diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/main.go b/cmd/ipfs/main.go
index a19b60c80..d06f03dff 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/main.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	daemon "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core/daemon"
 	repo "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo"
 	config "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
+	fsrepo "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/fsrepo"
 	updates "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/updates"
 	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/debugerror"
@@ -449,7 +450,7 @@ func loadConfig(path string) (*config.Config, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return config.Load(configFile)
+	return fsrepo.Load(configFile)
 }
 
 // startProfiling begins CPU profiling and returns a `stop` function to be
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/tour.go b/cmd/ipfs/tour.go
index aed7ea918..18c8fce4b 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/tour.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/tour.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	cmds "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands"
 	config "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
 	tour "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/tour"
+	fsrepo "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/fsrepo"
 )
 
 var tourCmd = &cmds.Command{
@@ -191,5 +192,5 @@ func writeConfig(path string, cfg *config.Config) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return config.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
+	return fsrepo.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
 }
diff --git a/core/commands/bootstrap.go b/core/commands/bootstrap.go
index 194e320af..7d0a2788c 100644
--- a/core/commands/bootstrap.go
+++ b/core/commands/bootstrap.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	cmds "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands"
 	config "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/fsrepo"
 	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 	errors "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/debugerror"
 )
@@ -250,7 +251,7 @@ func bootstrapAdd(filename string, cfg *config.Config, peers []config.BootstrapP
 		}
 	}
 
-	err := config.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
+	err := fsrepo.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -278,7 +279,7 @@ func bootstrapRemove(filename string, cfg *config.Config, toRemove []config.Boot
 	}
 	cfg.Bootstrap = keep
 
-	err := config.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
+	err := fsrepo.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ func bootstrapRemoveAll(filename string, cfg *config.Config) ([]config.Bootstrap
 	copy(removed, cfg.Bootstrap)
 
 	cfg.Bootstrap = nil
-	err := config.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
+	err := fsrepo.WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/core/commands/config.go b/core/commands/config.go
index 952df98df..8a4061520 100644
--- a/core/commands/config.go
+++ b/core/commands/config.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 	cmds "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands"
 	config "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
+	fsrepo "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/fsrepo"
 	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 )
 
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ variable set to your preferred text editor.
 }
 
 func getConfig(filename string, key string) (*ConfigField, error) {
-	value, err := config.ReadConfigKey(filename, key)
+	value, err := fsrepo.ReadConfigKey(filename, key)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to get config value: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ func getConfig(filename string, key string) (*ConfigField, error) {
 }
 
 func setConfig(filename string, key, value string) (*ConfigField, error) {
-	err := config.WriteConfigKey(filename, key, value)
+	err := fsrepo.WriteConfigKey(filename, key, value)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to set config value: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/repo/config/config.go b/repo/config/config.go
index d33e4d36d..939c4564c 100644
--- a/repo/config/config.go
+++ b/repo/config/config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"encoding/base64"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -13,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 
 	ic "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/p2p/crypto"
 	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
-	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/debugerror"
 )
 
 var log = u.Logger("config")
@@ -191,29 +191,17 @@ func (i *Identity) DecodePrivateKey(passphrase string) (ic.PrivKey, error) {
 	return ic.UnmarshalPrivateKey(pkb)
 }
 
-// Load reads given file and returns the read config, or error.
-func Load(filename string) (*Config, error) {
-	// if nothing is there, fail. User must run 'ipfs init'
-	if !u.FileExists(filename) {
-		return nil, debugerror.New("ipfs not initialized, please run 'ipfs init'")
+// HumanOutput gets a config value ready for printing
+func HumanOutput(value interface{}) ([]byte, error) {
+	s, ok := value.(string)
+	if ok {
+		return []byte(strings.Trim(s, "\n")), nil
 	}
-
-	var cfg Config
-	err := ReadConfigFile(filename, &cfg)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// tilde expansion on datastore path
-	cfg.Datastore.Path, err = u.TildeExpansion(cfg.Datastore.Path)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return &cfg, err
+	return Marshal(value)
 }
 
-// Set sets the value of a particular config key
-func Set(filename, key, value string) error {
-	return WriteConfigKey(filename, key, value)
+// Marshal configuration with JSON
+func Marshal(value interface{}) ([]byte, error) {
+	// need to prettyprint, hence MarshalIndent, instead of Encoder
+	return json.MarshalIndent(value, "", "  ")
 }
diff --git a/repo/config/version.go b/repo/config/version.go
index 62cacfa49..1ba3662c8 100644
--- a/repo/config/version.go
+++ b/repo/config/version.go
@@ -120,19 +120,6 @@ func (v *Version) ShouldCheckForUpdate() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// RecordUpdateCheck is called to record that an update check was performed,
-// showing that the running version is the most recent one.
-func RecordUpdateCheck(cfg *Config, filename string) {
-	cfg.Version.CheckDate = time.Now()
-
-	if cfg.Version.CheckPeriod == "" {
-		// CheckPeriod was not initialized for some reason (e.g. config file broken)
-		log.Error("config.Version.CheckPeriod not set. config broken?")
-	}
-
-	WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
-}
-
 // VersionDefaultValue returns the default version config value (for init).
 func VersionDefaultValue() Version {
 	return Version{
diff --git a/repo/config/version_test.go b/repo/config/version_test.go
index 37160c478..c4b8aeb5a 100644
--- a/repo/config/version_test.go
+++ b/repo/config/version_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -23,8 +24,7 @@ func TestAutoUpdateValues(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for i, tc := range tests {
-		err := Decode(strings.NewReader(tc.input), &tval)
-		if err != tc.err {
+		if err := json.NewDecoder(strings.NewReader(tc.input)).Decode(&tval); err != tc.err {
 			t.Fatalf("%d failed - got err %q wanted %v", i, err, tc.err)
 		}
 
@@ -32,5 +32,4 @@ func TestAutoUpdateValues(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("%d failed - got val %q where we wanted %q", i, tval.AutoUpdate, tc.val)
 		}
 	}
-
 }
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
index ca54be076..fb666d869 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (r *FSRepo) SetConfig(conf *config.Config) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := config.WriteConfigFile(configFilename, conf); err != nil {
+	if err := WriteConfigFile(configFilename, conf); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	r.config = *conf // copy so caller cannot modify the private config
diff --git a/repo/config/serialize.go b/repo/fsrepo/serialize.go
similarity index 64%
rename from repo/config/serialize.go
rename to repo/fsrepo/serialize.go
index b71d945b0..5986d0f88 100644
--- a/repo/config/serialize.go
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/serialize.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package config
+package fsrepo
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
@@ -7,8 +7,15 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/debugerror"
 )
 
+var log = util.Logger("fsrepo")
+
 // ReadConfigFile reads the config from `filename` into `cfg`.
 func ReadConfigFile(filename string, cfg interface{}) error {
 	f, err := os.Open(filename)
@@ -16,8 +23,7 @@ func ReadConfigFile(filename string, cfg interface{}) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
-
-	if err := Decode(f, cfg); err != nil {
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(f).Decode(cfg); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Failure to decode config: %s", err)
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -56,38 +62,17 @@ func WriteFile(filename string, buf []byte) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-// HumanOutput gets a config value ready for printing
-func HumanOutput(value interface{}) ([]byte, error) {
-	s, ok := value.(string)
-	if ok {
-		return []byte(strings.Trim(s, "\n")), nil
-	}
-	return Marshal(value)
-}
-
-// Marshal configuration with JSON
-func Marshal(value interface{}) ([]byte, error) {
-	// need to prettyprint, hence MarshalIndent, instead of Encoder
-	return json.MarshalIndent(value, "", "  ")
-}
-
 // Encode configuration with JSON
 func Encode(w io.Writer, value interface{}) error {
 	// need to prettyprint, hence MarshalIndent, instead of Encoder
-	buf, err := Marshal(value)
+	buf, err := config.Marshal(value)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
 	_, err = w.Write(buf)
 	return err
 }
 
-// Decode configuration with JSON
-func Decode(r io.Reader, value interface{}) error {
-	return json.NewDecoder(r).Decode(value)
-}
-
 // ReadConfigKey retrieves only the value of a particular key
 func ReadConfigKey(filename, key string) (interface{}, error) {
 	var cfg interface{}
@@ -142,3 +127,43 @@ func WriteConfigKey(filename, key string, value interface{}) error {
 
 	return WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
 }
+
+// Load reads given file and returns the read config, or error.
+func Load(filename string) (*config.Config, error) {
+	// if nothing is there, fail. User must run 'ipfs init'
+	if !util.FileExists(filename) {
+		return nil, debugerror.New("ipfs not initialized, please run 'ipfs init'")
+	}
+
+	var cfg config.Config
+	err := ReadConfigFile(filename, &cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// tilde expansion on datastore path
+	cfg.Datastore.Path, err = util.TildeExpansion(cfg.Datastore.Path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &cfg, err
+}
+
+// Set sets the value of a particular config key
+func Set(filename, key, value string) error {
+	return WriteConfigKey(filename, key, value)
+}
+
+// RecordUpdateCheck is called to record that an update check was performed,
+// showing that the running version is the most recent one.
+func RecordUpdateCheck(cfg *config.Config, filename string) {
+	cfg.Version.CheckDate = time.Now()
+
+	if cfg.Version.CheckPeriod == "" {
+		// CheckPeriod was not initialized for some reason (e.g. config file broken)
+		log.Error("config.Version.CheckPeriod not set. config broken?")
+	}
+
+	WriteConfigFile(filename, cfg)
+}
diff --git a/repo/config/config_test.go b/repo/fsrepo/serialize_test.go
similarity index 80%
rename from repo/config/config_test.go
rename to repo/fsrepo/serialize_test.go
index c891d6c51..5de9674af 100644
--- a/repo/config/config_test.go
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/serialize_test.go
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
-package config
+package fsrepo
 
 import (
 	"testing"
+
+	config "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
 )
 
 func TestConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	const filename = ".ipfsconfig"
 	const dsPath = "/path/to/datastore"
-	cfgWritten := new(Config)
+	cfgWritten := new(config.Config)
 	cfgWritten.Datastore.Path = dsPath
 	err := WriteConfigFile(filename, cfgWritten)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/updates/updates.go b/updates/updates.go
index fef7ed15f..19fd123b3 100644
--- a/updates/updates.go
+++ b/updates/updates.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	config "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
+	fsrepo "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/fsrepo"
 	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 
 	semver "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/coreos/go-semver/semver"
@@ -209,7 +210,7 @@ func CliCheckForUpdates(cfg *config.Config, confFile string) error {
 	// if there is no update available, record it, and exit.
 	if err == ErrNoUpdateAvailable {
 		log.Noticef("No update available, checked on %s", time.Now())
-		config.RecordUpdateCheck(cfg, confFile) // only record if we checked successfully.
+		fsrepo.RecordUpdateCheck(cfg, confFile) // only record if we checked successfully.
 		return nil
 	}