diff --git a/platypush/__init__.py b/platypush/__init__.py
index 2c2776e2..2b1b69b6 100644
--- a/platypush/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/__init__.py
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
-import functools
-import importlib
-import os
 import logging
-import socket
 import sys
 import traceback
-import yaml
 
-from queue import Queue
 from threading import Thread
 from getopt import getopt
 
+from .bus import Bus
+from .config import Config
+from .utils import get_or_load_plugin, init_backends
 from .message.request import Request
 from .message.response import Response
 
@@ -19,50 +16,13 @@ __version__ = '0.3.3'
 
 #-----------#
 
-config = {}
-modules = {}
-wrkdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-
-
-def _init_plugin(plugin_name, reload=False):
-    global modules
-    global config
-
-    if plugin_name in modules and not reload:
-        return modules[plugin_name]
-
-    try:
-        module = importlib.import_module(__package__ + '.plugins.' + plugin_name)
-    except ModuleNotFoundError as e:
-        logging.warn('No such plugin: {}'.format(plugin_name))
-        raise RuntimeError(e)
-
-    # e.g. plugins.music.mpd main class: MusicMpdPlugin
-    cls_name = functools.reduce(
-        lambda a,b: a.title() + b.title(),
-        (plugin_name.title().split('.'))
-    ) + 'Plugin'
-
-    plugin_conf = config[plugin_name] if plugin_name in config else {}
-
-    try:
-        plugin = getattr(module, cls_name)(plugin_conf)
-        modules[plugin_name] = plugin
-    except AttributeError as e:
-        logging.warn('No such class in {}: {}'.format(
-            plugin_name, cls_name))
-        raise RuntimeError(e)
-
-    return plugin
-
-
 def _execute_request(request, retry=True):
     tokens = request.action.split('.')
     module_name = str.join('.', tokens[:-1])
     method_name = tokens[-1:][0]
 
     try:
-        plugin = _init_plugin(module_name)
+        plugin = get_or_load_plugin(module_name)
     except RuntimeError as e:  # Module/class not found
         logging.exception(e)
         return
@@ -78,7 +38,7 @@ def _execute_request(request, retry=True):
         logging.exception(e)
         if retry:
             logging.info('Reloading plugin {} and retrying'.format(module_name))
-            _init_plugin(module_name, reload=True)
+            get_or_load_plugin(module_name, reload=True)
             _execute_request(request, retry=False)
     finally:
         # Send the response on the backend that received the request
@@ -95,131 +55,32 @@ def on_msg(msg):
         logging.info('Received response: {}'.format(msg))
 
 
-def parse_config_file(config_file=None):
-    global config
-
-    if config_file:
-        locations = [config_file]
-    else:
-        locations = [
-            # ./config.yaml
-            os.path.join(wrkdir, 'config.yaml'),
-            # ~/.config/platypush/config.yaml
-            os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], '.config', 'platypush', 'config.yaml'),
-            # /etc/platypush/config.yaml
-            os.path.join(os.sep, 'etc', 'platypush', 'config.yaml'),
-        ]
-
-    for loc in locations:
-        try:
-            with open(loc,'r') as f:
-                config = yaml.load(f)
-        except FileNotFoundError as e:
-            pass
-
-    for section in config:
-        if 'disabled' in config[section] and config[section]['disabled']:
-            del config[section]
-
-    if 'logging' not in config:
-        config['logging'] = logging.INFO
-    else:
-        config['logging'] = getattr(logging, config['logging'].upper())
-
-    if 'device_id' not in config:
-        config['device_id'] = socket.gethostname()
-
-    return config
-
-
-def init_backends(config, bus=None):
-    backends = {}
-
-    for k in config.keys():
-        if not k.startswith('backend.'): continue
-
-        module = importlib.import_module(__package__ + '.' + k)
-
-        # e.g. backend.pushbullet main class: PushbulletBackend
-        cls_name = functools.reduce(
-            lambda a,b: a.title() + b.title(),
-            (module.__name__.title().split('.')[2:])
-        ) + 'Backend'
-
-        # Ignore the pusher attribute here
-        if 'pusher' in config[k]: del config[k]['pusher']
-
-        try:
-            b = getattr(module, cls_name)(bus=bus, **config[k])
-            name = '.'.join((k.split('.'))[1:])
-            backends[name] = b
-        except AttributeError as e:
-            logging.warn('No such class in {}: {}'.format(
-                module.__name__, cls_name))
-            raise RuntimeError(e)
-
-    return backends
-
-
-def get_default_pusher_backend(config):
-    backends = ['.'.join((k.split('.'))[1:])
-                for k in config.keys() if k.startswith('backend.')
-                and 'pusher' in config[k] and config[k]['pusher'] is True]
-
-    return backends[0] if backends else None
-
-
-def get_logging_level():
-    global config
-    return config['logging']
-
-
-def get_device_id():
-    global config
-    return config['device_id'] if 'device_id' in config else None
-
-
 def main():
     print('Starting platypush v.{}'.format(__version__))
-
-    debug = False
     config_file = None
 
-    plugins_dir = os.path.join(wrkdir, 'plugins')
-    sys.path.insert(0, plugins_dir)
-
     optlist, args = getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'vh')
     for opt, arg in optlist:
         if opt == '-c':
             config_file = arg
-        if opt == '-v':
-            debug = True
         elif opt == '-h':
             print('''
-Usage: {} [-v] [-h] [-c <config_file>]
-    -v  Enable debug mode
+Usage: {} [-h] [-c <config_file>]
     -h  Show this help
     -c  Path to the configuration file (default: ./config.yaml)
 '''.format(sys.argv[0]))
             return
 
-    config = parse_config_file(config_file)
-    if debug: config['logging'] = logging.DEBUG
+    Config.init(config_file)
+    logging.basicConfig(level=Config.get('logging'), stream=sys.stdout)
 
-    logging.basicConfig(level=get_logging_level(), stream=sys.stdout)
-    logging.debug('Configuration dump: {}'.format(config))
-
-    bus = Queue()
-    backends = init_backends(config, bus)
+    bus = Bus(on_msg=on_msg)
+    backends = init_backends(bus)
 
     for backend in backends.values():
         backend.start()
 
-    while True:
-        try:
-            on_msg(bus.get())
-        except KeyboardInterrupt:
-            return
+    bus.loop_forever()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/platypush/backend/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/__init__.py
index 98faf8b7..8852f11d 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/__init__.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import importlib
 import logging
 import sys
-import platypush
 
 from queue import Queue
 from threading import Thread
 
+from platypush.config import Config
 from platypush.message import Message
 from platypush.message.request import Request
 from platypush.message.response import Response
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ class Backend(Thread):
         # If no bus is specified, create an internal queue where
         # the received messages will be pushed
         self.bus = bus if bus else Queue()
-        self.device_id = platypush.get_device_id()
+        self.device_id = Config.get('device_id')
         self.msgtypes = {}
 
         Thread.__init__(self)
-        logging.basicConfig(stream=sys.stdout, level=platypush.get_logging_level()
+        logging.basicConfig(stream=sys.stdout, level=Config.get('logging')
                             if 'logging' not in kwargs
                             else getattr(logging, kwargs['logging']))
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class Backend(Thread):
 
         logging.debug('Message received on the backend: {}'.format(msg))
         msg.backend = self   # Augment message
-        self.bus.put(msg)
+        self.bus.post(msg)
 
     def send_request(self, request):
         """
diff --git a/platypush/backend/pushbullet/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/pushbullet/__init__.py
index 67464e55..cddf5a8d 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/pushbullet/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/pushbullet/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import requests
 import time
 import websocket
 
+from platypush.config import Config
 from platypush.message import Message
 
 from .. import Backend
diff --git a/platypush/bus/__init__.py b/platypush/bus/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1ee47458
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platypush/bus/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+from queue import Queue
+
+class Bus(object):
+    """ Main local bus where the daemon will listen for new messages """
+
+    def __init__(self, on_msg):
+        self.bus = Queue()
+        self.on_msg = on_msg
+
+    def post(self, msg):
+        """ Sends a message to the bus """
+        self.bus.put(msg)
+
+    def loop_forever(self):
+        """ Reads messages from the bus """
+        while True:
+            try:
+                self.on_msg(self.bus.get())
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                return
+
+# vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
+
diff --git a/platypush/config/__init__.py b/platypush/config/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e7603ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platypush/config/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+import logging
+import os
+import socket
+import yaml
+
+""" Config singleton instance """
+_default_config_instance = None
+
+class Config(object):
+    """
+    Configuration base class
+    Usage:
+        - Initialize config from one of the default paths:
+            Config.init()
+        - Initialize config from a custom path
+            Config.init(config_file_path)
+        - Set a value
+            Config.set('foo', 'bar')
+        - Get a value
+            Config.get('foo')
+    """
+
+    """
+    Default config file locations:
+        - $HOME/.config/platypush/config.yaml
+        - /etc/platypush/config.yaml
+    """
+    _cfgfile_locations = [
+        os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], '.config', 'platypush', 'config.yaml'),
+        os.path.join(os.sep, 'etc', 'platypush', 'config.yaml'),
+    ]
+
+    def __init__(self, cfgfile=None):
+        """
+        Constructor. Always use the class as a singleton (i.e. through
+        Config.init), you won't probably need to call the constructor directly
+        Params:
+            cfgfile -- Config file path (default: retrieve the first
+                       available location in _cfgfile_locations)
+        """
+
+        if cfgfile is None:
+            cfgfile = self._get_default_cfgfile()
+
+        if cfgfile is None:
+            raise RuntimeError('No config file specified and nothing found in {}'
+                               .format(self._cfgfile_locations))
+
+        with open(cfgfile, 'r') as fp:
+            self._config = yaml.load(fp)
+
+        for section in self._config:
+            if 'disabled' in self._config[section] \
+                    and self._config[section]['disabled']:
+                del self._config[section]
+
+        if 'logging' not in self._config:
+            self._config['logging'] = logging.INFO
+        else:
+            self._config['logging'] = getattr(logging, self._config['logging'].upper())
+
+        if 'device_id' not in self._config:
+            self._config['device_id'] = socket.gethostname()
+
+        self._init_backends()
+        self._init_plugins()
+
+    def _init_backends(self):
+        self.backends = {}
+        for key in self._config.keys():
+            if not key.startswith('backend.'): continue
+            backend_name = '.'.join(key.split('.')[1:])
+            self.backends[backend_name] = self._config[key]
+
+    def _init_plugins(self):
+        self.plugins = {}
+        for key in self._config.keys():
+            if key.startswith('backend.'): continue
+            plugin_name = '.'.join(key.split('.')[1:])
+            self.plugins[plugin_name] = self._config[key]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_backends():
+        global _default_config_instance
+        if _default_config_instance is None: _default_config_instance = Config()
+        return _default_config_instance.backends
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_plugins():
+        global _default_config_instance
+        if _default_config_instance is None: _default_config_instance = Config()
+        return _default_config_instance.plugins
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_default_pusher_backend():
+        """
+        Gets the default pusher backend from the config
+        """
+        backends = [k for k in Config.get_backends().keys()
+                    if 'pusher' in Config.get_backends()[k]
+                    and Config.get_backends()[k]['pusher'] is True]
+
+        return backends[0] if backends else None
+
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_default_cfgfile(cls):
+        for location in cls._cfgfile_locations:
+            if os.path.isfile(location): return location
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def init(cfgfile=None):
+        """
+        Initializes the config object singleton
+        Params:
+            cfgfile -- path to the config file - default: _cfgfile_locations
+        """
+        global _default_config_instance
+        _default_config_instance = Config(cfgfile)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def get(key):
+        """
+        Gets a config value
+        Params:
+            key -- Config key to get
+        """
+        global _default_config_instance
+        if _default_config_instance is None: _default_config_instance = Config()
+        return _default_config_instance._config[key]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def set(key, value):
+        """
+        Sets a config value
+        Params:
+            key   -- Config key to set
+            value -- Value for key
+        """
+        global _default_config_instance
+        if _default_config_instance is None: _default_config_instance = Config()
+        _default_config_instance._config[key] = key
+
+# vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
+
diff --git a/platypush/message/request/__init__.py b/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
index f88ba7eb..6b03e368 100644
--- a/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class Request(Message):
         args = {
             'target' : msg['target'],
             'action' : msg['action'],
-            'args'   : msg['args'],
+            'args'   : msg['args'] if 'args' in msg else {},
         }
 
         if 'origin' in msg: args['origin'] = msg['origin']
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/__init__.py
index 3747a9cf..f03079eb 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/__init__.py
@@ -1,23 +1,16 @@
-import os
 import sys
 import logging
 
-from platypush import get_logging_level
+from platypush.config import Config
 from platypush.message.response import Response
 
 class Plugin(object):
-    def __init__(self, config):
-        self.config = config
-        logging.basicConfig(stream=sys.stdout, level=get_logging_level()
-                            if 'logging' not in config
-                            else getattr(logging, config.pop('logging')))
+    """ Base plugin class """
 
-        for cls in reversed(self.__class__.mro()):
-            if cls is not object:
-                try:
-                    cls._init(self)
-                except AttributeError as e:
-                    pass
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        logging.basicConfig(stream=sys.stdout, level=Config.get('logging')
+                            if 'logging' not in kwargs
+                            else getattr(logging, kwargs['logging']))
 
     def run(self, method, *args, **kwargs):
         return getattr(self, method)(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py
index 000632d0..d43b6b61 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py
@@ -7,12 +7,24 @@ from platypush.message.response import Response
 from .. import LightPlugin
 
 class LightHuePlugin(LightPlugin):
+    """ Philips Hue lights plugin """
+
     MAX_BRI = 255
     MAX_SAT = 255
     MAX_HUE = 65535
 
-    def _init(self):
-        self.bridge_address = self.config['bridge']
+    def __init__(self, bridge, lights=None, groups=None):
+        """
+        Constructor
+        Params:
+            bridge -- Bridge address or hostname
+            lights -- Lights to be controlled (default: all)
+            groups -- Groups to be controlled (default: all)
+        """
+
+        super().__init__()
+
+        self.bridge_address = bridge
         self.bridge = None
         logging.info('Initializing Hue lights plugin - bridge: "{}"'.
                      format(self.bridge_address))
@@ -20,20 +32,18 @@ class LightHuePlugin(LightPlugin):
         self.connect()
         self.lights = []; self.groups = []
 
-        if 'lights' in self.config:
-            self.lights = self.config['lights']
-        elif 'groups' in self.config:
-            self.groups = self.config['groups']
-            self._expand_groups(self.groups)
+        if lights:
+            self.lights = lights
+        elif groups:
+            self.groups = groups
+            self._expand_groups()
         else:
             self.lights = [l.name for l in self.bridge.lights]
 
         logging.info('Configured lights: "{}"'. format(self.lights))
 
-    def _expand_groups(self, group_names):
-        groups = [g for g in self.bridge.groups
-                if g.name in group_names]
-
+    def _expand_groups(self):
+        groups = [g for g in self.bridge.groups if g.name in self.groups]
         for g in groups:
             self.lights.extend([l.name for l in g.lights])
 
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/music/mpd/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/music/mpd/__init__.py
index 5d23a9fb..7b6d8200 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/music/mpd/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/music/mpd/__init__.py
@@ -5,9 +5,18 @@ from platypush.message.response import Response
 from .. import MusicPlugin
 
 class MusicMpdPlugin(MusicPlugin):
-    def _init(self):
+    def __init__(self, host, port):
+        """
+        Constructor
+        Params:
+            host -- MPD host
+            port -- MPD port
+        """
+
+        self.host = host
+        self.port = port
         self.client = mpd.MPDClient(use_unicode=True)
-        self.client.connect(self.config['host'], self.config['port'])
+        self.client.connect(self.host, self.port)
 
     def _exec(self, method, *args, **kwargs):
         getattr(self.client, method)(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/switch/wemo/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/switch/wemo/__init__.py
index 77df8169..a4109f95 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/switch/wemo/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/switch/wemo/__init__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ from platypush.message.response import Response
 from .. import SwitchPlugin
 
 class SwitchWemoPlugin(SwitchPlugin):
-    def _init(self, discovery_seconds=3):
+    def __init__(self, discovery_seconds=3):
+        super().__init__()
+
         self.discovery_seconds=discovery_seconds
         self.env = Environment()
         self.env.start()
diff --git a/platypush/pusher/__init__.py b/platypush/pusher/__init__.py
index 69c84d50..9e4f7ffc 100755
--- a/platypush/pusher/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/pusher/__init__.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import argparse
 import re
 import sys
 
-from platypush import init_backends, get_default_pusher_backend, parse_config_file
+from platypush.config import Config
+from platypush.utils import init_backends
 from platypush.message.request import Request
 
 def print_usage():
@@ -15,15 +16,16 @@ def print_usage():
 '''.format(sys.argv[0]))
 
 
-def pusher(target, action, backend=None, **kwargs):
-    config = parse_config_file()
+def pusher(target, action, backend=None, config=None, **kwargs):
+    Config.init(config)
 
     if target == 'localhost':
         backend = 'local'
     elif not backend:
-        backend = get_default_pusher_backend(config)
+        backend = Config.get_default_pusher_backend()
 
-    backends = init_backends(config)
+    # TODO Initialize a local bus and wait for the response
+    backends = init_backends()
     if backend not in backends:
         raise RuntimeError('No such backend configured: {}'.format(backend))
 
@@ -37,6 +39,11 @@ def pusher(target, action, backend=None, **kwargs):
 
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument('--config', '-c', dest='config', required=False,
+                        help="Configuration file path (default: " +
+                        "~/.config/platypush/config.yaml or " +
+                        "/etc/platypush/config.yaml")
+
     parser.add_argument('--target', '-t', dest='target', required=True,
                         help="Destination of the command")
 
@@ -59,11 +66,14 @@ def main():
         payload[re.sub('^-+', '', args[i])] = args[i+1]
 
     pusher(target=opts.target, action=opts.action,
-           backend=opts.backend if 'backend' in opts else None, **payload)
+           backend=opts.backend if 'backend' in opts else None,
+           config=opts.config if 'config' in opts else None,
+           **payload)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
 
+
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
 
diff --git a/platypush/utils/__init__.py b/platypush/utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..90cf5184
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platypush/utils/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import functools
+import importlib
+import logging
+
+from platypush.config import Config
+
+modules = {}
+
+def get_or_load_plugin(plugin_name, reload=False):
+    global modules
+
+    if plugin_name in modules and not reload:
+        return modules[plugin_name]
+
+    try:
+        module = importlib.import_module('platypush.plugins.' + plugin_name)
+    except ModuleNotFoundError as e:
+        logging.warn('No such plugin: {}'.format(plugin_name))
+        raise RuntimeError(e)
+
+    # e.g. plugins.music.mpd main class: MusicMpdPlugin
+    cls_name = functools.reduce(
+        lambda a,b: a.title() + b.title(),
+        (plugin_name.title().split('.'))
+    ) + 'Plugin'
+
+    plugin_conf = Config.get_plugins()[plugin_name] \
+        if plugin_name in Config.get_plugins() else {}
+
+    try:
+        plugin = getattr(module, cls_name)(**plugin_conf)
+        modules[plugin_name] = plugin
+    except AttributeError as e:
+        logging.warn('No such class in {}: {}'.format(
+            plugin_name, cls_name))
+        raise RuntimeError(e)
+
+    return plugin
+
+
+def init_backends(bus=None):
+    backends = {}
+
+    for k in Config.get_backends().keys():
+        module = importlib.import_module('platypush.backend.' + k)
+        cfg = Config.get_backends()[k]
+
+        # e.g. backend.pushbullet main class: PushbulletBackend
+        cls_name = functools.reduce(
+            lambda a,b: a.title() + b.title(),
+            (module.__name__.title().split('.')[2:])
+        ) + 'Backend'
+
+        try:
+            b = getattr(module, cls_name)(bus=bus, **cfg)
+            backends[k] = b
+        except AttributeError as e:
+            logging.warn('No such class in {}: {}'.format(
+                module.__name__, cls_name))
+            raise RuntimeError(e)
+
+    return backends
+
+
+# vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
+