diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
index 626ecb18d..d4ab8c240 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
@@ -50,6 +50,20 @@ var (
 	dsLock           sync.Mutex
 	dsOpenersCounter *counter.Openers
 	datastores       map[string]ds2.ThreadSafeDatastoreCloser
+
+	// onlyOne keeps track of open FSRepo instances.
+	//
+	// TODO: once command Context / Repo integration is cleaned up,
+	// this can be removed. Right now, this makes ConfigCmd.Run
+	// function try to open the repo twice:
+	//
+	//     $ ipfs daemon &
+	//     $ ipfs config foo
+	//
+	// The reason for the above is that in standalone mode without the
+	// daemon, `ipfs config` tries to save work by not building the
+	// full IpfsNode, but accessing the Repo directly.
+	onlyOne repo.OnlyOne
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -77,7 +91,14 @@ var _ repo.Repo = (*FSRepo)(nil)
 
 // Open the FSRepo at path. Returns an error if the repo is not
 // initialized.
-func Open(repoPath string) (*FSRepo, error) {
+func Open(repoPath string) (repo.Repo, error) {
+	fn := func() (repo.Repo, error) {
+		return open(repoPath)
+	}
+	return onlyOne.Open(repoPath, fn)
+}
+
+func open(repoPath string) (repo.Repo, error) {
 	packageLock.Lock()
 	defer packageLock.Unlock()
 
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo_test.go b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo_test.go
index a526a31c9..bcd3af600 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo_test.go
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo_test.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func TestOpenMoreThanOnceInSameProcess(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(err, t, "first repo should open successfully")
 	r2, err := Open(path)
 	assert.Nil(err, t, "second repo should open successfully")
-	assert.True(r1.ds == r2.ds, t, "repos should share the datastore")
+	assert.True(r1 == r2, t, "second open returns same value")
 
 	assert.Nil(r1.Close(), t)
 	assert.Nil(r2.Close(), t)
diff --git a/repo/onlyone.go b/repo/onlyone.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..860c166bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repo/onlyone.go
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package repo
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+)
+
+// OnlyOne tracks open Repos by arbitrary key and returns the already
+// open one.
+type OnlyOne struct {
+	mu     sync.Mutex
+	active map[interface{}]*ref
+}
+
+// Open a Repo identified by key. If Repo is not already open, the
+// open function is called, and the result is remember for further
+// use.
+//
+// Key must be comparable, or Open will panic. Make sure to pick keys
+// that are unique across different concrete Repo implementations,
+// e.g. by creating a local type:
+//
+//     type repoKey string
+//     r, err := o.Open(repoKey(path), open)
+//
+// Call Repo.Close when done.
+func (o *OnlyOne) Open(key interface{}, open func() (Repo, error)) (Repo, error) {
+	o.mu.Lock()
+	defer o.mu.Unlock()
+	if o.active == nil {
+		o.active = make(map[interface{}]*ref)
+	}
+
+	item, found := o.active[key]
+	if !found {
+		repo, err := open()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		item = &ref{
+			parent: o,
+			key:    key,
+			Repo:   repo,
+		}
+		o.active[key] = item
+	}
+	item.refs++
+	return item, nil
+}
+
+type ref struct {
+	parent *OnlyOne
+	key    interface{}
+	refs   uint32
+	Repo
+}
+
+var _ Repo = (*ref)(nil)
+
+func (r *ref) Close() error {
+	r.parent.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.parent.mu.Unlock()
+
+	r.refs--
+	if r.refs > 0 {
+		// others are holding it open
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// last one
+	delete(r.parent.active, r.key)
+	return r.Repo.Close()
+}