diff --git a/ckan/controllers/storage.py b/ckan/controllers/storage.py
index 2b61e6f5e0c..56218d945b5 100644
--- a/ckan/controllers/storage.py
+++ b/ckan/controllers/storage.py
@@ -46,6 +46,18 @@ def fix_stupid_pylons_encoding(data):
         data = m.groups()[0]
     return data
 
+def create_pairtree_marker(folder):
+    """ Creates the pairtree marker for tests if it doesn't exist """
+    directory = os.path.dirname(folder)
+    if not os.path.exists(directory):
+        os.makedirs(directory)
+
+    target = os.path.join(directory, 'pairtree_version0_1')
+    if os.path.exists(target):
+        return
+
+    open( target, 'wb').close()
+
 
 def get_ofs():
     """Return a configured instance of the appropriate OFS driver.
@@ -56,6 +68,11 @@ def get_ofs():
         if not k.startswith('ofs.') or k == 'ofs.impl':
             continue
         kw[k[4:]] = v
+
+    # Make sure we have created the marker file to avoid pairtree issues
+    if storage_backend == 'pairtree' and 'storage_dir' in kw:
+        create_pairtree_marker( kw['storage_dir'] )
+
     ofs = get_impl(storage_backend)(**kw)
     return ofs
 
@@ -83,9 +100,13 @@ def authorize(method, bucket, key, user, ofs):
 class StorageController(BaseController):
     '''Upload to storage backend.
     '''
+    _ofs_impl = None
+
     @property
     def ofs(self):
-        return get_ofs()
+        if not StorageController._ofs_impl:
+            StorageController._ofs_impl = get_ofs()
+        return StorageController._ofs_impl
 
 
     def upload(self):
@@ -165,9 +186,14 @@ def file(self, label):
 
 
 class StorageAPIController(BaseController):
+
+    _ofs_impl = None
+
     @property
     def ofs(self):
-        return get_ofs()
+        if not StorageAPIController._ofs_impl:
+            StorageAPIController._ofs_impl = get_ofs()
+        return StorageAPIController._ofs_impl
 
     @jsonpify
     def index(self):
diff --git a/ckan/tests/functional/test_storage.py b/ckan/tests/functional/test_storage.py
index eb3073911c0..1d6168b512c 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/functional/test_storage.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/functional/test_storage.py
@@ -5,18 +5,7 @@
 import ckan.model as model
 from ckan.tests import conf_dir, url_for, CreateTestData
 from ckan.controllers.admin import get_sysadmins
-
-def create_marker(folder):
-    """ Creates the pairtree marker for tests if it doesn't exist """
-    directory = os.path.dirname(folder)
-    if not os.path.exists(directory):
-        os.makedirs(directory)
-
-    target = os.path.join(folder, 'pairtree_version0_1')
-    if os.path.exists(target):
-        return
-
-    open( target, 'w').close()
+from ckan.controllers.storage import create_pairtree_marker
 
 
 class TestStorageAPIController:
@@ -29,7 +18,7 @@ def setup_class(cls):
         config.local_conf['ofs.impl'] = 'pairtree'
         config.local_conf['ckan.storage.bucket'] = 'ckantest'
         config.local_conf['ofs.storage_dir'] = '/tmp/ckan-test-ckanext-storage'
-        create_marker( config.local_conf['ofs.storage_dir'] )
+        create_pairtree_marker( config.local_conf['ofs.storage_dir'] )
         wsgiapp = make_app(config.global_conf, **config.local_conf)
         cls.app = paste.fixture.TestApp(wsgiapp)
 
@@ -58,7 +47,7 @@ def setup_class(cls):
         config.local_conf['ckan.storage.bucket'] = 'ckantest'
         config.local_conf['ofs.impl'] = 'pairtree'
         config.local_conf['ofs.storage_dir'] = '/tmp/ckan-test-ckanext-storage'
-        create_marker( config.local_conf['ofs.storage_dir'] )
+        create_pairtree_marker( config.local_conf['ofs.storage_dir'] )
         wsgiapp = make_app(config.global_conf, **config.local_conf)
         cls.app = paste.fixture.TestApp(wsgiapp)
         CreateTestData.create()