diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b63ca69..a20efc5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ next up:
     * [x] probably stop hardcoding anchor regex, make an option
     * [ ] implement custom anchor creation function to go with custom regex
   * [ ] opening zettel should use generated link table for full filename anchor search
-    * [ ] need a default zettel directory to look in
+    * [x] need a default zettel directory to look in
   * [ ] implement fallback to filename
 
 ## TODO: needed functionality
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua
index c71db73..6525498 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua
@@ -36,10 +36,8 @@ end
 -- Take a list of zettel as an optional variable, without which
 -- it will use the (recursive) results of the zettel_root directory.
 function ls.get_zettel(anchor, all)
-    -- TODO why is there 'somepath' here?
-    if not all then
-        all = ls.get_anchors_and_paths('/home/marty/documents/notes')
-    end
+    all = all or ls.get_anchors_and_paths(o.zettel().rootdir, true)
+    if not all then return end
 
     return all[anchor]
 end
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua
index 8ad56da..e97c42d 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua
@@ -150,12 +150,15 @@ describe("get_zettel", function()
         assert.same("1910291645 myfile.md",
                     ls.get_zettel("1910291645", file_list))
     end)
-
+    it("should return nil and not break on no all list passed in", function()
+        stub(ls, "get_anchors_and_paths")
+        assert.is_not_error(function() ls.get_zettel("myanchor") end)
+    end)
     it("should default to the zettel root dir if no list passed in", function()
-        local file_list = {"1910291645 myfile.wiki", "2345678901 another.wiki"}
-        _G.vim = simple_api_mock(file_list)
+        local fc = stub(ls, "get_anchors_and_paths")
+        local expected = require'zettelkasten.options'.zettel().rootdir
 
-        pending("not implemented")
-        assert.same("1910291645 myfile.wiki", ls.get_zettel("1910291645"))
+        ls.get_zettel(expected)
+        assert.stub(fc).was_called_with(expected, true)
     end)
 end)
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/options.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/options.lua
index 09542af..799cfa5 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/options.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/options.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ local Opt = {}
 
 -- vim setting names and defaults
 local zettel_defaults = {
-    extension = {vimname = "zettel_extension", default = ".md"}
+    extension = {vimname = "zettel_extension", default = ".md"},
+    rootdir = {vimname = "zettel_rootdir", default = "~/documents/notes"}
 }
 local link_defaults = {
     style = {
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/options_spec.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/options_spec.lua
index c0c4e30..741ac8f 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/options_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/options_spec.lua
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ describe("zettel options", function()
     end)
     it("should return the default zettel extension if not set in vim",
        function() assert.same(".md", opt.zettel().extension) end)
+
+    it("should return the zettel root dir if set in vim", function()
+        _G.vim.g.zettel_rootdir = "~/my/own/dir"
+        assert.same("~/my/own/dir", opt.zettel().rootdir)
+    end)
+    it("should return the default root directory if not set in vim",
+       function() assert.same("~/documents/notes", opt.zettel().rootdir) end)
 end)
 
 describe("link options", function()