diff --git a/backend/src/index.ts b/backend/src/index.ts
index 0f5bcf8..ab1f808 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
 import express from "express";
 import dotenv from "dotenv";
+import * as bodyParser from 'body-parser';
+
 import * as routes from "./routes"
+import {SERVER_PORT} from "./config";
 
 dotenv.config();
 
-const port = process.env.SERVER_PORT || 8080;
 const app = express();
+app.use(bodyParser.json());
 
 // Configure routes
 routes.register(app);
 
-
 // start the Express server
-app.listen(port, () => {
+app.listen(SERVER_PORT, () => {
     // tslint:disable-next-line:no-console
-    console.log( `server started at http://localhost:${port}` );
-} );
+    console.log(`server started at http://localhost:${SERVER_PORT}`);
+});