diff --git a/weed/command/filer_replication.go b/weed/command/filer_replication.go
index 40f2b570b..4f698e375 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_replication.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_replication.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/replication/sink/s3sink"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/replication/sub"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/util"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -123,7 +122,7 @@ func runFilerReplicate(cmd *Command, args []string) bool {
 
 }
 
-func validateOneEnabledInput(config *viper.Viper) {
+func validateOneEnabledInput(config *util.ViperProxy) {
 	enabledInput := ""
 	for _, input := range sub.NotificationInputs {
 		if config.GetBool("notification." + input.GetName() + ".enabled") {
diff --git a/weed/filer/configuration.go b/weed/filer/configuration.go
index a6f18709e..9ef2f3e0f 100644
--- a/weed/filer/configuration.go
+++ b/weed/filer/configuration.go
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package filer
 
 import (
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/util"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ var (
 	Stores []FilerStore
 )
 
-func (f *Filer) LoadConfiguration(config *viper.Viper) {
+func (f *Filer) LoadConfiguration(config *util.ViperProxy) {
 
 	validateOneEnabledStore(config)
 
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (f *Filer) LoadConfiguration(config *viper.Viper) {
 
 }
 
-func validateOneEnabledStore(config *viper.Viper) {
+func validateOneEnabledStore(config *util.ViperProxy) {
 	enabledStore := ""
 	for _, store := range Stores {
 		if config.GetBool(store.GetName() + ".enabled") {
diff --git a/weed/notification/configuration.go b/weed/notification/configuration.go
index 36211692c..541a453e9 100644
--- a/weed/notification/configuration.go
+++ b/weed/notification/configuration.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/util"
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 type MessageQueue interface {
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ var (
 	Queue MessageQueue
 )
 
-func LoadConfiguration(config *viper.Viper, prefix string) {
+func LoadConfiguration(config *util.ViperProxy, prefix string) {
 
 	if config == nil {
 		return
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ func LoadConfiguration(config *viper.Viper, prefix string) {
 
 }
 
-func validateOneEnabledQueue(config *viper.Viper) {
+func validateOneEnabledQueue(config *util.ViperProxy) {
 	enabledQueue := ""
 	for _, queue := range MessageQueues {
 		if config.GetBool(queue.GetName() + ".enabled") {
diff --git a/weed/security/tls.go b/weed/security/tls.go
index 72363768f..b4bf84e2d 100644
--- a/weed/security/tls.go
+++ b/weed/security/tls.go
@@ -3,17 +3,16 @@ package security
 import (
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"crypto/x509"
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/util"
 	"io/ioutil"
 
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
 
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
 )
 
-func LoadServerTLS(config *viper.Viper, component string) grpc.ServerOption {
+func LoadServerTLS(config *util.ViperProxy, component string) grpc.ServerOption {
 	if config == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ func LoadServerTLS(config *viper.Viper, component string) grpc.ServerOption {
 	return grpc.Creds(ta)
 }
 
-func LoadClientTLS(config *viper.Viper, component string) grpc.DialOption {
+func LoadClientTLS(config *util.ViperProxy, component string) grpc.DialOption {
 	if config == nil {
 		return grpc.WithInsecure()
 	}
diff --git a/weed/storage/backend/backend.go b/weed/storage/backend/backend.go
index daab29621..b8b883be6 100644
--- a/weed/storage/backend/backend.go
+++ b/weed/storage/backend/backend.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package backend
 
 import (
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/util"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -9,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/pb/master_pb"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/pb/volume_server_pb"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 type BackendStorageFile interface {
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 // used by master to load remote storage configurations
-func LoadConfiguration(config *viper.Viper) {
+func LoadConfiguration(config *util.ViperProxy) {
 
 	StorageBackendPrefix := "storage.backend"
 
diff --git a/weed/util/config.go b/weed/util/config.go
index 94e621e34..54edf5a3c 100644
--- a/weed/util/config.go
+++ b/weed/util/config.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package util
 
 import (
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
@@ -46,9 +47,20 @@ func LoadConfiguration(configFileName string, required bool) (loaded bool) {
 	return true
 }
 
-func GetViper() *viper.Viper {
-	v := &viper.Viper{}
-	*v = *viper.GetViper()
+type ViperProxy struct {
+	*viper.Viper
+	sync.Mutex
+}
+
+func (vp *ViperProxy) SetDefault(key string, value interface{}) {
+	vp.Lock()
+	defer vp.Unlock()
+	vp.Viper.SetDefault(key, value)
+}
+
+func GetViper() *ViperProxy {
+	v := &ViperProxy{}
+	v.Viper = viper.GetViper()
 	v.AutomaticEnv()
 	v.SetEnvPrefix("weed")
 	v.SetEnvKeyReplacer(strings.NewReplacer(".", "_"))