diff --git a/weed/util/config.go b/weed/util/config.go
index e746b0bd1..2af1ad09e 100644
--- a/weed/util/config.go
+++ b/weed/util/config.go
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ type ViperProxy struct {
 	sync.Mutex
 }
 
+var (
+	vp = &ViperProxy{}
+)
+
 func (vp *ViperProxy) SetDefault(key string, value interface{}) {
 	vp.Lock()
 	defer vp.Unlock()
@@ -83,10 +87,15 @@ func (vp *ViperProxy) GetStringSlice(key string) []string {
 }
 
 func GetViper() *ViperProxy {
-	v := &ViperProxy{}
-	v.Viper = viper.GetViper()
-	v.AutomaticEnv()
-	v.SetEnvPrefix("weed")
-	v.SetEnvKeyReplacer(strings.NewReplacer(".", "_"))
-	return v
+	vp.Lock()
+	defer vp.Unlock()
+
+	if vp.Viper == nil {
+		vp.Viper = viper.GetViper()
+		vp.AutomaticEnv()
+		vp.SetEnvPrefix("weed")
+		vp.SetEnvKeyReplacer(strings.NewReplacer(".", "_"))
+	}
+
+	return vp
 }