diff --git a/lib/hobo/config.rb b/lib/hobo/config.rb
index 823b8c7c9..26cfcb010 100644
--- a/lib/hobo/config.rb
+++ b/lib/hobo/config.rb
@@ -1,27 +1,16 @@
 module Hobo
-
   module_function
 
   def config
     @@config
   end
 
-  def config_from_hash!(hash)
-    @@config = Config.from_hash(hash)
+  def alterable_config
+    @@alterable_config
   end
 
-  class Config
-    class << self
-      def from_hash(value)
-        return value unless value.instance_of?(Hash)
-
-        result = value.inject({}) do |acc, pair|
-          acc[pair.first] = from_hash(pair.last)
-          acc
-        end
-        
-        OpenStruct.new(result)
-      end
-    end
+  def set_config!(hash)
+    @@alterable_config = hash.dup
+    @@config = hash.freeze
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/hobo/env.rb b/lib/hobo/env.rb
index bde4a04f4..41b9bc3f5 100644
--- a/lib/hobo/env.rb
+++ b/lib/hobo/env.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ module Hobo
       ensure_directories
       ensure_files
       parsed = yield(CONFIG.keys.first)
-      Hobo.config_from_hash!(parsed)
+      Hobo.set_config!(parsed)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/hobo/config_test.rb b/test/hobo/config_test.rb
index 58463f754..7009c1167 100644
--- a/test/hobo/config_test.rb
+++ b/test/hobo/config_test.rb
@@ -3,9 +3,30 @@ require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'test_helper')
 class ConfigTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   context "Hobo configuration" do
-    test "a hash source is converted to dot methods"  do
-      Hobo.config_from_hash!(:a => {:b => 1})
-      assert_equal Hobo.config.a.b, 1
+    setup do
+      @settings = {:a => { :b => 1}}
+      Hobo.set_config!(@settings)
+    end
+
+    should "prevent alteration after initial creation" do
+      assert_raise TypeError do
+        Hobo.config[:a] = 1
+      end
+    end
+
+    should "leave the actual config unaltered when changing the alterable version" do
+      Hobo.alterable_config[:a] = 1
+      assert_equal Hobo.config, @settings
+    end
+
+    should "ensure that the alterable config and config match initially" do
+      assert_equal Hobo.config, Hobo.alterable_config
+    end
+
+    # TODO of debatable usefulness this test is 
+    should "allow for the alteration of the config" do
+      Hobo.alterable_config[:a] = 1
+      assert_not_equal Hobo.alterable_config, Hobo.config
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/hobo/env_test.rb b/test/hobo/env_test.rb
index 89ae1d22f..823640c54 100644
--- a/test/hobo/env_test.rb
+++ b/test/hobo/env_test.rb
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class EnvTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         { :setting => 1 }
       end
 
-      assert_equal Hobo.config.setting, 1
+      assert_equal Hobo.config[:setting], 1
     end
   end
 end