diff --git a/.gitconfig b/.gitconfig
index 3ce587f..6a1bcba 100644
--- a/.gitconfig
+++ b/.gitconfig
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 [user]
 	name = Jordan Orelli
 	email = jordanorelli@gmail.com
+[pull]
+	rebase = true
diff --git a/.zshrc b/.zshrc
index 304ed3f..7efd561 100644
--- a/.zshrc
+++ b/.zshrc
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 # start up the autocompletions engine
 autoload -Uz compinit && compinit
-
 autoload -U colors && colors
-
-# this has to do with git integration but I don't really get it yet
 autoload -Uz vcs_info
+
+# adds the cargo environment, which also adds rust binaries. We want to do this
+# early in case anything else depends on a rust binary, such as direnv
+if [[ -f "$HOME/.cargo/env" ]]; then
+    . "$HOME/.cargo/env"
+fi
+
+# configure git info in shell prompt
 precmd_vcs_info() { vcs_info }
 precmd_functions+=( precmd_vcs_info )
 setopt prompt_subst
@@ -33,11 +38,14 @@ export LS_COLORS
 alias ls="ls --color=auto"
 
 # if kitty is installed, register its completions
-if command -v kitty &> /dev/null
-then
+if (( $+commands[kitty] )); then
     source <(kitty + complete setup zsh)
 fi
 
+if (( $+commands[direnv] )); then
+    eval "$(direnv hook zsh)"
+fi
+
 # run local machine-specific settings
 if [ -f "$HOME/.zlocalrc" ]; then
     source "$HOME/.zlocalrc"
@@ -53,7 +61,5 @@ if [ -d /usr/local/go ]; then
     export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin:/usr/local/go/bin
 fi
 
-if [[ -f "$HOME/.cargo/env" ]]; then
-    . "$HOME/.cargo/env"
-fi
-
+# allow comments on the command line
+setopt interactivecomments