diff --git a/backends/smstools3/main.cpp b/backends/smstools3/main.cpp
index 1b0bb044..c152ef4f 100644
--- a/backends/smstools3/main.cpp
+++ b/backends/smstools3/main.cpp
@@ -337,55 +337,16 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[]) {
 		log4cxx::PropertyConfigurator::configure(p);
 	}
 
-#ifdef WITH_SQLITE
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "sqlite3") {
-		storageBackend = new SQLite3Backend(&config);
-		if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
-			std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "sqlite3") {
-		std::cerr << "Spectrum2 is not compiled with mysql backend.\n";
+	std::string error;
+	storageBackend = StorageBackend::createBackend(&config, error);
+	if (storageBackend == NULL) {
+		std::cerr << error << "\n";
 		return -2;
 	}
-#endif
 
-#ifdef WITH_MYSQL
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "mysql") {
-		storageBackend = new MySQLBackend(&config);
-		if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
-			std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "mysql") {
-		std::cerr << "Spectrum2 is not compiled with mysql backend.\n";
-		return -2;
-	}
-#endif
-
-#ifdef WITH_PQXX
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "pqxx") {
-		storageBackend = new PQXXBackend(&config);
-		if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
-			std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "pqxx") {
-		std::cerr << "Spectrum2 is not compiled with pqxx backend.\n";
-		return -2;
-	}
-#endif
-
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "mysql" && CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "sqlite3"
-		&& CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "pqxx" && CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "none") {
-		std::cerr << "Unknown storage backend " << CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") << "\n";
-		return -2;
+	if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
+		std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	Swift::SimpleEventLoop eventLoop;
diff --git a/include/transport/storagebackend.h b/include/transport/storagebackend.h
index 6bac4aa7..f0a13df5 100644
--- a/include/transport/storagebackend.h
+++ b/include/transport/storagebackend.h
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ struct BuddyInfo {
 	int flags;
 };
 
+class Config;
+
 /// Abstract class defining storage backends.
 class StorageBackend
 {
@@ -87,6 +89,8 @@ class StorageBackend
 		/// Virtual desctructor.
 		virtual ~StorageBackend() {}
 
+		static StorageBackend *createBackend(Config *config, std::string &error);
+
 		/// connect
 		virtual bool connect() = 0;
 
diff --git a/spectrum/src/main.cpp b/spectrum/src/main.cpp
index d05bdeb8..02e9e226 100644
--- a/spectrum/src/main.cpp
+++ b/spectrum/src/main.cpp
@@ -349,57 +349,16 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	component_ = &transport;
 // 	Logger logger(&transport);
 
-	StorageBackend *storageBackend = NULL;
-
-#ifdef WITH_SQLITE
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "sqlite3") {
-		storageBackend = new SQLite3Backend(&config);
-		if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
-			std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "sqlite3") {
-		std::cerr << "Spectrum2 is not compiled with mysql backend.\n";
+	std::string error;
+	StorageBackend *storageBackend = StorageBackend::createBackend(&config, error);
+	if (storageBackend == NULL) {
+		std::cerr << error << "\n";
 		return -2;
 	}
-#endif
 
-#ifdef WITH_MYSQL
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "mysql") {
-		storageBackend = new MySQLBackend(&config);
-		if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
-			std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "mysql") {
-		std::cerr << "Spectrum2 is not compiled with mysql backend.\n";
-		return -2;
-	}
-#endif
-
-#ifdef WITH_PQXX
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "pqxx") {
-		storageBackend = new PQXXBackend(&config);
-		if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
-			std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") == "pqxx") {
-		std::cerr << "Spectrum2 is not compiled with pqxx backend.\n";
-		return -2;
-	}
-#endif
-
-	if (CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "mysql" && CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "sqlite3"
-		&& CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "pqxx" && CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") != "none") {
-		std::cerr << "Unknown storage backend " << CONFIG_STRING(&config, "database.type") << "\n";
-		return -2;
+	if (!storageBackend->connect()) {
+		std::cerr << "Can't connect to database. Check the log to find out the reason.\n";
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	UserManager userManager(&transport, &userRegistry, storageBackend);