diff --git a/clients/oxygen/demo/oxygenshadowdemodialog.cpp b/clients/oxygen/demo/oxygenshadowdemodialog.cpp
index 9e1481cab4..67e5cb1302 100644
--- a/clients/oxygen/demo/oxygenshadowdemodialog.cpp
+++ b/clients/oxygen/demo/oxygenshadowdemodialog.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace Oxygen
     //_________________________________________________________
     ShadowDemoDialog::ShadowDemoDialog( QWidget* parent ):
         QDialog( parent ),
-        _helper(),
+        _helper( KSharedConfig::openConfig("oxygenrc") ),
         _cache( _helper )
     {
 
diff --git a/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.cpp b/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.cpp
index e6bbcbf9df..bd623a24bd 100644
--- a/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.cpp
+++ b/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.cpp
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ namespace Oxygen
 {
 
     //______________________________________________________________________________
-    DecoHelper::DecoHelper():
-        Helper()
+    DecoHelper::DecoHelper(KSharedConfigPtr config):
+        Helper(config)
     {}
 
     //______________________________________________________________________________
diff --git a/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.h b/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.h
index 4c9a44ab54..00fde1fcbd 100644
--- a/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.h
+++ b/clients/oxygen/oxygendecohelper.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "oxygenhelper.h"
+#include <ksharedconfig.h>
 
 //! helper class
 /*! contains utility functions used at multiple places in oxygen style */
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ namespace Oxygen
         public:
 
         //! constructor
-        explicit DecoHelper();
+        explicit DecoHelper(KSharedConfigPtr config);
 
         //! destructor
         virtual ~DecoHelper()
diff --git a/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.cpp b/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.cpp
index 6d5b08b916..2f44a6a16d 100644
--- a/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.cpp
+++ b/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ namespace Oxygen
     Factory::Factory(QObject *parent):
         KDecorationFactory(parent),
         _initialized( false ),
-        _helper(),
+        _config( KSharedConfig::openConfig( QStringLiteral("oxygenrc") ) ),
+        _helper( _config ),
         _shadowCache( _helper )
     {
         readConfig();
@@ -71,26 +72,23 @@ namespace Oxygen
     //___________________________________________________
     void Factory::readConfig()
     {
-
         /*
         always reload helper
         this is needed to properly handle
         color contrast settings changed
         */
+        _config->reparseConfiguration(); // could be skipped on startup
         helper().invalidateCaches();
-        helper().reloadConfig();
+        helper().loadConfig();
 
         // initialize default configuration and read
         if( !_defaultConfiguration ) _defaultConfiguration = ConfigurationPtr(new Configuration());
         _defaultConfiguration->setCurrentGroup( QStringLiteral("Windeco") );
         _defaultConfiguration->readConfig();
 
-        // create a config object
-        KSharedConfig::Ptr config( KSharedConfig::openConfig( QStringLiteral("oxygenrc") ) );
-
         // clear exceptions and read
         ExceptionList exceptions;
-        exceptions.readConfig( config );
+        exceptions.readConfig( _config );
         _exceptions = exceptions.get();
 
         // read shadowCache configuration
@@ -99,7 +97,7 @@ namespace Oxygen
 
         // background pixmap
         {
-            KConfigGroup group( config->group("Common") );
+            KConfigGroup group( _config->group("Common") );
             helper().setBackgroundPixmap( group.readEntry( "BackgroundPixmap", "" ) );
         }
 
diff --git a/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.h b/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.h
index 9ed90ec156..a64f832b0a 100644
--- a/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.h
+++ b/clients/oxygen/oxygenfactory.h
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ namespace Oxygen
         //! list of exceptiosn
         QList<ConfigurationPtr> _exceptions;
 
+        //! config object
+        KSharedConfigPtr _config;
+
     };
 
 }