diff --git a/scopes/storage/common.py b/scopes/storage/common.py
index 9e6142e..cd8a70c 100644
--- a/scopes/storage/common.py
+++ b/scopes/storage/common.py
@@ -27,10 +27,33 @@ def commit(conn):
 IdType = Integer
 JsonType = JSON
 
-# put something like this in code before first creating a Storage object
-#engine = getEngine('postgresql+psycopg', 'testdb', 'testuser', 'secret')
-#scopes.storage.common.engine = engine
-#scopes.storage.common.Session = sessionFactory(engine)
+
+class StorageFactory(object):
+
+    engine = Session = None
+
+    sessionFactory = sessionFactory
+    getEngine = getEngine
+    mark_changed = mark_changed
+    commit = commit
+    IdType = IdType
+    JsonType = JsonType
+
+    def __call__(self, schema=None):
+        st = Storage(schema=schema)
+        st.setup(self)
+        return st
+
+    def setup(self, config):
+        self.engine = self.getEngine(config.dbengine, config.dbname, 
+                                     config.dbuser, config.dbpassword) 
+        self.Session = self.sessionFactory
+
+
+# you may put something like this in your code:
+#scopes.storage.common.factory = StorageFactory(config)
+# and then call at appropriate places:
+#storage = scopes.storage.common.factory(schema=...)
 
 
 class Storage(object):
diff --git a/scopes/storage/db/postgres.py b/scopes/storage/db/postgres.py
index beaa34a..c8a6e5d 100644
--- a/scopes/storage/db/postgres.py
+++ b/scopes/storage/db/postgres.py
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ def commit(conn):
 
 # patch `common` module
 import scopes.storage.common
-scopes.storage.common.IdType = BigInteger
-scopes.storage.common.JsonType = JSONB
-scopes.storage.common.sessionFactory = sessionFactory
-scopes.storage.common.getEngine = getEngine
-scopes.storage.common.mark_changed = mark_changed
-scopes.storage.common.commit = commit
+def init():
+    scopes.storage.common.IdType = BigInteger
+    scopes.storage.common.JsonType = JSONB
+    scopes.storage.common.sessionFactory = sessionFactory
+    scopes.storage.common.getEngine = getEngine
+    scopes.storage.common.mark_changed = mark_changed
+    scopes.storage.common.commit = commit
 
diff --git a/tests/postgres.py b/tests/postgres.py
index f7fe524..c6e261e 100644
--- a/tests/postgres.py
+++ b/tests/postgres.py
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@
 
 """Tests for the 'scopes.storage' package - using PostgreSQL."""
 
-from datetime import datetime
 import unittest
 
-# PostgreSQL-specific settings
-import scopes.storage.db.postgres
 import config
 config.dbengine = 'postgresql+psycopg'
 config.dbname = 'testdb'
@@ -14,7 +11,14 @@ config.dbuser = 'testuser'
 config.dbpassword = 'secret'
 config.dbschema = 'testing'
 
+# PostgreSQL-specific settings
+from scopes.storage.db import postgres 
+postgres.init()
+
 import tlib
+tlib.init(config)
+#factory = postgres.StorageFactory(config)
+#storage = factory(schema='testing')
 
 class Test(unittest.TestCase):
 
diff --git a/tests/standard.py b/tests/test_standard.py
similarity index 74%
rename from tests/standard.py
rename to tests/test_standard.py
index cffa9fd..cb8554a 100644
--- a/tests/standard.py
+++ b/tests/test_standard.py
@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@
 
 """Tests for the 'scopes.storage' package."""
 
-from datetime import datetime
 import unittest
 
+import config
 import tlib
+tlib.init(config)
+#from scopes.storage.common import StorageFactory
+#factory = StorageFactory(config)
+#storage = factory(schema=None)
 
 class Test(unittest.TestCase):
 
diff --git a/tests/tlib.py b/tests/tlib.py
index dac6db3..ebd1bcd 100644
--- a/tests/tlib.py
+++ b/tests/tlib.py
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 """The real test implementations"""
 
-import config
 from datetime import datetime
 from scopes.storage import folder, tracking
 
 import scopes.storage.common
 from scopes.storage.common import commit, Storage, getEngine, sessionFactory
 
-engine = getEngine(config.dbengine, config.dbname, config.dbuser, config.dbpassword) 
-scopes.storage.common.engine = engine
-scopes.storage.common.Session = sessionFactory(engine)
-
-storage = Storage(schema=config.dbschema)
+def init(config):
+    global storage
+    engine = getEngine(config.dbengine, config.dbname, config.dbuser, config.dbpassword) 
+    scopes.storage.common.engine = engine
+    scopes.storage.common.Session = sessionFactory(engine)
+    storage = Storage(schema=config.dbschema)
 
 
 def test_tracking(self):