gauss:stackfull brian$ cat config.diff 
diff --git a/vm/config_parser.cpp b/vm/config_parser.cpp
index de17700..5e12dee 100644
--- a/vm/config_parser.cpp
+++ b/vm/config_parser.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,18 @@ namespace rubinius {
     return str;
   }
 
+  void ConfigParser::process_argv(int argc, char** argv) {
+    for(int i=1; i < argc; i++) {
+      char* arg = argv[i];
+      if(strncmp(arg, "-X", 2) == 0) {
+        import_line(arg + 2);
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if(arg[0] != '-' || strcmp(arg, "--") == 0) return;
+    }
+  }
+
   ConfigParser::Entry* ConfigParser::parse_line(const char* line) {
     char* var = strdup(line);
     char* equals = strstr(var, "=");
diff --git a/vm/config_parser.hpp b/vm/config_parser.hpp
index 0968f52..813482e 100644
--- a/vm/config_parser.hpp
+++ b/vm/config_parser.hpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ namespace rubinius {
 
     virtual ~ConfigParser();
 
+    void   process_argv(int argc, char** argv);
     Entry* parse_line(const char* line);
     void   import_line(const char* line);
     void   import_stream(std::istream&);
diff --git a/vm/drivers/cli.cpp b/vm/drivers/cli.cpp
index 8ac9250..29353f2 100644
--- a/vm/drivers/cli.cpp
+++ b/vm/drivers/cli.cpp
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ static void load_runtime_kernel(Environment& env, std::string root) {
  *       function does not deal with that subject.
  */
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-  Environment env;
-  env.load_config_argv(argc, argv);
+  Environment env(argc, argv);
   env.state->init_stack_size();
   env.state->set_stack_start(&env);
 
diff --git a/vm/drivers/compile.cpp b/vm/drivers/compile.cpp
index d6ad250..c53d6ee 100644
--- a/vm/drivers/compile.cpp
+++ b/vm/drivers/compile.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
   string input(argv[1]);
   string output(argv[2]);
 
-  Environment env;
+  Environment env(argc, argv);
 
   ifstream stream(input.c_str());
 
diff --git a/vm/environment.cpp b/vm/environment.cpp
index 43aeffd..7d08293 100644
--- a/vm/environment.cpp
+++ b/vm/environment.cpp
@@ -27,9 +27,14 @@
 
 namespace rubinius {
 
-  Environment::Environment() {
+  Environment::Environment(int argc, char** argv) {
+    ConfigParser* config = new ConfigParser();
+    config->process_argv(argc, argv);
+
     shared = manager.create_shared_state();
-    state =  shared->new_vm();
+    shared->user_config = config;
+
+    state = shared->new_vm();
     state->initialize(VM::default_bytes);
 
     TaskProbe* probe = TaskProbe::create(state);
@@ -59,18 +64,6 @@ namespace rubinius {
     shared->set_signal_thread(st);
   }
 
-  void Environment::load_config_argv(int argc, char** argv) {
-    for(int i=1; i < argc; i++) {
-      char* arg = argv[i];
-      if(strncmp(arg, "-X", 2) == 0) {
-        state->user_config->import_line(arg + 2);
-        continue;
-      }
-
-      if(arg[0] != '-' || strcmp(arg, "--") == 0) return;
-    }
-  }
-
   void Environment::load_argv(int argc, char** argv) {
     bool process_xflags = true;
     state->set_const("ARG0", String::create(state, argv[0]));
diff --git a/vm/environment.hpp b/vm/environment.hpp
index 9ee5dd8..d448ef6 100644
--- a/vm/environment.hpp
+++ b/vm/environment.hpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ namespace rubinius {
     SharedState* shared;
     VM* state;
 
-    Environment();
+    Environment(int argc, char** argv);
     ~Environment();
 
     void load_config_argv(int argc, char** argv);
diff --git a/vm/vm.cpp b/vm/vm.cpp
index 47b7384..fa8982e 100644
--- a/vm/vm.cpp
+++ b/vm/vm.cpp
@@ -68,13 +68,13 @@ namespace rubinius {
     : id_(id)
     , saved_call_frame_(0)
     , shared(shared)
+    , user_config(shared.user_config)
     , globals(shared.globals)
     , om(shared.om)
     , global_cache(shared.global_cache)
     , config(shared.config)
     , interrupts(shared.interrupts)
     , symbols(shared.symbols)
-    , user_config(shared.user_config)
     , check_local_interrupts(false)
     , thread_state_(this)
     , thread(this, (Thread*)Qnil)
@@ -91,9 +91,6 @@ namespace rubinius {
 
     VM::register_state(this);
 
-    user_config = new ConfigParser();
-    shared.user_config = user_config;
-
     om = new ObjectMemory(this, bytes);
     shared.om = om;
 
diff --git a/vm/vm.hpp b/vm/vm.hpp
index a686da7..5860ff9 100644
--- a/vm/vm.hpp
+++ b/vm/vm.hpp
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ namespace rubinius {
     thread::Mutex local_lock_;
     Waiter* waiter_;
 
+    ConfigParser *user_config;
     Globals& globals;
     ObjectMemory* om;
     event::Loop* events;
@@ -173,7 +174,6 @@ namespace rubinius {
     Configuration& config;
     Interrupts& interrupts;
     SymbolTable& symbols;
-    ConfigParser *user_config;
 
     bool check_local_interrupts;