diff --git a/zuul/cmd/__init__.py b/zuul/cmd/__init__.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index f2a2612acd..d31c5b8700
--- a/zuul/cmd/__init__.py
+++ b/zuul/cmd/__init__.py
@@ -98,6 +98,6 @@ class ZuulApp(object):
         else:
             logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 
-    def configure_connections(self):
+    def configure_connections(self, source_only=False):
         self.connections = zuul.lib.connections.ConnectionRegistry()
-        self.connections.configure(self.config)
+        self.connections.configure(self.config, source_only)
diff --git a/zuul/cmd/executor.py b/zuul/cmd/executor.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 96ba4b3d52..1893f5af17
--- a/zuul/cmd/executor.py
+++ b/zuul/cmd/executor.py
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def main():
         server.send_command(server.args.command)
         sys.exit(0)
 
-    server.configure_connections()
+    server.configure_connections(source_only=True)
 
     if server.config.has_option('executor', 'pidfile'):
         pid_fn = os.path.expanduser(server.config.get('executor', 'pidfile'))
diff --git a/zuul/cmd/merger.py b/zuul/cmd/merger.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 797a990b01..686f34a12c
--- a/zuul/cmd/merger.py
+++ b/zuul/cmd/merger.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def main():
     server.parse_arguments()
 
     server.read_config()
-    server.configure_connections()
+    server.configure_connections(source_only=True)
 
     if server.config.has_option('zuul', 'state_dir'):
         state_dir = os.path.expanduser(server.config.get('zuul', 'state_dir'))
diff --git a/zuul/lib/connections.py b/zuul/lib/connections.py
index f5cce7bce6..720299a0ca 100644
--- a/zuul/lib/connections.py
+++ b/zuul/lib/connections.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import zuul.driver.smtp
 import zuul.driver.timer
 import zuul.driver.sql
 from zuul.connection import BaseConnection
+from zuul.driver import SourceInterface
 
 
 class DefaultConnection(BaseConnection):
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ class ConnectionRegistry(object):
         for driver in self.drivers.values():
             driver.stop()
 
-    def configure(self, config):
+    def configure(self, config, source_only=False):
         # Register connections from the config
         connections = {}
 
@@ -100,6 +101,13 @@ class ConnectionRegistry(object):
                                 % (con_config['driver'], con_name))
 
             driver = self.drivers[con_driver]
+
+            # The merger and the reporter only needs source driver.
+            # This makes sure Reporter like the SQLDriver are only created by
+            # the scheduler process
+            if source_only and not issubclass(driver, SourceInterface):
+                continue
+
             connection = driver.getConnection(con_name, con_config)
             connections[con_name] = connection