diff --git a/src/cloudron.js b/src/cloudron.js
index cdd4f51e5..804211faf 100644
--- a/src/cloudron.js
+++ b/src/cloudron.js
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ function initialize(callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
     async.series([
-        settings.initialize,
         reverseProxy.configureDefaultServer,
         cron.startPreActivationJobs,
         onActivated
@@ -84,8 +83,7 @@ function uninitialize(callback) {
 
     async.series([
         cron.stopJobs,
-        platform.stop,
-        settings.uninitialize
+        platform.stop
     ], callback);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cron.js b/src/cron.js
index 9af2313dd..a56787036 100644
--- a/src/cron.js
+++ b/src/cron.js
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ function startPostActivationJobs(callback) {
         start: true
     });
 
-    settings.events.on(settings.TIME_ZONE_KEY, recreateJobs);
-    settings.events.on(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, appAutoupdatePatternChanged);
-    settings.events.on(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, boxAutoupdatePatternChanged);
-    settings.events.on(settings.DYNAMIC_DNS_KEY, dynamicDnsChanged);
+    settings.on(settings.TIME_ZONE_KEY, recreateJobs);
+    settings.on(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, appAutoupdatePatternChanged);
+    settings.on(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, boxAutoupdatePatternChanged);
+    settings.on(settings.DYNAMIC_DNS_KEY, dynamicDnsChanged);
 
     settings.getAll(function (error, allSettings) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
@@ -282,10 +282,10 @@ function dynamicDnsChanged(enabled) {
 function stopJobs(callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    settings.events.removeListener(settings.TIME_ZONE_KEY, recreateJobs);
-    settings.events.removeListener(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, appAutoupdatePatternChanged);
-    settings.events.removeListener(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, boxAutoupdatePatternChanged);
-    settings.events.removeListener(settings.DYNAMIC_DNS_KEY, dynamicDnsChanged);
+    settings.removeListener(settings.TIME_ZONE_KEY, recreateJobs);
+    settings.removeListener(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, appAutoupdatePatternChanged);
+    settings.removeListener(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, boxAutoupdatePatternChanged);
+    settings.removeListener(settings.DYNAMIC_DNS_KEY, dynamicDnsChanged);
 
     for (var job in gJobs) {
         if (!gJobs[job]) continue;
diff --git a/src/platform.js b/src/platform.js
index 128b99df2..2eff12fc9 100644
--- a/src/platform.js
+++ b/src/platform.js
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ function start(callback) {
 }
 
 function stop(callback) {
-    exports.events = null;
     taskmanager.pauseTasks(callback);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/routes/test/settings-test.js b/src/routes/test/settings-test.js
index 65b6b8d06..deeefeb18 100644
--- a/src/routes/test/settings-test.js
+++ b/src/routes/test/settings-test.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ describe('Settings API', function () {
 
         it('can set app_autoupdate_pattern', function (done) {
             var eventPattern = null;
-            settings.events.on(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
+            settings.on(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
                 eventPattern = pattern;
             });
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ describe('Settings API', function () {
 
         it('can set app_autoupdate_pattern to never', function (done) {
             var eventPattern = null;
-            settings.events.on(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
+            settings.on(settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
                 eventPattern = pattern;
             });
 
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ describe('Settings API', function () {
 
         it('can set box_autoupdate_pattern', function (done) {
             var eventPattern = null;
-            settings.events.on(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
+            settings.on(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
                 eventPattern = pattern;
             });
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ describe('Settings API', function () {
 
         it('can set box_autoupdate_pattern to never', function (done) {
             var eventPattern = null;
-            settings.events.on(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
+            settings.on(settings.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, function (pattern) {
                 eventPattern = pattern;
             });
 
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index 8f8ea56e3..2f217d095 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ function stop(callback) {
         gHttpServer.close.bind(gHttpServer),
         gSysadminHttpServer.close.bind(gSysadminHttpServer)
     ], function (error) {
-        if (error) console.error(error);
+        if (error) return callback(error);
 
         routes.oauth2.uninitialize();
 
diff --git a/src/settings.js b/src/settings.js
index 227127296..4f652992b 100644
--- a/src/settings.js
+++ b/src/settings.js
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
 exports = module.exports = {
     SettingsError: SettingsError,
 
-    initialize: initialize,
-    uninitialize: uninitialize,
-
     getAppAutoupdatePattern: getAppAutoupdatePattern,
     setAppAutoupdatePattern: setAppAutoupdatePattern,
 
@@ -57,7 +54,8 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     TIME_ZONE_KEY: 'time_zone',
     CLOUDRON_NAME_KEY: 'cloudron_name',
 
-    events: null
+    on: on,
+    removeListener: removeListener
 };
 
 var addons = require('./addons.js'),
@@ -100,6 +98,8 @@ var gDefaults = (function () {
     return result;
 })();
 
+let gEvents = new (require('events').EventEmitter)();
+
 function SettingsError(reason, errorOrMessage) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof reason, 'string');
     assert(errorOrMessage instanceof Error || typeof errorOrMessage === 'string' || typeof errorOrMessage === 'undefined');
@@ -124,18 +124,12 @@ SettingsError.EXTERNAL_ERROR = 'External Error';
 SettingsError.NOT_FOUND = 'Not Found';
 SettingsError.BAD_FIELD = 'Bad Field';
 
-function initialize(callback) {
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
-
-    exports.events = new (require('events').EventEmitter)();
-    callback();
+function on(key, handler) {
+    gEvents.on(key, handler);
 }
 
-function uninitialize(callback) {
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
-
-    exports.events = null;
-    callback();
+function removeListener(key, handler) {
+    gEvents.removeListener(key, handler);
 }
 
 function setAppAutoupdatePattern(pattern, callback) {
@@ -150,7 +144,7 @@ function setAppAutoupdatePattern(pattern, callback) {
     settingsdb.set(exports.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, pattern, function (error) {
         if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        exports.events.emit(exports.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, pattern);
+        gEvents.emit(exports.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, pattern);
 
         return callback(null);
     });
@@ -179,7 +173,7 @@ function setBoxAutoupdatePattern(pattern, callback) {
     settingsdb.set(exports.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, pattern, function (error) {
         if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        exports.events.emit(exports.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, pattern);
+        gEvents.emit(exports.BOX_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY, pattern);
 
         return callback(null);
     });
@@ -205,7 +199,7 @@ function setTimeZone(tz, callback) {
     settingsdb.set(exports.TIME_ZONE_KEY, tz, function (error) {
         if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        exports.events.emit(exports.TIME_ZONE_KEY, tz);
+        gEvents.emit(exports.TIME_ZONE_KEY, tz);
 
         return callback(null);
     });
@@ -244,7 +238,7 @@ function setCloudronName(name, callback) {
     settingsdb.set(exports.CLOUDRON_NAME_KEY, name, function (error) {
         if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        exports.events.emit(exports.CLOUDRON_NAME_KEY, name);
+        gEvents.emit(exports.CLOUDRON_NAME_KEY, name);
 
         return callback(null);
     });
@@ -293,7 +287,7 @@ function setDynamicDnsConfig(enabled, callback) {
     settingsdb.set(exports.DYNAMIC_DNS_KEY, enabled ? 'enabled' : '', function (error) {
         if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        exports.events.emit(exports.DYNAMIC_DNS_KEY, enabled);
+        gEvents.emit(exports.DYNAMIC_DNS_KEY, enabled);
 
         return callback(null);
     });
@@ -324,7 +318,7 @@ function setBackupConfig(backupConfig, callback) {
         settingsdb.set(exports.BACKUP_CONFIG_KEY, JSON.stringify(backupConfig), function (error) {
             if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-            exports.events.emit(exports.BACKUP_CONFIG_KEY, backupConfig);
+            gEvents.emit(exports.BACKUP_CONFIG_KEY, backupConfig);
 
             callback(null);
         });
@@ -349,7 +343,7 @@ function setEmailDigest(enabled, callback) {
     settingsdb.set(exports.EMAIL_DIGEST, enabled ? 'enabled' : '', function (error) {
         if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        exports.events.emit(exports.EMAIL_DIGEST, enabled);
+        gEvents.emit(exports.EMAIL_DIGEST, enabled);
 
         callback(null);
     });
@@ -422,7 +416,7 @@ function setAppstoreConfig(appstoreConfig, callback) {
             settingsdb.set(exports.APPSTORE_CONFIG_KEY, JSON.stringify(data), function (error) {
                 if (error) return callback(new SettingsError(SettingsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-                exports.events.emit(exports.APPSTORE_CONFIG_KEY, appstoreConfig);
+                gEvents.emit(exports.APPSTORE_CONFIG_KEY, appstoreConfig);
 
                 callback(null);
             });
diff --git a/src/test/appstore-test.js b/src/test/appstore-test.js
index dba3f6b1e..c935ce43a 100644
--- a/src/test/appstore-test.js
+++ b/src/test/appstore-test.js
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ function setup(done) {
 
     async.series([
         database.initialize,
-        database._clear,
-        settings.initialize
+        database._clear
     ], done);
 }
 
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@ function cleanup(done) {
     nock.cleanAll();
 
     async.series([
-        settings.uninitialize,
         database._clear,
         database.uninitialize
     ], done);
diff --git a/src/test/apptask-test.js b/src/test/apptask-test.js
index 435be6e7d..1cf63bf06 100644
--- a/src/test/apptask-test.js
+++ b/src/test/apptask-test.js
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ var addons = require('../addons.js'),
     net = require('net'),
     nock = require('nock'),
     paths = require('../paths.js'),
-    settings = require('../settings.js'),
     userdb = require('../userdb.js'),
     _ = require('underscore');
 
@@ -124,8 +123,7 @@ describe('apptask', function () {
             database._clear,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             userdb.add.bind(null, ADMIN.id, ADMIN),
-            appdb.add.bind(null, APP.id, APP.appStoreId, APP.manifest, APP.location, APP.domain, APP.ownerId, APP.portBindings, APP),
-            settings.initialize
+            appdb.add.bind(null, APP.id, APP.appStoreId, APP.manifest, APP.location, APP.domain, APP.ownerId, APP.portBindings, APP)
         ], done);
     });
 
diff --git a/src/test/backups-test.js b/src/test/backups-test.js
index 28640faec..2ebe08f3e 100644
--- a/src/test/backups-test.js
+++ b/src/test/backups-test.js
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ describe('backups', function () {
             mkdirp.bind(null, BACKUP_DIR),
             database.initialize,
             database._clear,
-            settings.initialize,
             settings.setBackupConfig.bind(null, {
                 provider: 'filesystem',
                 key: 'enckey',
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ describe('backups', function () {
 
     after(function (done) {
         async.series([
-            settings.uninitialize,
             database._clear
         ], done);
     });
diff --git a/src/test/digest-test.js b/src/test/digest-test.js
index eaf9ec649..5c800b7d4 100644
--- a/src/test/digest-test.js
+++ b/src/test/digest-test.js
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ describe('digest', function () {
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
             database._clear,
-            settings.initialize,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
             users.createOwner.bind(null, USER_0.username, USER_0.password, USER_0.email, USER_0.displayName, AUDIT_SOURCE),
@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@ describe('digest', function () {
         safe.fs.unlinkSync(paths.UPDATE_CHECKER_FILE);
 
         async.series([
-            settings.uninitialize,
             database._clear,
             database.uninitialize
         ], done);
diff --git a/src/test/dns-test.js b/src/test/dns-test.js
index 1266d8bfc..503ede231 100644
--- a/src/test/dns-test.js
+++ b/src/test/dns-test.js
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ var async = require('async'),
     domains = require('../domains.js'),
     expect = require('expect.js'),
     nock = require('nock'),
-    settings = require('../settings.js'),
     util = require('util');
 
 var DOMAIN_0 = {
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@ describe('dns provider', function () {
 
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
-            settings.initialize,
             database._clear,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE)
         ], done);
diff --git a/src/test/mail-test.js b/src/test/mail-test.js
index 461195984..f77012b69 100644
--- a/src/test/mail-test.js
+++ b/src/test/mail-test.js
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ function setup(done) {
     async.series([
         database.initialize,
         database._clear,
-        settings.initialize,
         domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
         mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
         function (callback) {
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ function setup(done) {
 
 function cleanup(done) {
     async.series([
-        settings.uninitialize,
         database._clear,
         database.uninitialize
     ], done);
diff --git a/src/test/reverseproxy-test.js b/src/test/reverseproxy-test.js
index 1112ffc39..31df4c20d 100644
--- a/src/test/reverseproxy-test.js
+++ b/src/test/reverseproxy-test.js
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ var async = require('async'),
     database = require('../database.js'),
     domains = require('../domains.js'),
     expect = require('expect.js'),
-    reverseProxy = require('../reverseproxy.js'),
-    settings = require('../settings.js');
+    reverseProxy = require('../reverseproxy.js');
 
 const DOMAIN_0 = {
     domain: 'example-reverseproxy-test.com',
@@ -26,7 +25,6 @@ let AUDIT_SOURCE = { ip: '1.2.3.4' };
 function setup(done) {
     async.series([
         database.initialize,
-        settings.initialize,
         database._clear,
         domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE)
     ], done);
diff --git a/src/test/server-test.js b/src/test/server-test.js
index 44b54e8b5..95054a143 100644
--- a/src/test/server-test.js
+++ b/src/test/server-test.js
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 var config = require('../config.js'),
     database = require('../database.js'),
     expect = require('expect.js'),
-    nock = require('nock'),
     progress = require('../progress.js'),
     superagent = require('superagent'),
     server = require('../server.js');
diff --git a/src/test/settings-test.js b/src/test/settings-test.js
index 0183b402f..40dcec80d 100644
--- a/src/test/settings-test.js
+++ b/src/test/settings-test.js
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ function setup(done) {
 
     async.series([
         database.initialize,
-        settings.initialize,
         function (callback) {
             MockS3.config.basePath = path.join(os.tmpdir(), 's3-settings-test-buckets/');
 
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ function cleanup(done) {
     rimraf.sync(MockS3.config.basePath);
 
     async.series([
-        settings.uninitialize,
         database._clear,
         database.uninitialize
     ], done);
diff --git a/src/test/updatechecker-test.js b/src/test/updatechecker-test.js
index ae68a3eee..868795026 100644
--- a/src/test/updatechecker-test.js
+++ b/src/test/updatechecker-test.js
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ function cleanup(done) {
     safe.fs.unlinkSync(paths.UPDATE_CHECKER_FILE);
 
     async.series([
-        settings.uninitialize,
         database._clear,
         database.uninitialize
     ], done);
@@ -78,7 +77,6 @@ describe('updatechecker - box - manual (email)', function () {
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
             database._clear,
-            settings.initialize,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
             users.createOwner.bind(null, USER_0.username, USER_0.password, USER_0.email, USER_0.displayName, AUDIT_SOURCE),
@@ -157,7 +155,6 @@ describe('updatechecker - box - automatic (no email)', function () {
 
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
-            settings.initialize,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
             mailer._clearMailQueue,
@@ -201,7 +198,6 @@ describe('updatechecker - box - automatic free (email)', function () {
 
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
-            settings.initialize,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
             mailer._clearMailQueue,
@@ -272,7 +268,6 @@ describe('updatechecker - app - manual (email)', function () {
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
             database._clear,
-            settings.initialize,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
             mailer._clearMailQueue,
@@ -395,7 +390,6 @@ describe('updatechecker - app - automatic (no email)', function () {
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
             database._clear,
-            settings.initialize,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
             mailer._clearMailQueue,
@@ -468,7 +462,6 @@ describe('updatechecker - app - automatic free (email)', function () {
         async.series([
             database.initialize,
             database._clear,
-            settings.initialize,
             domains.add.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain, DOMAIN_0, AUDIT_SOURCE),
             mail.addDomain.bind(null, DOMAIN_0.domain),
             mailer._clearMailQueue,