diff --git a/rethinkdb/__init__.py b/rethinkdb/__init__.py
index ab6b356f..9f2d0a55 100644
--- a/rethinkdb/__init__.py
+++ b/rethinkdb/__init__.py
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+import os
+
+import imp
 
 from rethinkdb import errors, version
 
@@ -37,9 +40,41 @@ def __init__(self):
         self._import = _import
         self._index_rebuild = _index_rebuild
         self._restore = _restore
+        self._connect = net.connect
 
         net.Connection._r = self
 
         for module in (net, query, ast, errors):
             for function_name in module.__all__:
                 setattr(self, function_name, getattr(module, function_name))
+
+        self.set_loop_type(None)
+
+    def set_loop_type(self, library):
+        import pkg_resources
+
+        if library is None:
+            from rethinkdb import net
+            self.connection_type = net.DefaultConnection
+            return
+
+        # find module file
+        manager = pkg_resources.ResourceManager()
+        libPath = '%(library)s_net/net_%(library)s.py' % {'library': library}
+        if not manager.resource_exists(__name__, libPath):
+            raise ValueError('Unknown loop type: %r' % library)
+
+        # load the module
+        modulePath = manager.resource_filename(__name__, libPath)
+        moduleName = 'net_%s' % library
+        moduleFile, pathName, desc = imp.find_module(moduleName, [os.path.dirname(modulePath)])
+        module = imp.load_module('rethinkdb.' + moduleName, moduleFile, pathName, desc)
+
+        # set the connection type
+        self.connection_type = module.Connection
+
+        # cleanup
+        manager.cleanup_resources()
+
+    def connect(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self._connect(self.connection_type, *args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/rethinkdb/net.py b/rethinkdb/net.py
index 4ffdaf7e..e9282b01 100644
--- a/rethinkdb/net.py
+++ b/rethinkdb/net.py
@@ -18,9 +18,7 @@
 
 import collections
 import errno
-import imp
 import numbers
-import os
 import pprint
 import socket
 import ssl
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@
 from rethinkdb.handshake import HandshakeV1_0
 from rethinkdb.logger import default_logger
 
-__all__ = ['connect', 'set_loop_type', 'Connection', 'Cursor', 'DEFAULT_PORT']
+__all__ = ['Connection', 'Cursor', 'DEFAULT_PORT']
 
 
 DEFAULT_PORT = 28015
@@ -705,10 +703,10 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         Connection.__init__(self, ConnectionInstance, *args, **kwargs)
 
 
-connection_type = DefaultConnection
 
 
-def connect(
+
+def connect(connection_type,
         host=None,
         port=None,
         db=None,
@@ -736,24 +734,3 @@ def connect(
     return conn.reconnect(timeout=timeout)
 
 
-def set_loop_type(library):
-    global connection_type
-    import pkg_resources
-
-    # find module file
-    manager = pkg_resources.ResourceManager()
-    libPath = '%(library)s_net/net_%(library)s.py' % {'library': library}
-    if not manager.resource_exists(__name__, libPath):
-        raise ValueError('Unknown loop type: %r' % library)
-
-    # load the module
-    modulePath = manager.resource_filename(__name__, libPath)
-    moduleName = 'net_%s' % library
-    moduleFile, pathName, desc = imp.find_module(moduleName, [os.path.dirname(modulePath)])
-    module = imp.load_module('rethinkdb.' + moduleName, moduleFile, pathName, desc)
-
-    # set the connection type
-    connection_type = module.Connection
-
-    # cleanup
-    manager.cleanup_resources()