diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 04b03ee..59ed096 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -22,4 +22,5 @@ credentials.json
 secrets/*
 browsertrix/*
 browsertrix-tmp/*
-instaloader/*
\ No newline at end of file
+instaloader/*
+instaloader.session
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/archivers/instagram_archiver.py b/archivers/instagram_archiver.py
index 46b53b8..d7a3989 100644
--- a/archivers/instagram_archiver.py
+++ b/archivers/instagram_archiver.py
@@ -26,8 +26,16 @@ class InstagramArchiver(Archiver):
             try:
                 self.insta.login(config.instagram_config.username, config.instagram_config.
                 password)
+                #TODO: wait for this issue to be fixed https://github.com/instaloader/instaloader/issues/1758
+                self.insta.save_session_to_file(config.instagram_config.session_file)
             except Exception as e:
-                logger.error(f"Unable to finish login: {e}\n{traceback.format_exc()}")
+                logger.error(f"Unable to finish login (retrying from file): {e}\n{traceback.format_exc()}")
+                try:
+                    self.insta.load_session_from_file(config.instagram_config.username, config.instagram_config.session_file)
+                except Exception as e2:
+                    logger.error(f"Unable to login from session file: {e2}\n{traceback.format_exc()}")
+
+
 
     def download(self, url, check_if_exists=False):
         post_matches = self.post_pattern.findall(url)
diff --git a/configs/config.py b/configs/config.py
index 80e4881..372b3d7 100644
--- a/configs/config.py
+++ b/configs/config.py
@@ -185,7 +185,8 @@ class Config:
         if "instagram" in secrets:
             self.instagram_config = InstagramConfig(
                 username=secrets["instagram"]["username"],
-                password=secrets["instagram"]["password"]
+                password=secrets["instagram"]["password"],
+                session_file=secrets["instagram"].get("session_file", "instaloader.session")
             )
         else:
             self.instagram_config = None
diff --git a/configs/instagram_config.py b/configs/instagram_config.py
index 73c45bc..a9f26b4 100644
--- a/configs/instagram_config.py
+++ b/configs/instagram_config.py
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 class InstagramConfig:
     username: str
     password: str
+    session_file: str
diff --git a/example.config.yaml b/example.config.yaml
index b26f58f..7cd4ecb 100644
--- a/example.config.yaml
+++ b/example.config.yaml
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ secrets:
   instagram:
     username: "username"
     password: "password"
+    session_file: "instaloader.session" # <- default value
 
   google_sheets:
     # local filename: defaults to service_account.json, see https://gspread.readthedocs.io/en/latest/oauth2.html#for-bots-using-service-account