diff --git a/rhodecode/config/middleware.py b/rhodecode/config/middleware.py
--- a/rhodecode/config/middleware.py
+++ b/rhodecode/config/middleware.py
@@ -478,6 +478,7 @@ def sanitize_settings_and_apply_defaults
     This piece would later be split up per topic to avoid a big fat monster
     function.
     """
+    jn = os.path.join
 
     global_settings_maker = SettingsMaker(global_config)
     global_settings_maker.make_setting('debug', default=False, parser='bool')
@@ -490,7 +491,7 @@ def sanitize_settings_and_apply_defaults
         default=False,
         parser='bool')
 
-    logging_conf = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(global_config.get('__file__')), 'logging.ini')
+    logging_conf = jn(os.path.dirname(global_config.get('__file__')), 'logging.ini')
     settings_maker.enable_logging(logging_conf, level='INFO' if debug_enabled else 'DEBUG')
 
     # Default includes, possible to change as a user
@@ -565,7 +566,7 @@ def sanitize_settings_and_apply_defaults
     settings_maker.make_setting('appenlight', False, parser='bool')
 
     temp_store = tempfile.gettempdir()
-    tmp_cache_dir = os.path.join(temp_store, 'rc_cache')
+    tmp_cache_dir = jn(temp_store, 'rc_cache')
 
     # save default, cache dir, and use it for all backends later.
     default_cache_dir = settings_maker.make_setting(
@@ -576,38 +577,42 @@ def sanitize_settings_and_apply_defaults
     # exception store cache
     settings_maker.make_setting(
         'exception_tracker.store_path',
-        default=os.path.join(default_cache_dir, 'exc_store'), default_when_empty=True,
+        default=jn(default_cache_dir, 'exc_store'), default_when_empty=True,
         parser='dir:ensured'
     )
 
     settings_maker.make_setting(
         'celerybeat-schedule.path',
-        default=os.path.join(default_cache_dir, 'celerybeat_schedule', 'celerybeat-schedule.db'), default_when_empty=True,
+        default=jn(default_cache_dir, 'celerybeat_schedule', 'celerybeat-schedule.db'), default_when_empty=True,
         parser='file:ensured'
     )
 
     settings_maker.make_setting('exception_tracker.send_email', False, parser='bool')
     settings_maker.make_setting('exception_tracker.email_prefix', '[RHODECODE ERROR]', default_when_empty=True)
 
+    # sessions, ensure file since no-value is memory
+    settings_maker.make_setting('beaker.session.type', 'file')
+    settings_maker.make_setting('beaker.session.data_dir',  jn(default_cache_dir, 'session_data'))
+
     # cache_general
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_general.backend', 'dogpile.cache.rc.file_namespace')
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_general.expiration_time', 60 * 60 * 12, parser='int')
-    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_general.arguments.filename', os.path.join(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_general.db'))
+    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_general.arguments.filename', jn(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_general.db'))
 
     # cache_perms
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_perms.backend', 'dogpile.cache.rc.file_namespace')
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_perms.expiration_time', 60 * 60, parser='int')
-    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_perms.arguments.filename', os.path.join(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_perms_db'))
+    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_perms.arguments.filename', jn(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_perms_db'))
 
     # cache_repo
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_repo.backend', 'dogpile.cache.rc.file_namespace')
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_repo.expiration_time', 60 * 60 * 24 * 30, parser='int')
-    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_repo.arguments.filename', os.path.join(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_repo_db'))
+    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_repo.arguments.filename', jn(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_repo_db'))
 
     # cache_license
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_license.backend', 'dogpile.cache.rc.file_namespace')
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_license.expiration_time', 60 * 5, parser='int')
-    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_license.arguments.filename', os.path.join(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_license_db'))
+    settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_license.arguments.filename', jn(default_cache_dir, 'rhodecode_cache_license_db'))
 
     # cache_repo_longterm memory, 96H
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.cache_repo_longterm.backend', 'dogpile.cache.rc.memory_lru')
@@ -620,7 +625,7 @@ def sanitize_settings_and_apply_defaults
     settings_maker.make_setting('rc_cache.sql_cache_short.max_size', 10000, parser='int')
 
     # archive_cache
-    settings_maker.make_setting('archive_cache.store_dir', os.path.join(default_cache_dir, 'archive_cache'), default_when_empty=True,)
+    settings_maker.make_setting('archive_cache.store_dir', jn(default_cache_dir, 'archive_cache'), default_when_empty=True,)
     settings_maker.make_setting('archive_cache.cache_size_gb', 10, parser='float')
     settings_maker.make_setting('archive_cache.cache_shards', 10, parser='int')