diff --git a/lib/mrsk.rb b/lib/mrsk.rb
index 414680bf..af755fc7 100644
--- a/lib/mrsk.rb
+++ b/lib/mrsk.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,4 @@ end
 
 require "mrsk/version"
 require "mrsk/engine"
-
-require "mrsk/configuration"
-require "mrsk/commands"
+require "mrsk/commander"
diff --git a/lib/mrsk/commander.rb b/lib/mrsk/commander.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61d267b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mrsk/commander.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+require "mrsk/configuration"
+require "mrsk/commands/app"
+require "mrsk/commands/prune"
+require "mrsk/commands/traefik"
+require "mrsk/commands/registry"
+
+class Mrsk::Commander
+  attr_reader :config_file, :config, :verbose
+
+  def initialize(config_file:, verbose: false)
+    @config_file, @verbose = config_file, verbose
+  end
+
+  def config
+    @config ||= Mrsk::Configuration.load_file(config_file).tap { |config| setup_with(config) }
+  end
+
+  def app
+    @app ||= Mrsk::Commands::App.new(config)
+  end
+
+  def traefik
+    @traefik ||= Mrsk::Commands::Traefik.new(config)
+  end
+
+  def registry
+    @registry ||= Mrsk::Commands::Registry.new(config)
+  end
+
+  def verbosity(level) 
+    old_level = SSHKit.config.output_verbosity
+    SSHKit.config.output_verbosity = level
+    yield
+  ensure
+    SSHKit.config.output_verbosity = old_level
+  end
+
+  private
+    # Lazy setup of SSHKit
+    def setup_with(config)
+      SSHKit::Backend::Netssh.configure { |ssh| ssh.ssh_options = config.ssh_options }
+      SSHKit.config.command_map[:docker] = "docker" # No need to use /usr/bin/env, just clogs up the logs
+      SSHKit.config.output_verbosity = :debug if verbose
+    end
+end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/mrsk/app.rake b/lib/tasks/mrsk/app.rake
index 9f1f1b1d..a8422d34 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/mrsk/app.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/mrsk/app.rake
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 require_relative "setup"
 
-app = Mrsk::Commands::App.new(MRSK_CONFIG)
-
 namespace :mrsk do
   namespace :app do
     desc "Deliver a newly built app image to servers"
@@ -12,30 +10,30 @@ namespace :mrsk do
       run_locally do 
         begin
           info "Building multi-architecture images may take a while (run with VERBOSE=1 for progress logging)"
-          execute *app.push
+          execute *MRSK.app.push
         rescue SSHKit::Command::Failed => e
           error "Missing compatible buildx builder, so creating a new one first"
-          execute *app.create_new_builder
-          execute *app.push
+          execute *MRSK.app.create_new_builder
+          execute *MRSK.app.push
         end
       end unless ENV["VERSION"]
     end
 
     desc "Pull app image from the registry onto servers"
     task :pull do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { execute *app.pull }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { execute *MRSK.app.pull }
     end
 
     desc "Run app on servers (or start them if they've already been run)"
     task :run do
-      MRSK_CONFIG.roles.each do |role|
+      MRSK.config.roles.each do |role|
         on(role.hosts) do |host|
           begin
-            execute *app.run(role: role.name)
+            execute *MRSK.app.run(role: role.name)
           rescue SSHKit::Command::Failed => e
             if e.message =~ /already in use/
               error "Container with same version already deployed on #{host}, starting that instead"
-              execute *app.start, host: host
+              execute *MRSK.app.start, host: host
             else
               raise
             end
@@ -46,12 +44,12 @@ namespace :mrsk do
 
     desc "Start existing app on servers (use VERSION=<git-hash> to designate which version)"
     task :start do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { execute *app.start, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { execute *MRSK.app.start, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
     end
 
     desc "Stop app on servers"
     task :stop do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { execute *app.stop, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { execute *MRSK.app.stop, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
     end
 
     desc "Start app on servers (use VERSION=<git-hash> to designate which version)"
@@ -59,54 +57,54 @@ namespace :mrsk do
 
     desc "Display information about app containers"
     task :info do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*app.info) + "\n\n" }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*MRSK.app.info) + "\n\n" }
     end
 
     desc "Execute a custom task on servers passed in as CMD='bin/rake some:task'"
     task :exec do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*app.exec(ENV["CMD"])) + "\n\n" }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*MRSK.app.exec(ENV["CMD"])) + "\n\n" }
     end
 
     desc "Start Rails Console on primary host"
     task :console do
-      puts "Launching Rails console on #{MRSK_CONFIG.primary_host}..."
+      puts "Launching Rails console on #{MRSK.config.primary_host}..."
       exec app.console
     end
 
     namespace :exec do
       desc "Execute Rails command on servers, like CMD='runner \"puts %(Hello World)\""
       task :rails do
-        on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*app.exec("bin/rails", ENV["CMD"])) + "\n\n" }
+        on(MRSK.config.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*MRSK.app.exec("bin/rails", ENV["CMD"])) + "\n\n" }
       end
 
       desc "Execute a custom task on the first defined server"
       task :once do
-        on(MRSK_CONFIG.primary_host) { puts capture(*app.exec(ENV["CMD"])) }
+        on(MRSK.config.primary_host) { puts capture(*MRSK.app.exec(ENV["CMD"])) }
       end
 
       namespace :once do
         desc "Execute Rails command on the first defined server, like CMD='runner \"puts %(Hello World)\""
         task :rails do
-          on(MRSK_CONFIG.primary_host) { puts capture(*app.exec("bin/rails", ENV["CMD"])) }
+          on(MRSK.config.primary_host) { puts capture(*MRSK.app.exec("bin/rails", ENV["CMD"])) }
         end
       end
     end
 
     desc "List all the app containers currently on servers"
     task :containers do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*app.list_containers) + "\n\n" }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { |host| puts "App Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*MRSK.app.list_containers) + "\n\n" }
     end
 
     desc "Tail logs from app containers"
     task :logs do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { execute *app.logs }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { execute *MRSK.app.logs }
     end
 
     desc "Remove app containers and images from servers"
     task remove: %i[ stop ] do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) do
-        execute *app.remove_containers
-        execute *app.remove_images
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) do
+        execute *MRSK.app.remove_containers
+        execute *MRSK.app.remove_images
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/mrsk/prune.rake b/lib/tasks/mrsk/prune.rake
index 0b6d1fbe..33b208e3 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/mrsk/prune.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/mrsk/prune.rake
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 require_relative "setup"
 
-prune = Mrsk::Commands::Prune.new(MRSK_CONFIG)
-
 namespace :mrsk do
   desc "Prune unused images and stopped containers"
   task prune: %w[ prune:containers prune:images ]
@@ -9,12 +7,12 @@ namespace :mrsk do
   namespace :prune do
     desc "Prune unused images older than 30 days"
     task :images do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { verbosity(:debug) { execute *prune.images } }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { MRSK.verbosity(:debug) { execute *MRSK.prune.images } }
     end
 
     desc "Prune stopped containers for the service older than 3 days"
     task :containers do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { verbosity(:debug) { execute *prune.containers } }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { MRSK.verbosity(:debug) { execute *MRSK.prune.containers } }
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/mrsk/registry.rake b/lib/tasks/mrsk/registry.rake
index c5750a94..773cd28f 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/mrsk/registry.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/mrsk/registry.rake
@@ -1,18 +1,16 @@
 require_relative "setup"
 
-registry = Mrsk::Commands::Registry.new(MRSK_CONFIG)
-
 namespace :mrsk do
   namespace :registry do
     desc "Login to the registry locally and remotely"
     task :login do
-      run_locally           { execute *registry.login }
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { execute *registry.login }
+      run_locally           { execute *MRSK.registry.login }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { execute *MRSK.registry.login }
     end
 
     desc "Logout of the registry remotely"
     task :logout do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { execute *registry.logout }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { execute *MRSK.registry.logout }
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/mrsk/server.rake b/lib/tasks/mrsk/server.rake
index d5ac4f48..07620631 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/mrsk/server.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/mrsk/server.rake
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ namespace :mrsk do
     desc "Setup Docker on the remote servers"
     task :bootstrap do
       # FIXME: Detect when apt-get is not available and use the appropriate alternative
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.hosts) { execute "apt-get install docker.io -y" }
+      on(MRSK.config.hosts) { execute "apt-get install docker.io -y" }
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/mrsk/setup.rb b/lib/tasks/mrsk/setup.rb
index 483b8498..4ff2eb23 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/mrsk/setup.rb
+++ b/lib/tasks/mrsk/setup.rb
@@ -3,26 +3,4 @@ require "sshkit/dsl"
 
 include SSHKit::DSL
 
-if (config_file = Rails.root.join("config/deploy.yml")).exist?
-  MRSK_CONFIG = Mrsk::Configuration.load_file(config_file)
-
-  SSHKit::Backend::Netssh.configure { |ssh| ssh.ssh_options = MRSK_CONFIG.ssh_options }
-
-  # No need to use /usr/bin/env, just clogs up the logs
-  SSHKit.config.command_map[:docker] = "docker"
-else
-  # MRSK is missing config/deploy.yml – run 'rake mrsk:init'
-  MRSK_CONFIG = Mrsk::Configuration.new({}, validate: false)
-end
-
-# Allow easy full verbosity mode
-SSHKit.config.output_verbosity = :debug if ENV["VERBOSE"]
-
-# Set a different verbosity level for the duration of the yield
-def verbosity(level) 
-  old_level = SSHKit.config.output_verbosity
-  SSHKit.config.output_verbosity = level
-  yield
-ensure
-  SSHKit.config.output_verbosity = old_level
-end
+MRSK = Mrsk::Commander.new config_file: Rails.root.join("config/deploy.yml"), verbose: ENV["VERBOSE"]
diff --git a/lib/tasks/mrsk/traefik.rake b/lib/tasks/mrsk/traefik.rake
index b8e3cbf7..cd136928 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/mrsk/traefik.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/mrsk/traefik.rake
@@ -1,22 +1,20 @@
 require_relative "setup"
 
-traefik = Mrsk::Commands::Traefik.new(MRSK_CONFIG)
-
 namespace :mrsk do
   namespace :traefik do
     desc "Run Traefik on servers"
     task :run do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.role(:web).hosts) { execute *traefik.run, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
+      on(MRSK.config.role(:web).hosts) { execute *MRSK.traefik.run, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
     end
 
     desc "Start existing Traefik on servers"
     task :start do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.role(:web).hosts) { execute *traefik.start, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
+      on(MRSK.config.role(:web).hosts) { execute *MRSK.traefik.start, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
     end
 
     desc "Stop Traefik on servers"
     task :stop do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.role(:web).hosts) { execute *traefik.stop, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
+      on(MRSK.config.role(:web).hosts) { execute *MRSK.traefik.stop, raise_on_non_zero_exit: false }
     end
 
     desc "Restart Traefik on servers"
@@ -24,14 +22,14 @@ namespace :mrsk do
 
     desc "Display information about Traefik containers from servers"
     task :info do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.role(:web).hosts) { |host| puts "Traefik Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*traefik.info) + "\n\n" }
+      on(MRSK.config.role(:web).hosts) { |host| puts "Traefik Host: #{host}\n" + capture(*MRSK.traefik.info) + "\n\n" }
     end
 
     desc "Remove Traefik container and image from servers"
     task remove: %i[ stop ] do
-      on(MRSK_CONFIG.role(:web).hosts) do
-        execute *traefik.remove_container
-        execute *traefik.remove_image
+      on(MRSK.config.role(:web).hosts) do
+        execute *MRSK.traefik.remove_container
+        execute *MRSK.traefik.remove_image
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/app_command_test.rb b/test/app_command_test.rb
index e2636a4e..3d989b72 100644
--- a/test/app_command_test.rb
+++ b/test/app_command_test.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 require "test_helper"
 require "mrsk/configuration"
-require "mrsk/commands"
+require "mrsk/commands/app"
 
 ENV["VERSION"] = "123"
 ENV["RAILS_MASTER_KEY"] = "456"
diff --git a/test/commander_test.rb b/test/commander_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1c093599
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/commander_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+require "test_helper"
+require "mrsk/commander"
+
+class CommanderTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
+  setup do
+    @mrsk = Mrsk::Commander.new config_file: Pathname.new(File.expand_path("fixtures/deploy.erb.yml", __dir__))
+  end
+
+  test "lazy configuration" do
+    assert_equal Mrsk::Configuration, @mrsk.config.class
+  end
+end