diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7529aa07b..1a1f6b907 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ V ?= 2
 GIT_REV  = $(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
 
 # Compiler and linker flags
-LDLIBS   = -pthread -lrt -lm -lconfig -lvillas -ldl
+LDLIBS   = -pthread -lm -lvillas
 
 LIB_CFLAGS  = -fPIC
 LIB_LDFLAGS = -shared
+LIB_LDLIBS  = -ldl -lrt
 
 CFLAGS  += -std=c11 -Iinclude -Iinclude/villas -I. -MMD -mcx16
 CFLAGS  += -Wall -fdiagnostics-color=auto
diff --git a/include/villas/cfg.h b/include/villas/cfg.h
index cfc93c954..9d8dcea75 100644
--- a/include/villas/cfg.h
+++ b/include/villas/cfg.h
@@ -25,6 +25,16 @@ struct settings;
   #define config_setting_lookup config_lookup_from
 #endif
 
+/** Simple wrapper around libconfig's config_init()
+  *
+  * This allows us to avoid an additional library dependency to libconfig
+  * for the excuctables. They only have to depend on libvillas.
+  */
+void cfg_init(config_t *cfg);
+
+/** Simple wrapper around libconfig's config_init() */
+void cfg_destroy(config_t *cfg);
+
 /** Parse config file and store settings in supplied struct settings.
  *
  * @param filename The path to the configration file (relative or absolute)
@@ -35,7 +45,7 @@ struct settings;
  * @retval 0 Success. Everything went well.
  * @retval <0 Error. Something went wrong.
  */
-int config_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
+int cfg_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
 	struct list *nodes, struct list *paths);
 
 /** Parse the global section of a configuration file.
@@ -45,7 +55,7 @@ int config_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
  * @retval 0 Success. Everything went well.
  * @retval <0 Error. Something went wrong.
  */
-int config_parse_global(config_setting_t *cfg, struct settings *set);
+int cfg_parse_global(config_setting_t *cfg, struct settings *set);
 
 /** Parse a single path and add it to the global configuration.
  *
@@ -56,7 +66,7 @@ int config_parse_global(config_setting_t *cfg, struct settings *set);
  * @retval 0 Success. Everything went well.
  * @retval <0 Error. Something went wrong.
  */
-int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
+int cfg_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	struct list *paths, struct list *nodes, struct settings *set);
 
 /** Parse an array or single node and checks if they exist in the "nodes" section.
@@ -69,7 +79,7 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
  * @param nodes The nodes will be added to this list.
  * @param all This list contains all valid nodes.
  */
-int config_parse_nodelist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct list *all);
+int cfg_parse_nodelist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct list *all);
 
 /** Parse an array or single hook function.
  *
@@ -77,7 +87,7 @@ int config_parse_nodelist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct list
  *     hooks = [ "print", "fir" ]
  *     hooks = "log"
  **/
-int config_parse_hooklist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *hooks);
+int cfg_parse_hooklist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *hooks);
 
 /** Parse a single hook and append it to the list.
  * A hook definition is composed of the hook name and optional parameters
@@ -86,7 +96,7 @@ int config_parse_hooklist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *hooks);
  * Examples:
  *   "print:stdout"
  */
-int config_parse_hook(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list);
+int cfg_parse_hook(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list);
 
 /** Parse a single node and add it to the global configuration.
  *
@@ -96,6 +106,6 @@ int config_parse_hook(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list);
  * @retval 0 Success. Everything went well.
  * @retval <0 Error. Something went wrong.
  */
-int config_parse_node(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct settings *set);
+int cfg_parse_node(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct settings *set);
 
 #endif /* _CFG_H_ */
diff --git a/lib/cfg.c b/lib/cfg.c
index 39913dc0c..519a32219 100644
--- a/lib/cfg.c
+++ b/lib/cfg.c
@@ -19,12 +19,24 @@
 #include "path.h"
 #include "hooks.h"
 
-int config_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
+void cfg_init(config_t *cfg)
+{
+	config_init(cfg);
+}
+
+void cfg_destroy(config_t *cfg)
+{
+	config_destroy(cfg);
+}
+
+int cfg_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
 	struct list *nodes, struct list *paths)
 {
 	int ret;
 	char *filename_cpy, *include_dir;
 
+	config_init(cfg);
+
 	filename_cpy = strdup(filename);
 	include_dir = dirname(filename_cpy);
 
@@ -56,7 +68,7 @@ int config_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
 		if (!cfg_root || !config_setting_is_group(cfg_root))
 			error("Missing global section in config file: %s", filename);
 
-		config_parse_global(cfg_root, set);
+		cfg_parse_global(cfg_root, set);
 	}
 
 	/* Parse nodes */
@@ -67,7 +79,7 @@ int config_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
 
 		for (int i = 0; i < config_setting_length(cfg_nodes); i++) {
 			config_setting_t *cfg_node = config_setting_get_elem(cfg_nodes, i);
-			config_parse_node(cfg_node, nodes, set);
+			cfg_parse_node(cfg_node, nodes, set);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -79,14 +91,14 @@ int config_parse(const char *filename, config_t *cfg, struct settings *set,
 
 		for (int i = 0; i < config_setting_length(cfg_paths); i++) {
 			config_setting_t *cfg_path = config_setting_get_elem(cfg_paths, i);
-			config_parse_path(cfg_path, paths, nodes, set);
+			cfg_parse_path(cfg_path, paths, nodes, set);
 		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int config_parse_plugins(config_setting_t *cfg)
+int cfg_parse_plugins(config_setting_t *cfg)
 {
 	if (!config_setting_is_array(cfg))
 		cerror(cfg, "Setting 'plugins' must be a list of strings");
@@ -107,7 +119,7 @@ int config_parse_plugins(config_setting_t *cfg)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int config_parse_global(config_setting_t *cfg, struct settings *set)
+int cfg_parse_global(config_setting_t *cfg, struct settings *set)
 {
 	config_setting_t *cfg_plugins;
 
@@ -125,14 +137,14 @@ int config_parse_global(config_setting_t *cfg, struct settings *set)
 	
 	cfg_plugins = config_setting_get_member(cfg, "plugins");
 	if (cfg_plugins)
-		config_parse_plugins(cfg_plugins);
+		cfg_parse_plugins(cfg_plugins);
 
 	log_setlevel(set->debug, -1);
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
+int cfg_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	struct list *paths, struct list *nodes, struct settings *set)
 {
 	config_setting_t *cfg_out, *cfg_hook;
@@ -163,7 +175,7 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	    !(cfg_out = config_setting_get_member(cfg, "sink")))
 		cerror(cfg, "Missing output nodes for path");
 	
-	ret = config_parse_nodelist(cfg_out, &p->destinations, nodes);
+	ret = cfg_parse_nodelist(cfg_out, &p->destinations, nodes);
 	if (ret <= 0)
 		cerror(cfg_out, "Invalid output nodes");
 	
@@ -179,7 +191,7 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	/* Optional settings */
 	cfg_hook = config_setting_get_member(cfg, "hook");
 	if (cfg_hook)
-		config_parse_hooklist(cfg_hook, &p->hooks);
+		cfg_parse_hooklist(cfg_hook, &p->hooks);
 
 	if (!config_setting_lookup_int(cfg, "values", &p->samplelen))
 		p->samplelen = DEFAULT_VALUES;
@@ -208,7 +220,7 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 		list_push(&r->destinations, p->in);
 			
 		if (cfg_hook)
-			config_parse_hooklist(cfg_hook, &r->hooks);
+			cfg_parse_hooklist(cfg_hook, &r->hooks);
 
 		list_push(paths, r);
 	}
@@ -216,7 +228,7 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int config_parse_nodelist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list, struct list *all) {
+int cfg_parse_nodelist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list, struct list *all) {
 	const char *str;
 	struct node *node;
 
@@ -260,7 +272,7 @@ int config_parse_nodelist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list, struct list
 	return list_length(list);
 }
 
-int config_parse_node(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct settings *set)
+int cfg_parse_node(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct settings *set)
 {
 	const char *type, *name;
 	int ret;
@@ -307,15 +319,15 @@ int config_parse_node(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *nodes, struct settings
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int config_parse_hooklist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list) {
+int cfg_parse_hooklist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list) {
 	switch (config_setting_type(cfg)) {
 		case CONFIG_TYPE_STRING:
-			config_parse_hook(cfg, list);
+			cfg_parse_hook(cfg, list);
 			break;
 
 		case CONFIG_TYPE_ARRAY:
 			for (int i = 0; i < config_setting_length(cfg); i++)
-				config_parse_hook(config_setting_get_elem(cfg, i), list);
+				cfg_parse_hook(config_setting_get_elem(cfg, i), list);
 			break;
 
 		default:
@@ -325,7 +337,7 @@ int config_parse_hooklist(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list) {
 	return list_length(list);
 }
 
-int config_parse_hook(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list)
+int cfg_parse_hook(config_setting_t *cfg, struct list *list)
 {
 	struct hook *hook, *copy;
 	const char *name = config_setting_get_string(cfg);
diff --git a/src/fpga.c b/src/fpga.c
index e563f7174..9c4ac7070 100644
--- a/src/fpga.c
+++ b/src/fpga.c
@@ -81,10 +81,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 	info("Parsing configuration");
-	{ INDENT
-		config_init(&config);
-		config_parse(argv[1], &config, &settings, NULL, NULL);
-	}
+	cfg_parse(argv[1], &config, &settings, NULL, NULL);
 	
 	info("Initialize real-time system");
 	rt_init(settings.affinity, settings.priority);
@@ -108,6 +105,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	ret = fpga_deinit(&fpga);
 	if (ret)
 		error("Failed to de-initialize fpga card");
+	
+	cfg_destroy(&config);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index 6197e1e99..b4cf53cd7 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static void quit()
 	/* Freeing dynamically allocated memory */
 	list_destroy(&paths, (dtor_cb_t) path_destroy, false);
 	list_destroy(&nodes, (dtor_cb_t) node_destroy, false);
-	config_destroy(&config);
+	cfg_destroy(&config);
 
 	info(GRN("Goodbye!"));
 
@@ -120,11 +120,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	list_init(&nodes);
 
 	info("Parsing configuration");
-	{ INDENT
-		config_init(&config);
-		config_parse(configfile, &config, &settings, &nodes, &paths);
-	}
-	
+	cfg_parse(configfile, &config, &settings, &nodes, &paths);
+
 	info("Initialize real-time system");
 	rt_init(settings.affinity, settings.priority);
 
diff --git a/src/pipe.c b/src/pipe.c
index 61a902b09..e54d1652c 100644
--- a/src/pipe.c
+++ b/src/pipe.c
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-struct list nodes;		/**< List of all nodes */
-struct settings settings;	/**< The global configuration */
+static struct list nodes;		/**< List of all nodes */
+static struct settings settings;	/**< The global configuration */
+static config_t config;
 
 struct dir {
 	struct pool pool;
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ static void quit(int signal, siginfo_t *sinfo, void *ctx)
 	node_deinit(node->_vt);
 
 	list_destroy(&nodes, (dtor_cb_t) node_destroy, false);
+	cfg_destroy(&config);
 
 	info(GRN("Goodbye!"));
 	exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
@@ -169,8 +171,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int ret;
 	char c;
 
-	config_t config;
-
 	ptid = pthread_self();
 	log_init();
 
@@ -216,11 +216,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	list_init(&nodes);
 
 	info("Parsing configuration");
-	{ INDENT
-		config_init(&config);
-		config_parse(argv[1], &config, &settings, &nodes, NULL);
-	}
-	
+	cfg_parse(argv[1], &config, &settings, &nodes, NULL);
+
 	info("Initialize real-time system");
 	rt_init(settings.affinity, settings.priority);
 	
diff --git a/src/test.c b/src/test.c
index 3cd4c613f..ef95b2c65 100644
--- a/src/test.c
+++ b/src/test.c
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	list_init(&nodes);
 
 	log_init();
-	config_init(&config);
-	config_parse(argv[1], &config, &settings, &nodes, NULL);
+	cfg_parse(argv[1], &config, &settings, &nodes, NULL);
 
 	node = list_lookup(&nodes, argv[3]);
 	if (!node)
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@ check:		if (optarg == endptr)
 	node_deinit(node->_vt);
 	
 	list_destroy(&nodes, (dtor_cb_t) node_destroy, false);
-	config_destroy(&config);
+	cfg_destroy(&config);
 
 	return 0;
 }