diff --git a/nodepool/builder.py b/nodepool/builder.py
index 5d1690e4c..c043e39af 100644
--- a/nodepool/builder.py
+++ b/nodepool/builder.py
@@ -222,17 +222,29 @@ class BuilderScheduler(object):
         if not self._config.imagesdir:
             raise RuntimeError('No images-dir specified in config.')
 
-    def _start(self):
-        '''
-        Execution block for the main scheduler thread.
+    def _registerWatches(self):
+        while self._running:
+            time.sleep(0.1)
 
-        This starts the scheduler thread and all child threads, including the
-        builders, uploaders, and watch threads.
+    #=======================================================================
+    # Public methods
+    #=======================================================================
+
+    def start(self):
+        '''
+        Start the builder.
+
+        The builder functionality is encapsulated within threads run
+        by the BuilderScheduler. This starts the needed sub-threads
+        which will run forever until we tell them to stop.
         '''
         with self._start_lock:
             if self._running:
                 raise exceptions.BuilderError('Cannot start, already running.')
 
+            self._load_config(self._config_path)
+            self._validate_config()
+
             self._running = True
 
             # Create build and upload worker objects
@@ -260,12 +272,13 @@ class BuilderScheduler(object):
             watch_thread.start()
             self._threads.append(watch_thread)
 
-    def _stop(self):
+    def stop(self):
         '''
-        Stop the BuilderScheduler threads.
+        Stop the builder.
 
-        NOTE: This method will block if called soon after startup and the
-        startup process has not yet completed.
+        Signal the sub threads to begin the shutdown process. We don't
+        want this method to return until the scheduler has successfully
+        stopped all of its own threads.
         '''
         with self._start_lock:
             self.log.debug("Stopping. BuilderScheduler shutting down workers")
@@ -275,36 +288,6 @@ class BuilderScheduler(object):
         # Setting _running to False will trigger the watch thread to stop.
         self._running = False
 
-    def _registerWatches(self):
-        while self._running:
-            time.sleep(0.1)
-
-    #=======================================================================
-    # Public methods
-    #=======================================================================
-
-    def startBuilder(self):
-        '''
-        Start the builder.
-
-        The builder functionality is encapsulated within threads run
-        by the BuilderScheduler. This starts the needed sub-threads
-        which will run forever until we tell them to stop.
-        '''
-        self._load_config(self._config_path)
-        self._validate_config()
-        self._start()
-
-    def stopBuilder(self):
-        '''
-        Stop the builder.
-
-        Signal the sub threads to begin the shutdown process. We don't
-        want this method to return until the scheduler has successfully
-        stopped all of its own threads.
-        '''
-        self._stop()
-
         self.log.debug('Waiting for jobs to complete')
 
         # Do not exit until all of our owned threads exit.
diff --git a/nodepool/cmd/builder.py b/nodepool/cmd/builder.py
index 52f3f7616..42406cc01 100644
--- a/nodepool/cmd/builder.py
+++ b/nodepool/cmd/builder.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ pid_file_module = extras.try_imports(['daemon.pidlockfile', 'daemon.pidfile'])
 class NodePoolBuilderApp(nodepool.cmd.NodepoolApp):
 
     def sigint_handler(self, signal, frame):
-        self.nb.stopBuilder()
+        self.nb.stop()
         sys.exit(0)
 
     def parse_arguments(self):
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class NodePoolBuilderApp(nodepool.cmd.NodepoolApp):
             self.args.upload_workers)
 
         signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, self.sigint_handler)
-        self.nb.startBuilder()
+        self.nb.start()
 
         while True:
             signal.pause()
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/test_builder.py b/nodepool/tests/test_builder.py
index 87287fd5b..7264c17b6 100644
--- a/nodepool/tests/test_builder.py
+++ b/nodepool/tests/test_builder.py
@@ -87,9 +87,8 @@ class TestBuilderScheduler(tests.DBTestCase):
     def test_start_stop(self):
         config = self.setup_config('node_dib.yaml')
         nb = builder.BuilderScheduler(config)
-        nb.startBuilder()
-
-        nb.stopBuilder()
+        nb.start()
+        nb.stop()
 
     def test_image_upload_fail(self):
         """Test that image upload fails are handled properly."""