diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c162011
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "configurations": [
+    {
+      "name": "Daphne ASGI server",
+      "type": "debugpy",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "module": "daphne",
+      "args": ["-b", "127.0.0.1", "-p", "8001", "project.config.asgi:application"],
+      "justMyCode": true,
+      "env": {
+        "DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE": "project.config.settings"
+      },
+      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
+      "console": "integratedTerminal"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/manage.py b/manage.py
index 61f6e56..3a5e7d2 100644
--- a/manage.py
+++ b/manage.py
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
 def main():
-    project_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / 'project'
-    if str(project_dir) not in sys.path:
-        sys.path.insert(0, str(project_dir))
-    os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'project.config.settings')
+    # Ensure the repository root (containing the 'project' package) is on sys.path.
+    repo_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
+    if str(repo_root) not in sys.path:
+        sys.path.insert(0, str(repo_root))
+    # Force correct settings module even if an old environment var (e.g. 'dali.settings') lingers.
+    os.environ['DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE'] = 'project.config.settings'
     from django.core.management import execute_from_command_line
     execute_from_command_line(sys.argv)
 
diff --git a/project/config/asgi.py b/project/config/asgi.py
index 2762cda..6700ca0 100644
--- a/project/config/asgi.py
+++ b/project/config/asgi.py
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ from django.core.asgi import get_asgi_application
 from channels.routing import ProtocolTypeRouter, URLRouter
 from channels.auth import AuthMiddlewareStack
 
-project_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
-if str(project_dir) not in sys.path:
-    sys.path.insert(0, str(project_dir))
+# Add repository root so 'project' package is importable regardless of CWD.
+repo_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent
+if str(repo_root) not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(repo_root))
 
-os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'project.config.settings')
+os.environ['DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE'] = 'project.config.settings'
 
 http_app = get_asgi_application()