diff --git a/lib/rules.js b/lib/rules.js
index ae43012..691340b 100644
--- a/lib/rules.js
+++ b/lib/rules.js
@@ -2,69 +2,65 @@
 
 var _ = require('lodash')
 
-function Configuration (config) {
-  this.config = config
-}
-
-Configuration.prototype.validate = function () {
-  var initStateOK = false
+module.exports = {
+  validate: function (config) {
+    var initStateOK = false
 
-  for (var i in this.config.states) {
-    if (this.config.states[i].initState) {
-      if (initStateOK) {
-        return 'One single state should have initState: true'
+    for (var i in config.states) {
+      if (config.states[i].initState) {
+        if (initStateOK) {
+          return 'One single state should have initState: true'
+        }
+        initStateOK = true
       }
-      initStateOK = true
     }
-  }
-  if (!initStateOK) {
-    return 'One single state should have initState: true'
-  }
-  return
-}
+    if (!initStateOK) {
+      return 'One single state should have initState: true'
+    }
+    return
+  },
 
-Configuration.prototype.getInitState = function () {
-  for (var state_name in this.config.states) {
-    if (this.config.states[state_name].initState) {
-      return state_name
+  getInitState: function (config) {
+    for (var state_name in config.states) {
+      if (config.states[state_name].initState) {
+        return state_name
+      }
     }
-  }
-}
+  },
 
-Configuration.prototype.getCommands = function () {
-  var cmds = {}
-  for (var state_name in this.config.states) {
-    for (var command_name in this.config.states[state_name].commands) {
-      cmds[command_name] = {
-        // maybe I will need something here
+  getCommands: function (config) {
+    var cmds = {}
+    for (var state_name in config.states) {
+      for (var command_name in config.states[state_name].commands) {
+        cmds[command_name] = {
+          // maybe I will need something here
+        }
       }
     }
-  }
-  return cmds
-}
+    return cmds
+  },
 
-Configuration.prototype.processDefaults = function () {
-  for (var state_name in this.config.states) {
-    if (this.config.states[state_name].defaults) {
-      for (var command_name in this.config.states[state_name].commands) {
-        this.config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].pattern =
-          this.config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].pattern ||
-          this.config.states[state_name].defaults.pattern
-        this.config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].next = _.extend(
-          {},
-          this.config.states[state_name].defaults.next || {},
-          this.config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].next || {}
-        )
+  processDefaults: function (config) {
+    for (var state_name in config.states) {
+      if (config.states[state_name].defaults) {
+        for (var command_name in config.states[state_name].commands) {
+          config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].pattern =
+            config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].pattern ||
+            config.states[state_name].defaults.pattern
+          config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].next = _.extend(
+            {},
+            config.states[state_name].defaults.next || {},
+            config.states[state_name].commands[command_name].next || {}
+          )
+        }
       }
     }
-  }
-}
+  },
 
-Configuration.prototype.retrieve_command = function (state, cmd) {
-  if (this.config.states[state].commands[cmd]) {
-    return this.config.states[state].commands[cmd]
+  retrieve_command: function (config, state, cmd) {
+    if (config.states[state].commands[cmd]) {
+      return config.states[state].commands[cmd]
+    }
+    return
   }
-  return
 }
-
-module.exports = Configuration
diff --git a/lib/sm.js b/lib/sm.js
index 31a3190..cee595e 100644
--- a/lib/sm.js
+++ b/lib/sm.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict'
 
-var Configuration = require('./rules')
+var ConfigurationHelper = require('./rules')
 var StateHelper = require('./state')
 var _ = require('lodash')
 
@@ -25,31 +25,30 @@ module.exports = function (options) {
   }
 
   function create (args, done) {
-    var rules = new Configuration(args)
-    var sm_name = rules.config.name
+    var config = args
+    var sm_name = config.name
 
     if (internals[sm_name]) {
       return done('SM already exists')
     }
 
-    var validate_error = rules.validate()
+    var validate_error = ConfigurationHelper.validate(config)
     if (validate_error) {
       return done(validate_error)
     }
 
     var context = {
-      rules: rules,
+      config: config,
       commands: {}
     }
 
     internals[sm_name] = context
 
-    context.current_status = rules.getInitState()
+    context.current_status = ConfigurationHelper.getInitState(config)
 
-    // now process defaults
-    rules.processDefaults()
+    ConfigurationHelper.processDefaults(config)
 
-    var cmds = rules.getCommands()
+    var cmds = ConfigurationHelper.getCommands(config)
     for (var command_name in cmds) {
       if (context.commands[command_name]) {
         // this command was already registered
@@ -96,7 +95,7 @@ module.exports = function (options) {
 
   function execute_state (args, done) {
     var context = internals[args.role]
-    var command = context.rules.retrieve_command(context.current_status, args.cmd)
+    var command = ConfigurationHelper.retrieve_command(context.config, context.current_status, args.cmd)
 
     delete args.role
     delete args.cmd
diff --git a/test/config.test.js b/test/config.test.js
index a251cbe..10be08a 100644
--- a/test/config.test.js
+++ b/test/config.test.js
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ suite('state-machine suite tests', function () {
       verify_defaults: function (callback) {
         seneca.act("role: '" + Util.config.name + "', get: 'context'", function (err, context) {
           expect(err).to.not.exist()
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT).to.exist()
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT.commands).to.exist()
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT.commands.execute).to.exist()
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.pattern).to.equal(config1.states.INIT.defaults.pattern)
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next).to.exist()
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next.success).to.exist()
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next.error).to.exist()
-          expect(context.rules.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next.error).to.equal(config1.states.INIT.defaults.next.error)
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT).to.exist()
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT.commands).to.exist()
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT.commands.execute).to.exist()
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.pattern).to.equal(config1.states.INIT.defaults.pattern)
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next).to.exist()
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next.success).to.exist()
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next.error).to.exist()
+          expect(context.config.states.INIT.commands.execute.next.error).to.equal(config1.states.INIT.defaults.next.error)
 
           callback(err)
         })