diff --git a/src/helper_startup.py b/src/helper_startup.py
index 93a37658..9bca8db6 100644
--- a/src/helper_startup.py
+++ b/src/helper_startup.py
@@ -30,19 +30,20 @@ def _loadTrustedPeer():
 
 
 def loadConfig():
+    config = BMConfigParser()
     if state.appdata:
-        BMConfigParser().read(state.appdata + 'keys.dat')
+        config.read(state.appdata + 'keys.dat')
         # state.appdata must have been specified as a startup option.
-        needToCreateKeysFile = BMConfigParser().safeGet(
+        needToCreateKeysFile = config.safeGet(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion') is None
         if not needToCreateKeysFile:
             print(
                 'Loading config files from directory specified'
                 ' on startup: %s' % state.appdata)
     else:
-        BMConfigParser().read(paths.lookupExeFolder() + 'keys.dat')
+        config.read(paths.lookupExeFolder() + 'keys.dat')
         try:
-            BMConfigParser().get('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion')
+            config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion')
             print 'Loading config files from same directory as program.'
             needToCreateKeysFile = False
             state.appdata = paths.lookupExeFolder()
@@ -50,8 +51,8 @@ def loadConfig():
             # Could not load the keys.dat file in the program directory.
             # Perhaps it is in the appdata directory.
             state.appdata = paths.lookupAppdataFolder()
-            BMConfigParser().read(state.appdata + 'keys.dat')
-            needToCreateKeysFile = BMConfigParser().safeGet(
+            config.read(state.appdata + 'keys.dat')
+            needToCreateKeysFile = config.safeGet(
                 'bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion') is None
             if not needToCreateKeysFile:
                 print 'Loading existing config files from', state.appdata
@@ -60,73 +61,61 @@ def loadConfig():
 
         # This appears to be the first time running the program; there is
         # no config file (or it cannot be accessed). Create config file.
-        BMConfigParser().add_section('bitmessagesettings')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion', '10')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'port', '8444')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'timeformat', '%%c')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'blackwhitelist', 'black')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'startonlogon', 'false')
+        config.add_section('bitmessagesettings')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion', '10')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'port', '8444')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'timeformat', '%%c')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'blackwhitelist', 'black')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'startonlogon', 'false')
         if 'linux' in sys.platform:
-            BMConfigParser().set(
-                'bitmessagesettings', 'minimizetotray', 'false')
+            config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'minimizetotray', 'false')
         # This isn't implimented yet and when True on
         # Ubuntu causes Bitmessage to disappear while
         # running when minimized.
         else:
-            BMConfigParser().set(
-                'bitmessagesettings', 'minimizetotray', 'true')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'showtraynotifications', 'true')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'startintray', 'false')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksproxytype', 'none')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'sockshostname', 'localhost')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksport', '9050')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'socksauthentication', 'false')
-        # BMConfigParser().set(
-        #     'bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten', 'false')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksusername', '')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockspassword', '')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'keysencrypted', 'false')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'messagesencrypted', 'false')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+            config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'minimizetotray', 'true')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'showtraynotifications', 'true')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'startintray', 'false')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksproxytype', 'none')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockshostname', 'localhost')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksport', '9050')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksauthentication', 'false')
+        # config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten', 'false')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksusername', '')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockspassword', '')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'keysencrypted', 'false')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'messagesencrypted', 'false')
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultnoncetrialsperbyte',
             str(defaults.networkDefaultProofOfWorkNonceTrialsPerByte))
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultpayloadlengthextrabytes',
             str(defaults.networkDefaultPayloadLengthExtraBytes))
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'minimizeonclose', 'false')
-        # BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'minimizeonclose', 'false')
+        # config.set(
         #     'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablenoncetrialsperbyte', '0')
-        # BMConfigParser().set(
+        # config.set(
         #     'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablepayloadlengthextrabytes',
         #     '0')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'dontconnect', 'true')
-        # BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', 'system')
-        # BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'useidenticons', 'True')
-        # BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'dontconnect', 'true')
+        # config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', 'system')
+        # config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'useidenticons', 'True')
+        # config.set(
         #     'bitmessagesettings', 'identiconsuffix',
         #     ''.join(helper_random.randomchoice(
         #         "123456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyz"
         #         ) for x in range(12)
         #     ))  # a twelve character pseudo-password to salt the identicons
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'replybelow', 'False')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxdownloadrate', '0')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxuploadrate', '0')
-        # BMConfigParser().set(
-        #     'bitmessagesettings', 'maxoutboundconnections', '8')
-        # BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'ttl', '367200')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'replybelow', 'False')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxdownloadrate', '0')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxuploadrate', '0')
+        # config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxoutboundconnections', '8')
+        # config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'ttl', '367200')
 
         # UI setting to stop trying to send messages after X days/months
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxdays', '')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxmonths', '')
-        # BMConfigParser().set(
-        #    'bitmessagesettings', 'timeperiod', '-1')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxdays', '')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxmonths', '')
+        # config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'timeperiod', '-1')
 
         # Are you hoping to add a new option to the keys.dat file? You're in
         # the right place for adding it to users who install the software for
@@ -145,7 +134,7 @@ def loadConfig():
                 os.makedirs(state.appdata)
         if not sys.platform.startswith('win'):
             os.umask(0o077)
-        BMConfigParser().save()
+        config.save()
     else:
         updateConfig()
 
@@ -153,36 +142,33 @@ def loadConfig():
 
 
 def updateConfig():
-    settingsversion = BMConfigParser().getint(
-        'bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion')
+    config = BMConfigParser()
+    settingsversion = config.getint('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion')
     if settingsversion == 1:
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksproxytype', 'none')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'sockshostname', 'localhost')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksport', '9050')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'socksauthentication', 'false')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksusername', '')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockspassword', '')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten', 'false')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'keysencrypted', 'false')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'messagesencrypted', 'false')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksproxytype', 'none')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockshostname', 'localhost')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksport', '9050')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksauthentication', 'false')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'socksusername', '')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockspassword', '')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten', 'false')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'keysencrypted', 'false')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'messagesencrypted', 'false')
         settingsversion = 2
     # let class_sqlThread update SQL and continue
     elif settingsversion == 4:
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultnoncetrialsperbyte',
             str(defaults.networkDefaultProofOfWorkNonceTrialsPerByte))
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultpayloadlengthextrabytes',
             str(defaults.networkDefaultPayloadLengthExtraBytes))
         settingsversion = 5
 
     if settingsversion == 5:
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablenoncetrialsperbyte', '0')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablepayloadlengthextrabytes', '0')
         settingsversion = 7
 
@@ -200,60 +186,54 @@ def updateConfig():
     #         )
     #     settingsversion = 7
 
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten', 'false')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sockslisten', 'false')
 
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', 'system')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', 'system')
 
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'sendoutgoingconnections'):
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'sendoutgoingconnections', 'True')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'sendoutgoingconnections'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'sendoutgoingconnections', 'True')
 
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option(
-                'bitmessagesettings', 'useidenticons'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'useidenticons', 'True')
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'identiconsuffix'):
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'useidenticons'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'useidenticons', 'True')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'identiconsuffix'):
         # acts as a salt
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'identiconsuffix',
             ''.join(helper_random.randomchoice(
                 "123456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyz"
-                ) for x in range(12)
+            ) for x in range(12)
             ))  # a twelve character pseudo-password to salt the identicons
 
     # Add settings to support no longer resending messages after
     # a certain period of time even if we never get an ack
     if settingsversion == 7:
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxdays', '')
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxmonths', '')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxdays', '')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'stopresendingafterxmonths', '')
         settingsversion = 8
 
     # With the change to protocol version 3, reset the user-settable
     # difficulties to 1
     if settingsversion == 8:
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultnoncetrialsperbyte',
             str(defaults.networkDefaultProofOfWorkNonceTrialsPerByte))
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultpayloadlengthextrabytes',
             str(defaults.networkDefaultPayloadLengthExtraBytes))
         previousTotalDifficulty = int(
-            BMConfigParser().getint(
+            config.getint(
                 'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablenoncetrialsperbyte')
         ) / 320
         previousSmallMessageDifficulty = int(
-            BMConfigParser().getint(
+            config.getint(
                 'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablepayloadlengthextrabytes')
         ) / 14000
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablenoncetrialsperbyte',
             str(previousTotalDifficulty * 1000))
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablepayloadlengthextrabytes',
             str(previousSmallMessageDifficulty * 1000))
         settingsversion = 9
@@ -261,75 +241,70 @@ def updateConfig():
     # Adjust the required POW values for each of this user's addresses
     # to conform to protocol v3 norms.
     if settingsversion == 9:
-        for addressInKeysFile in BMConfigParser().addresses():
+        for addressInKeysFile in config.addresses():
             try:
                 previousTotalDifficulty = float(
-                    BMConfigParser().getint(
+                    config.getint(
                         addressInKeysFile, 'noncetrialsperbyte')) / 320
                 previousSmallMessageDifficulty = float(
-                    BMConfigParser().getint(
+                    config.getint(
                         addressInKeysFile, 'payloadlengthextrabytes')) / 14000
                 if previousTotalDifficulty <= 2:
                     previousTotalDifficulty = 1
                 if previousSmallMessageDifficulty < 1:
                     previousSmallMessageDifficulty = 1
-                BMConfigParser().set(
+                config.set(
                     addressInKeysFile, 'noncetrialsperbyte',
                     str(int(previousTotalDifficulty * 1000)))
-                BMConfigParser().set(
+                config.set(
                     addressInKeysFile, 'payloadlengthextrabytes',
                     str(int(previousSmallMessageDifficulty * 1000)))
             except Exception:
                 continue
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxdownloadrate', '0')
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxuploadrate', '0')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxdownloadrate', '0')
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxuploadrate', '0')
         settingsversion = 10
 
     # sanity check
-    if BMConfigParser().safeGetInt(
+    if config.safeGetInt(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablenoncetrialsperbyte') == 0:
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablenoncetrialsperbyte',
-            str(
-                defaults.ridiculousDifficulty
-                * defaults.networkDefaultProofOfWorkNonceTrialsPerByte)
+            str(defaults.ridiculousDifficulty *
+                defaults.networkDefaultProofOfWorkNonceTrialsPerByte)
         )
-    if BMConfigParser().safeGetInt(
+    if config.safeGetInt(
         'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablepayloadlengthextrabytes'
     ) == 0:
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablepayloadlengthextrabytes',
-            str(
-                defaults.ridiculousDifficulty
-                * defaults.networkDefaultPayloadLengthExtraBytes)
+            str(defaults.ridiculousDifficulty *
+                defaults.networkDefaultPayloadLengthExtraBytes)
         )
 
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionhostname'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionhostname', '')
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionport'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionport', '8444')
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionbindip'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionbindip', '127.0.0.1')
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpdeliver'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpdeliver', '')
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option(
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionhostname'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionhostname', '')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionport'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionport', '8444')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionbindip'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionbindip', '127.0.0.1')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpdeliver'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpdeliver', '')
+    if not config.has_option(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'hidetrayconnectionnotifications'):
-        BMConfigParser().set(
+        config.set(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'hidetrayconnectionnotifications', 'false')
-    if BMConfigParser().safeGetInt(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'maxoutboundconnections') < 1:
-        BMConfigParser().set(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'maxoutboundconnections', '8')
+    if config.safeGetInt('bitmessagesettings', 'maxoutboundconnections') < 1:
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'maxoutboundconnections', '8')
         print('WARNING: your maximum outbound connections must be a number.')
 
     # TTL is now user-specifiable. Let's add an option to save
     # whatever the user selects.
-    if not BMConfigParser().has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'ttl'):
-        BMConfigParser().set('bitmessagesettings', 'ttl', '367200')
+    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'ttl'):
+        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'ttl', '367200')
 
-    BMConfigParser().set(
-        'bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion', str(settingsversion))
-    BMConfigParser().save()
+    config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion', str(settingsversion))
+    config.save()
 
 
 def isOurOperatingSystemLimitedToHavingVeryFewHalfOpenConnections():