diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 882489e50..9cd3419e3 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -11,23 +11,16 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Config struct {
-	config map[string]interface{}
-	lock   sync.RWMutex
-	loaded bool
+	config   map[string]interface{}
+	lock     sync.RWMutex
+	filename string
+	loaded   bool
 }
 
 var config *Config
 
 func init() {
-	config_file := os.Getenv("PILOSA_CONFIG")
-	if config_file == "" {
-		config_file = "pilosa.yaml"
-	}
-	var err error
-	config, err = NewConfig(config_file)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	config = NewConfig("")
 }
 
 func GetSafe(key string) (interface{}, bool) {
@@ -46,18 +39,38 @@ func GetString(key string) string {
 	return config.GetString(key)
 }
 
-func NewConfig(filename string) (*Config, error) {
+func NewConfig(filename string) *Config {
 	self := Config{}
 	self.config = make(map[string]interface{})
-	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
+	self.filename = filename
+	return &self
+}
+
+func (self *Config) load() error {
+	self.lock.Lock()
+	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+	if self.loaded {
+		return nil
+	}
+	config_file := self.filename
+	if config_file == "" {
+		config_file = os.Getenv("PILOSA_CONFIG")
+		if config_file == "" {
+			log.Println("PILOSA_CONFIG not set, defaulting to pilosa.yaml")
+			config_file = "pilosa.yaml"
+		}
+	}
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(config_file)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("Problem with config file: " + err.Error())
+		return errors.New("Problem with config file: " + err.Error())
 	}
 	goyaml.Unmarshal(data, self.config)
-	return &self, nil
+	self.loaded = true
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (self *Config) GetSafe(key string) (interface{}, bool) {
+	self.load()
 	self.lock.RLock()
 	defer self.lock.RUnlock()
 	value, ok := self.config[key]
@@ -65,6 +78,7 @@ func (self *Config) GetSafe(key string) (interface{}, bool) {
 }
 
 func (self *Config) Get(key string) interface{} {
+	self.load()
 	self.lock.RLock()
 	defer self.lock.RUnlock()
 	return self.config[key]
diff --git a/config/config_test.go b/config/config_test.go
index af25d2c82..967638791 100644
--- a/config/config_test.go
+++ b/config/config_test.go
@@ -34,3 +34,33 @@ func TestConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		So(GetString("temp"), ShouldEqual, "/tmp")
 	})
 }
+
+func TestConfigObject(t *testing.T) {
+	err := os.Setenv("PILOSA_CONFIG", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Error setting PILOSA_CONFIG")
+	}
+	conf := NewConfig("test.yaml")
+	Convey("config.Get()", t, func() {
+		So(conf.Get("port_tcp"), ShouldEqual, 12000)
+		So(conf.Get("port_http"), ShouldEqual, 15000)
+		So(conf.Get("temp"), ShouldEqual, "/tmp")
+		So(conf.Get("notfound"), ShouldBeNil)
+	})
+	Convey("config.GetSafe()", t, func() {
+		val, ok := conf.GetSafe("port_tcp")
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(val, ShouldEqual, 12000)
+		val, ok = conf.GetSafe("derp")
+		So(ok, ShouldBeFalse)
+		So(val, ShouldBeNil)
+	})
+	Convey("config.GetInt()", t, func() {
+		So(conf.GetInt("port_tcp"), ShouldEqual, 12000)
+		So(conf.GetInt("port_http"), ShouldEqual, 15000)
+		So(conf.GetInt("notfound"), ShouldEqual, 0)
+	})
+	Convey("config.GetString()", t, func() {
+		So(conf.GetString("temp"), ShouldEqual, "/tmp")
+	})
+}
diff --git a/core/service.go b/core/service.go
index f78e324cf..79e8d7b6a 100644
--- a/core/service.go
+++ b/core/service.go
@@ -1,17 +1,21 @@
 package core
 
 import (
-	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"pilosa/config"
 	"pilosa/db"
 	"pilosa/interfaces"
 	"syscall"
+	"github.com/nu7hatch/gouuid"
+
+	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
 )
 
 type Service struct {
 	Stopper
+	Id             *uuid.UUID
 	Etcd           *etcd.Client
 	Cluster        *db.Cluster
 	TopologyMapper *TopologyMapper
@@ -23,6 +27,7 @@ type Service struct {
 
 func NewService() *Service {
 	service := new(Service)
+	service.init_id()
 	service.Etcd = etcd.NewClient(nil)
 	service.Cluster = db.NewCluster()
 	service.TopologyMapper = &TopologyMapper{service, "/pilosa/0"}
@@ -30,6 +35,25 @@ func NewService() *Service {
 	return service
 }
 
+func (service *Service) init_id() {
+	var id *uuid.UUID
+	var err error
+	id_string := config.GetString("id")
+	if id_string == "" {
+		log.Println("Service id not configured, generating...")
+		id, err = uuid.NewV4()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatal("problem generating uuid")
+		}
+	} else {
+		id, err = uuid.ParseHex(id_string)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Service id '%s' not valid", id_string)
+		}
+	}
+	service.Id = id
+}
+
 func (service *Service) GetSignals() (chan os.Signal, chan os.Signal) {
 	hupChan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
 	termChan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
diff --git a/cruncher/cruncher.go b/cruncher/cruncher.go
index 834f6312b..a82217e47 100644
--- a/cruncher/cruncher.go
+++ b/cruncher/cruncher.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Cruncher struct {
-	core.Service
+	*core.Service
 	close_chan chan bool
 	api        *index.FragmentContainer
 }
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func (cruncher *Cruncher) Run(port int) {
 func NewCruncher() *Cruncher {
 	service := core.NewService()
 	fragment_container := index.NewFragmentContainer()
-	cruncher := Cruncher{*service, make(chan bool), fragment_container}
+	cruncher := Cruncher{service, make(chan bool), fragment_container}
 	cruncher.Transport = transport.NewTcpTransport(service)
 	cruncher.Dispatch = dispatch.NewCruncherDispatch(service)
 	return &cruncher