diff --git a/doc/source/devguide.rst b/doc/source/devguide.rst
index bf6b01ac0..7ff70f4f5 100644
--- a/doc/source/devguide.rst
+++ b/doc/source/devguide.rst
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ its most important pieces::
 Drivers
 -------
 
+.. autoclass:: nodepool.driver.Driver
+   :members:
 .. autoclass:: nodepool.driver.Provider
    :members:
 .. autoclass:: nodepool.driver.NodeRequestHandler
diff --git a/nodepool/config.py b/nodepool/config.py
index 3bcbad88b..fd2241816 100755
--- a/nodepool/config.py
+++ b/nodepool/config.py
@@ -204,8 +204,8 @@ def get_provider_config(provider):
     # Ensure legacy configuration still works when using fake cloud
     if provider.get('name', '').startswith('fake'):
         provider['driver'] = 'fake'
-    driver = Drivers.get(provider['driver'])
-    return driver['config'](provider)
+    driver = Drivers._get(provider['driver'])
+    return driver.getProviderConfig(provider)
 
 
 def openConfig(path):
@@ -234,8 +234,8 @@ def loadConfig(config_path):
     config = openConfig(config_path)
 
     # Call driver config reset now to clean global hooks like os_client_config
-    for driver in Drivers.drivers.values():
-        driver["config"].reset()
+    for driver in Drivers._drivers.values():
+        driver.reset()
 
     newconfig = Config()
 
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/__init__.py b/nodepool/driver/__init__.py
index 71a1f333b..436104a26 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/__init__.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/__init__.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class Drivers:
 
     log = logging.getLogger("nodepool.driver.Drivers")
     drivers = {}
+    _drivers = {}  # TODO: replace drivers
     drivers_paths = None
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ class Drivers:
         if not obj:
             error = "no %s implementation found" % parent_class
         if error:
-            Drivers.log.error("%s: %s" % (path, error))
+            Drivers.log.error("%s: %s", path, error)
             return False
         return obj[0][1]
 
@@ -66,15 +67,14 @@ class Drivers:
             for driver in drivers:
                 driver_path = os.path.join(drivers_path, driver)
                 if driver in Drivers.drivers:
-                    Drivers.log.warning("%s: duplicate driver" % driver_path)
+                    Drivers.log.warning("%s: duplicate driver", driver_path)
                     continue
                 if not os.path.isdir(driver_path) or \
                    "__init__.py" not in os.listdir(driver_path):
                     continue
-                Drivers.log.debug("%s: loading driver" % driver_path)
+                Drivers.log.debug("%s: loading driver", driver_path)
                 driver_obj = {}
                 for name, parent_class in (
-                        ("config", ProviderConfig),
                         ("provider", Provider),
                 ):
                     driver_obj[name] = Drivers._load_class(
@@ -83,10 +83,21 @@ class Drivers:
                     if not driver_obj[name]:
                         break
                 if not driver_obj[name]:
-                    Drivers.log.error("%s: skipping incorrect driver" %
-                                      driver_path)
+                    Drivers.log.error(
+                        "%s: skipping incorrect driver from %s.py",
+                        driver_path, name)
                     continue
                 Drivers.drivers[driver] = driver_obj
+                driver_obj = Drivers._load_class(
+                    driver, os.path.join(driver_path, "__init__.py"),
+                    Driver)
+                if not driver_obj:
+                    Drivers.log.error(
+                        "%s: skipping incorrect driver from __init__.py",
+                        driver_path)
+                    continue
+                Drivers._drivers[driver] = driver_obj()
+
         Drivers.drivers_paths = drivers_paths
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -98,6 +109,42 @@ class Drivers:
         except KeyError:
             raise RuntimeError("%s: unknown driver" % name)
 
+    # TODO: replace get
+    @staticmethod
+    def _get(name):
+        if not Drivers._drivers:
+            Drivers.load()
+        try:
+            return Drivers._drivers[name]
+        except KeyError:
+            raise RuntimeError("%s: unknown driver" % name)
+
+
+class Driver(object, metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
+    """The Driver interface
+
+    This is the main entrypoint for a Driver.  A single instance of
+    this will be created for each driver in the system and will
+    persist for the lifetime of the process.
+
+    The class or instance attribute **name** must be provided as a string.
+
+    """
+
+    def reset(self):
+        '''
+        Called before loading configuration to reset any global state
+        '''
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def getProviderConfig(self, provider):
+        """Return a ProviderConfig instance
+
+        :arg dict provider: The parsed provider configuration
+        """
+        pass
+
 
 class Provider(object, metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
     """The Provider interface
@@ -723,12 +770,12 @@ class ConfigPool(ConfigValue):
         return False
 
 
-class Driver(ConfigValue):
+class DriverConfig(ConfigValue):
     def __init__(self):
         self.name = None
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
-        if isinstance(other, Driver):
+        if isinstance(other, DriverConfig):
             return self.name == other.name
         return False
 
@@ -742,7 +789,7 @@ class ProviderConfig(ConfigValue, metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
     def __init__(self, provider):
         self.name = provider['name']
         self.provider = provider
-        self.driver = Driver()
+        self.driver = DriverConfig()
         self.driver.name = provider.get('driver', 'openstack')
         self.max_concurrency = provider.get('max-concurrency', -1)
 
@@ -773,14 +820,6 @@ class ProviderConfig(ConfigValue, metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         '''
         pass
 
-    # TODO: can we remove this?
-    @abc.abstractmethod
-    def reset():
-        '''
-        Called before loading configuration to reset any global state
-        '''
-        pass
-
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def load(self, newconfig):
         '''
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/fake/__init__.py b/nodepool/driver/fake/__init__.py
index e69de29bb..f7cb7a4d4 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/fake/__init__.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/fake/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
+# implied.
+#
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import os_client_config
+
+from nodepool.driver import Driver
+from nodepool.driver.fake.config import FakeProviderConfig
+
+
+class FakeDriver(Driver):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.reset()
+
+    def reset(self):
+        self.os_client_config = os_client_config.OpenStackConfig()
+
+    def getProviderConfig(self, provider):
+        return FakeProviderConfig(self, provider)
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/openstack/__init__.py b/nodepool/driver/openstack/__init__.py
index e69de29bb..c7648edf9 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/openstack/__init__.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/openstack/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
+# implied.
+#
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import os_client_config
+
+from nodepool.driver import Driver
+from nodepool.driver.openstack.config import OpenStackProviderConfig
+
+
+class OpenStackDriver(Driver):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.reset()
+
+    def reset(self):
+        self.os_client_config = os_client_config.OpenStackConfig()
+
+    def getProviderConfig(self, provider):
+        return OpenStackProviderConfig(self, provider)
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py b/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py
index 3c7f811bc..bf6c9f6c6 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import math
-import os_client_config
 import voluptuous as v
 
 from nodepool.driver import ProviderConfig
@@ -155,9 +154,8 @@ class ProviderPool(ConfigPool):
 
 
 class OpenStackProviderConfig(ProviderConfig):
-    os_client_config = None
-
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, driver, provider):
+        self.driver_object = driver
         self.__pools = {}
         self.cloud_config = None
         self.image_type = None
@@ -169,7 +167,7 @@ class OpenStackProviderConfig(ProviderConfig):
         self.cloud_images = {}
         self.hostname_format = None
         self.image_name_format = None
-        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        super().__init__(provider)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         if isinstance(other, OpenStackProviderConfig):
@@ -200,16 +198,10 @@ class OpenStackProviderConfig(ProviderConfig):
     def manage_images(self):
         return True
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def reset():
-        OpenStackProviderConfig.os_client_config = None
-
     def load(self, config):
-        if OpenStackProviderConfig.os_client_config is None:
-            OpenStackProviderConfig.os_client_config = \
-                os_client_config.OpenStackConfig()
         cloud_kwargs = self._cloudKwargs()
-        self.cloud_config = self.os_client_config.get_one_cloud(**cloud_kwargs)
+        occ = self.driver_object.os_client_config
+        self.cloud_config = occ.get_one_cloud(**cloud_kwargs)
 
         self.image_type = self.cloud_config.config['image_format']
         self.region_name = self.provider.get('region-name')
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/static/__init__.py b/nodepool/driver/static/__init__.py
index e69de29bb..c29c0b85d 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/static/__init__.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/static/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
+# implied.
+#
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from nodepool.driver import Driver
+from nodepool.driver.static.config import StaticProviderConfig
+
+
+class StaticDriver(Driver):
+    def getProviderConfig(self, provider):
+        return StaticProviderConfig(provider)
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/static/config.py b/nodepool/driver/static/config.py
index 988a02ca4..e660391ab 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/static/config.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/static/config.py
@@ -54,10 +54,6 @@ class StaticProviderConfig(ProviderConfig):
                     other.pools == self.pools)
         return False
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def reset():
-        pass
-
     @property
     def pools(self):
         return self.__pools
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/test/__init__.py b/nodepool/driver/test/__init__.py
index e69de29bb..25a4bf1ec 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/test/__init__.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/test/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
+# implied.
+#
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from nodepool.driver import Driver
+from nodepool.driver.test.config import TestConfig
+
+
+class TestDriver(Driver):
+    def getProviderConfig(self, provider):
+        return TestConfig(provider)
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/test/config.py b/nodepool/driver/test/config.py
index f9651a494..80f8a662f 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/test/config.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/test/config.py
@@ -31,10 +31,6 @@ class TestConfig(ProviderConfig):
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return self.name == other.name
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def reset():
-        pass
-
     @property
     def pools(self):
         return self.__pools
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/test_config_comparisons.py b/nodepool/tests/test_config_comparisons.py
index db55be5dc..d7724e818 100644
--- a/nodepool/tests/test_config_comparisons.py
+++ b/nodepool/tests/test_config_comparisons.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from nodepool.config import Config
 from nodepool.config import DiskImage
 from nodepool.config import Label
 from nodepool.driver import ConfigPool
-from nodepool.driver import Driver
+from nodepool.driver import DriverConfig
 from nodepool.driver.openstack.config import OpenStackProviderConfig
 from nodepool.driver.openstack.config import ProviderDiskImage
 from nodepool.driver.openstack.config import ProviderCloudImage
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ class TestConfigComparisons(tests.BaseTestCase):
         a.max_servers = 5
         self.assertNotEqual(a, b)
 
-    def test_Driver(self):
-        a = Driver()
-        b = Driver()
+    def test_DriverConfig(self):
+        a = DriverConfig()
+        b = DriverConfig()
         self.assertEqual(a, b)
         a.name = "foo"
         self.assertNotEqual(a, b)
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ class TestConfigComparisons(tests.BaseTestCase):
 
     def test_OpenStackProviderConfig(self):
         provider = {'name': 'foo'}
-        a = OpenStackProviderConfig(provider)
-        b = OpenStackProviderConfig(provider)
+        a = OpenStackProviderConfig(None, provider)
+        b = OpenStackProviderConfig(None, provider)
         self.assertEqual(a, b)
         # intentionally change an attribute of the base class
         a.name = 'bar'
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/test_drivers.py b/nodepool/tests/test_drivers.py
index 65e373a92..5f575c578 100644
--- a/nodepool/tests/test_drivers.py
+++ b/nodepool/tests/test_drivers.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 
 import os
 
-from nodepool import config as nodepool_config
 from nodepool import tests
 from nodepool.driver import Drivers
 
@@ -26,11 +25,6 @@ class TestDrivers(tests.DBTestCase):
         Drivers.load([drivers_dir])
         return super().setup_config(filename)
 
-    def test_external_driver_config(self):
-        configfile = self.setup_config('external_driver.yaml')
-        nodepool_config.loadConfig(configfile)
-        self.assertIn("config", Drivers.get("test"))
-
     def test_external_driver_handler(self):
         configfile = self.setup_config('external_driver.yaml')
         pool = self.useNodepool(configfile, watermark_sleep=1)