diff --git a/conf/backend_config.py b/conf/backend_config.py
index 5de87f8a..43855d6a 100644
--- a/conf/backend_config.py
+++ b/conf/backend_config.py
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ dbdir = path.abspath(path.join(confdir, "..")) if confdir.endswith("conf") else
 
 
 class BackendConfiguration(object):
+    SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI = "sqlite:///{0}".format(path.join(dbdir, "module_build_service.db"))
+    SQLALCHEMY_TRACK_MODIFICATIONS = True
+
     # How often should we resort to polling, in seconds
     # Set to zero to disable polling
     POLLING_INTERVAL = 600
diff --git a/conf/web_config.py b/conf/web_config.py
index 55030155..465d5a8d 100644
--- a/conf/web_config.py
+++ b/conf/web_config.py
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ dbdir = path.abspath(path.join(confdir, "..")) if confdir.endswith("conf") else
 
 
 class WebConfiguration(object):
+    SECRET_KEY = "74d9e9f9cd40e66fc6c4c2e9987dce48df3ce98542529fd0"
+    SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI = "sqlite:///{0}".format(path.join(dbdir, "module_build_service.db"))
+    SQLALCHEMY_TRACK_MODIFICATIONS = True
+
     # Where we should run when running "manage.py run" directly.
     HOST = "0.0.0.0"
     PORT = 5000
diff --git a/module_build_service/__init__.py b/module_build_service/__init__.py
index fd56dd93..b2eae40f 100644
--- a/module_build_service/__init__.py
+++ b/module_build_service/__init__.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ from module_build_service.logger import init_logging, ModuleBuildLogs, level_fla
 from module_build_service.errors import (
     ValidationError, Unauthorized, UnprocessableEntity, Conflict, NotFound,
     Forbidden, json_error)
-from module_build_service.config import init_web_config, init_backend_config
+from module_build_service.config import init_config
 from module_build_service.proxy import ReverseProxy
 
 try:
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ app.wsgi_app = ReverseProxy(app.wsgi_app)
 backend_commands = ("fedmsg-hub", "celery", "build_module_locally")
 if any([os.path.basename(arg).startswith(backend_commands) for arg in sys.argv]):
     # running as backend
-    conf = init_backend_config()
+    conf = init_config(app, backend=True)
 else:
-    conf = init_web_config(app)
+    conf = init_config(app)
 
 celery_app = Celery("module-build-service")
 # Convert config names specific for Celery like this:
diff --git a/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py b/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py
index f7734d75..1d8eeca5 100644
--- a/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py
+++ b/module_build_service/builder/KojiModuleBuilder.py
@@ -473,8 +473,7 @@ class KojiModuleBuilder(GenericBuilder):
     def get_session(config, login=True):
         """Create and return a koji.ClientSession object
 
-        :param config: the config object returned from :meth:`init_web_config` or
-            :meth:`init_backend_config`.
+        :param config: the config object returned from :meth:`init_config`.
         :type config: :class:`Config`
         :param bool login: whether to log into the session. To login if True
             is passed, otherwise not to log into session.
diff --git a/module_build_service/config.py b/module_build_service/config.py
index dda96c9b..2a7dc313 100644
--- a/module_build_service/config.py
+++ b/module_build_service/config.py
@@ -24,11 +24,19 @@ SUPPORTED_RESOLVERS = {
 }
 
 
-def init_web_config(app):
+def init_config(app, backend=False):
     """ Configure MBS and the Flask app
+    By default, this create a config object with WebConfig, if backend is specified,
+    create a config object with BackendConfig.
     """
     config_module = None
-    config_file = "/etc/module-build-service/web_config.py"
+    if backend:
+        config_module_name = "backend_config"
+        config_file = "/etc/module-build-service/backend_config.py"
+    else:
+        config_module_name = "web_config"
+        config_file = "/etc/module-build-service/web_config.py"
+
     config_section = "DevConfiguration"
 
     # automagically detect production environment:
@@ -66,13 +74,14 @@ def init_web_config(app):
         if "MBS_CONFIG_SECTION" in app.request.environ:
             config_section = app.request.environ["MBS_CONFIG_SECTION"]
 
+    test_env = False
+    dev_env = False
+
     true_options = ("1", "on", "true", "y", "yes")
     # TestConfiguration shall only be used for running tests, otherwise...
     if any(["py.test" in arg or "pytest" in arg for arg in sys.argv]):
+        test_env = True
         config_section = "TestConfiguration"
-        from conf import web_config
-
-        config_module = web_config
     # ...MODULE_BUILD_SERVICE_DEVELOPER_ENV has always the last word
     # and overrides anything previously set before!
     # Again, check Flask app (preferably) or fallback to os.environ.
@@ -80,15 +89,16 @@ def init_web_config(app):
     # -> /conf/config.py.
     elif flask_app_env and "MODULE_BUILD_SERVICE_DEVELOPER_ENV" in app.request.environ:
         if app.request.environ["MODULE_BUILD_SERVICE_DEVELOPER_ENV"].lower() in true_options:
+            dev_env = True
             config_section = "DevConfiguration"
-            from conf import web_config
-
-            config_module = web_config
     elif os.environ.get("MODULE_BUILD_SERVICE_DEVELOPER_ENV", "").lower() in true_options:
+        dev_env = True
         config_section = "DevConfiguration"
-        from conf import web_config
 
-        config_module = web_config
+    if test_env or dev_env:
+        import importlib
+        config_module = importlib.import_module("conf.%s" % config_module_name)
+
     # try loading configuration from file
     if not config_module:
         try:
@@ -98,63 +108,14 @@ def init_web_config(app):
 
     # finally configure MBS and the Flask app
     config_section_obj = getattr(config_module, config_section)
-    conf = WebConfig(config_section_obj)
+    if backend:
+        conf = BackendConfig(config_section_obj)
+    else:
+        conf = WebConfig(config_section_obj)
     app.config.from_object(config_section_obj)
     return conf
 
 
-def init_backend_config():
-    """ Configure MBS and backend workers
-    """
-    config_module = None
-    config_file = "/etc/module-build-service/backend_config.py"
-    config_section = "DevConfiguration"
-
-    try:
-        with open(config_file):
-            config_section = "ProdConfiguration"
-    except Exception:
-        pass
-
-    # Load LocalBuildConfiguration section in case we are building modules
-    # locally.
-    if "build_module_locally" in sys.argv:
-        if "--offline" in sys.argv:
-            config_section = "OfflineLocalBuildConfiguration"
-        else:
-            config_section = "LocalBuildConfiguration"
-
-    # try getting config_file from os.environ
-    if "MBS_CONFIG_FILE" in os.environ:
-        config_file = os.environ["MBS_CONFIG_FILE"]
-    # try getting config_section from os.environ
-    if "MBS_CONFIG_SECTION" in os.environ:
-        config_section = os.environ["MBS_CONFIG_SECTION"]
-
-    true_options = ("1", "on", "true", "y", "yes")
-    # TestConfiguration shall only be used for running tests, otherwise...
-    if any(["py.test" in arg or "pytest" in arg for arg in sys.argv]):
-        config_section = "TestConfiguration"
-        from conf import backend_config
-
-        config_module = backend_config
-    elif os.environ.get("MODULE_BUILD_SERVICE_DEVELOPER_ENV", "").lower() in true_options:
-        config_section = "DevConfiguration"
-        from conf import backend_config
-
-        config_module = backend_config
-    # try loading configuration from file
-    if not config_module:
-        try:
-            config_module = imp.load_source("mbs_runtime_config", config_file)
-        except Exception:
-            raise SystemError("Configuration file {} was not found.".format(config_file))
-
-    config_section_obj = getattr(config_module, config_section)
-    conf = BackendConfig(config_section_obj)
-    return conf
-
-
 class Path:
     """
     Config type for paths. Expands the users home directory.
diff --git a/module_build_service/models.py b/module_build_service/models.py
index 2e39b928..0c602ac9 100644
--- a/module_build_service/models.py
+++ b/module_build_service/models.py
@@ -663,8 +663,8 @@ class ModuleBuild(MBSBase):
         bus.
 
         :param db_session: SQLAlchemy session object.
-        :param conf: MBS config object returned from function :func:`init_web_config` or
-            :func:`init_backend_config`, which contains loaded configs.
+        :param conf: MBS config object returned from function :func:`init_config`,
+            which contains loaded configs.
         :type conf: :class:`Config`
         :param int state: the state value to transition to. Refer to ``BUILD_STATES``.
         :param str state_reason: optional reason of why to transform to ``state``.
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 25fa8461..ff9235c9 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import koji
 import module_build_service
 from module_build_service import db
 from module_build_service.utils import get_rpm_release, import_mmd, mmd_to_str
-from module_build_service.config import init_web_config
+from module_build_service.config import init_config
 from module_build_service.models import (
     ModuleBuild, ModuleArch, ComponentBuild, VirtualStream,
     BUILD_STATES,
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from module_build_service.db_session import db_session
 
 base_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
 app = module_build_service.app
-conf = init_web_config(app)
+conf = init_config(app)
 
 
 def staged_data_filename(filename):