date = request.args.get('execution_date')