diff --git a/internal/app/api/wwapic/wwapic.go b/internal/app/api/wwapic/wwapic.go
index fc34659c..8eca0814 100644
--- a/internal/app/api/wwapic/wwapic.go
+++ b/internal/app/api/wwapic/wwapic.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 
 func main() {
 	log.Println("Client running")
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	// Read the config file.
 	config, err := apiconfig.NewClient(path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf/wwapic.conf"))
diff --git a/internal/app/api/wwapid/wwapid.go b/internal/app/api/wwapid/wwapid.go
index 33de9db6..5042b8c7 100644
--- a/internal/app/api/wwapid/wwapid.go
+++ b/internal/app/api/wwapid/wwapid.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 	apinode "github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/api/node"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/api/routes/wwapiv1"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/version"
-	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/config"
+	warewulfconf "github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/config"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ var apiVersion string
 func main() {
 	log.Println("Server running")
 
-	conf := config.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	// Read the config file.
 	config, err := apiconfig.NewServer(path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf/wwapid.conf"))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/app/api/wwapird/wwapird.go b/internal/app/api/wwapird/wwapird.go
index c71f56e8..354b82dd 100644
--- a/internal/app/api/wwapird/wwapird.go
+++ b/internal/app/api/wwapird/wwapird.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func run() error {
 
 	log.Println("test0")
 
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	// Read the config file.
 	config, err := apiconfig.NewClientServer(path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf/wwapird.conf"))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/app/wwclient/root.go b/internal/app/wwclient/root.go
index 70167b2f..5af79840 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwclient/root.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwclient/root.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func GetRootCommand() *cobra.Command {
 }
 
 func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	pid, err := pidfile.Write(PIDFile)
 	if err != nil && pid == -1 {
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/child/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/child/main.go
index 3693e03f..ee2b97b9 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/child/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/child/main.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 		wwlog.Error("Unknown Warewulf container: %s", containerName)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	mountPts := conf.MountsContainer
 	mountPts = append(container.InitMountPnts(binds), mountPts...)
 	// check for valid mount points
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/list/main_test.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/list/main_test.go
index 160a48dc..2d5afc3a 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/list/main_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/list/main_test.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ nodes:
 WW_INTERNAL: 0
     `
 
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	err := conf.Read([]byte(conf_yml))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	warewulfd.SetNoDaemon()
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/genconf/warewulfconf/print/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/genconf/warewulfconf/print/main.go
index 26cab821..e18ea611 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/genconf/warewulfconf/print/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/genconf/warewulfconf/print/main.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	buffer, err := yaml.Marshal(&conf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/node/status/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/node/status/main.go
index 1d0dc6f9..d1675cb9 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/node/status/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/node/status/main.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 
 func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 
-	controller := warewulfconf.New()
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	if controller.Ipaddr == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("warewulf Server IP Address is not properly configured")
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/build/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/build/main.go
index bb61b131..75c7cf82 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/build/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/build/main.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	controller := warewulfconf.New()
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 	nodeDB, err := node.New()
 	if err != nil {
 		wwlog.Error("Could not open node configuration: %s", err)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/root.go b/internal/app/wwctl/root.go
index 2717c72e..c9d56480 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/root.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/root.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func rootPersistentPreRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 	if LogLevel != wwlog.INFO {
 		wwlog.SetLogLevel(LogLevel)
 	}
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	if !AllowEmptyConf && !conf.Initialized() {
 		if WarewulfConfArg != "" {
 			err = conf.ReadConf(WarewulfConfArg)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/server/start/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/server/start/main.go
index 076e1695..01c9a19f 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/server/start/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/server/start/main.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	if SetForeground {
-		conf := warewulfconf.New()
+		conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 		conf.Warewulf.Syslog = false
 		return errors.Wrap(warewulfd.RunServer(), "failed to start Warewulf server")
 	} else {
diff --git a/internal/pkg/api/node/node.go b/internal/pkg/api/node/node.go
index 8c5581ab..13a10c15 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/api/node/node.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/api/node/node.go
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ func NodeStatus(nodeNames []string) (nodeStatusResponse *wwapiv1.NodeStatusRespo
 		Nodes map[string]*nodeStatusInternal `json:"nodes"`
 	}
 
-	controller := warewulfconf.New()
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	if controller.Ipaddr == "" {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("the Warewulf Server IP Address is not properly configured")
diff --git a/internal/pkg/config/datastructure.go b/internal/pkg/config/datastructure.go
index dedc762f..92ada6ee 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/config/datastructure.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/config/datastructure.go
@@ -63,6 +63,6 @@ func (s *NfsConf) Unmarshal(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 // Waste processor cycles to make code more readable
 
 func DataStore() string {
-	_ = New()
+	_ = Get()
 	return cachedConf.Warewulf.DataStore
 }
diff --git a/internal/pkg/config/root.go b/internal/pkg/config/root.go
index d56dbe27..e654f291 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/config/root.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/config/root.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"os"
+	"reflect"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
@@ -44,35 +45,37 @@ type RootConf struct {
 	Nfs             *NfsConf      `yaml:"nfs"`
 	MountsContainer []*MountEntry `yaml:"container mounts" default:"[{\"source\": \"/etc/resolv.conf\", \"dest\": \"/etc/resolv.conf\"}]"`
 	Paths           *BuildConfig  `yaml:"paths"`
-	current         bool
 	readConf        bool
 }
 
 
-// New returns a [RootConf] which may have been cached from a previous
-// call.
+// New returns a [RootConf] initialized with empty values.
 func New() (conf RootConf) {
-	// NOTE: This function can be called before any log level is set
-	//       so using wwlog.Verbose or wwlog.Debug won't work
-	if !cachedConf.current {
-		conf.Warewulf = new(WarewulfConf)
-		conf.Dhcp = new(DhcpConf)
-		conf.Tftp = new(TftpConf)
-		conf.Nfs = new(NfsConf)
-		conf.Paths = new(BuildConfig)
-		_ = defaults.Set(&conf)
-		cachedConf = conf
-		cachedConf.readConf = false
-		cachedConf.current = true
-	} else {
-		// If cached struct isn't empty, use it as the return value
-		conf = cachedConf
-	}
-	return conf
+	conf.Warewulf = new(WarewulfConf)
+	conf.Dhcp = new(DhcpConf)
+	conf.Tftp = new(TftpConf)
+	conf.Nfs = new(NfsConf)
+	conf.Paths = new(BuildConfig)
+	_ = defaults.Set(&conf)
+	return
 }
 
-// ReadConf populates the configuration with the values from a
-// configuration file.
+
+// Get returns a [RootConf] which may have been cached from a previous
+// call.
+func Get() (RootConf) {
+	// NOTE: This function can be called before any log level is set
+	//       so using wwlog.Verbose or wwlog.Debug won't work
+	if reflect.ValueOf(cachedConf).IsZero() {
+		cachedConf = New()
+		cachedConf.readConf = false
+	}
+	return cachedConf
+}
+
+
+// ReadConf populates [RootConf] with the values from a configuration
+// file.
 func (conf *RootConf) ReadConf(confFileName string) (err error) {
 	wwlog.Debug("Reading warewulf.conf from: %s", confFileName)
 	fileHandle, err := os.ReadFile(confFileName)
@@ -82,8 +85,8 @@ func (conf *RootConf) ReadConf(confFileName string) (err error) {
 	return conf.Read(fileHandle)
 }
 
-// Read populates the configuration with the values from a yaml
-// document.
+
+// Read populates [RootConf] with the values from a yaml document.
 func (conf *RootConf) Read(data []byte) (err error) {
 	// ipxe binaries are merged not overwritten, store defaults separate
 	defIpxe := make(map[string]string)
@@ -103,13 +106,13 @@ func (conf *RootConf) Read(data []byte) (err error) {
 		conf.Tftp.IpxeBinaries = defIpxe
 	}
 	cachedConf = *conf
-	cachedConf.current = true
 	cachedConf.readConf = true
 	return
 }
 
-// SetDynamicDefaults populates the configuration with plausible
-// defaults for the runtime environment.
+
+// SetDynamicDefaults populates [RootConf] with plausible defaults for
+// the runtime environment.
 func (conf *RootConf) SetDynamicDefaults() (err error) {
 	if conf.Ipaddr == "" || conf.Netmask == "" || conf.Network == "" {
 		var mask net.IPMask
@@ -172,18 +175,18 @@ func (conf *RootConf) SetDynamicDefaults() (err error) {
 		}
 	}
 	cachedConf = *conf
-	cachedConf.current = true
 	return
 }
 
-// Initialized returns true if the configuration in memory was read
-// from disk, or false otherwise.
+
+// Initialized returns true if [RootConf] memory was read from disk,
+// or false otherwise.
 func (conf *RootConf) Initialized() bool {
 	return conf.readConf
 }
 
 
-// Persist writes the configuration to a file as a yaml document.
+// Persist writes [RootConf] to a file as a yaml document.
 func (controller *RootConf) Persist() error {
 
 	out, err := yaml.Marshal(controller)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go b/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go
index c5b1c207..d7ef2e69 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/configure/dhcp.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ dhcp configuration is checked.
 */
 func Dhcp() (err error) {
 
-	controller := warewulfconf.New()
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	if !controller.Dhcp.Enabled {
 		wwlog.Info("This system is not configured as a Warewulf DHCP controller")
diff --git a/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go b/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go
index 14f13e36..343d59c8 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/configure/nfs.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ nfs server.
 */
 func NFS() error {
 
-	controller := warewulfconf.New()
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	if controller.Nfs.Enabled {
 		if controller.Warewulf.EnableHostOverlay {
diff --git a/internal/pkg/configure/ssh.go b/internal/pkg/configure/ssh.go
index 48d3818a..1c24a3b2 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/configure/ssh.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/configure/ssh.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 func SSH() error {
 	if os.Getuid() == 0 {
 		fmt.Printf("Updating system keys\n")
-		conf := warewulfconf.New()
+		conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 		wwkeydir := path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf/keys") + "/"
 
 		err := os.MkdirAll(path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf/keys"), 0755)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/configure/tftp.go b/internal/pkg/configure/tftp.go
index 4988ddfc..16a28bbb 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/configure/tftp.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/configure/tftp.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TFTP() error {
-	controller := warewulfconf.New()
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 	var tftpdir string = path.Join(controller.Paths.Tftpdir, "warewulf")
 
 	err := os.MkdirAll(tftpdir, 0755)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/container/config.go b/internal/pkg/container/config.go
index f0babc66..f166e643 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/container/config.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/container/config.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func SourceParentDir() string {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	return conf.Paths.WWChrootdir
 }
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func RootFsDir(name string) string {
 }
 
 func ImageParentDir() string {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	return path.Join(conf.Paths.WWProvisiondir, "container/")
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/kernel/kernel.go b/internal/pkg/kernel/kernel.go
index 4611eb3a..a735f384 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/kernel/kernel.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/kernel/kernel.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func KernelImageTopDir() string {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	return path.Join(conf.Paths.WWProvisiondir, "kernel")
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go b/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go
index 86c19b49..c77ba038 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ defaultnode:
       netmask: 255.255.255.0`
 
 func init() {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	if ConfigFile == "" {
 		ConfigFile = path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf/nodes.conf")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go b/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go
index 59f268fc..d2a9e924 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func OverlaySourceTopDir() string {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	return conf.Paths.WWOverlaydir
 }
 
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ func OverlaySourceDir(overlayName string) string {
 Returns the overlay name of the image for a given node
 */
 func OverlayImage(nodeName string, overlayName []string) string {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	return path.Join(conf.Paths.WWProvisiondir, "overlays/", nodeName, strings.Join(overlayName, "-")+".img")
 }
diff --git a/internal/pkg/overlay/datastructure.go b/internal/pkg/overlay/datastructure.go
index 2cd50b01..760d3f42 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/overlay/datastructure.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/overlay/datastructure.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Initialize an TemplateStruct with the given node.NodeInfo
 */
 func InitStruct(nodeInfo node.NodeInfo) TemplateStruct {
 	var tstruct TemplateStruct
-	controller := warewulfconf.New()
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 	nodeDB, err := node.New()
 	if err != nil {
 		wwlog.Error("%s", err)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go b/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go
index 793f8d9c..4acf6705 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Reads a file file from the host fs. If the file has nor '/' prefix
 the path is relative to Paths.SysconfdirTemplates in the file are no evaluated.
 */
 func templateFileInclude(inc string) string {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(inc, "/") {
 		inc = path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf", inc)
 	}
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ is the file to read, the second the abort string
 Templates in the file are no evaluated.
 */
 func templateFileBlock(inc string, abortStr string) (string, error) {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(inc, "/") {
 		inc = path.Join(conf.Paths.Sysconfdir, "warewulf", inc)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/version/version.go b/internal/pkg/version/version.go
index 0632e2e6..d4b5fb85 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/version/version.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/version/version.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 Return the version of wwctl
 */
 func GetVersion() string {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s", conf.Paths.Version, conf.Paths.Release)
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/daemon.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/daemon.go
index 5d3610c2..bfa16f9d 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/daemon.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/daemon.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func DaemonInitLogging() error {
 		wwlog.SetLogLevel(wwlog.SERV)
 	}
 
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	if conf.Warewulf.Syslog {
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/provision.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/provision.go
index 230f7eb3..60457208 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/provision.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/provision.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type iPxeTemplate struct {
 }
 
 func ProvisionSend(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	rinfo, err := parseReq(req)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go
index 43c24965..796054b0 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func RunServer() error {
 	http.HandleFunc("/overlay-runtime/", ProvisionSend)
 	http.HandleFunc("/status", StatusSend)
 
-	conf := warewulfconf.New()
+	conf := warewulfconf.Get()
 
 	daemonPort := conf.Warewulf.Port
 	wwlog.Serv("Starting HTTPD REST service on port %d", daemonPort)