diff -u b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
--- b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -2437,13 +2437,16 @@
     // requests.
     $container = new ContainerBuilder();
 
-    $container->register('config.storage.file', 'Drupal\Core\Config\FileStorage');
+    $container->register('config.storage.active', 'Drupal\Core\Config\FileStorage')
+      ->addArgument(config_get_config_directory());
+    $container->register('config.storage.staging', 'Drupal\Core\Config\FileStorage')
+      ->addArgument(config_get_config_directory(CONFIG_STAGING_DIRECTORY));
     $container->register('config.cache')
       ->setFactoryClass('Drupal\Core\Cache\CacheFactory')
       ->setFactoryMethod('get')
       ->addArgument('config');
-    $container->register('config.storage.active', 'Drupal\Core\Config\CachedStorage')
-      ->addArgument(new Reference('config.storage.file'))
+    $container->register('config.storage', 'Drupal\Core\Config\CachedStorage')
+      ->addArgument(new Reference('config.storage.active'))
       ->addArgument(new Reference('config.cache'));
 
     $container->register('config.subscriber.globalconf', 'Drupal\Core\EventSubscriber\ConfigGlobalOverrideSubscriber');
diff -u b/core/includes/config.inc b/core/includes/config.inc
--- b/core/includes/config.inc
+++ b/core/includes/config.inc
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
   $config_dir = drupal_get_path($type, $name) . '/config';
   if (is_dir($config_dir)) {
     $source_storage = new FileStorage($config_dir);
-    $target_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.active');
+    $target_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage');
     $null_storage = new NullStorage();
 
     // Upon installation, only new config objects need to be created.
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
  * @see Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::listAll()
  */
 function config_get_storage_names_with_prefix($prefix = '') {
-  return drupal_container()->get('config.storage.active')->listAll($prefix);
+  return drupal_container()->get('config.storage')->listAll($prefix);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
 function config_import() {
   // Retrieve a list of differences between staging and the active store.
   $source_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.staging');
-  $target_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.active');
+  $target_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage');
 
   $config_changes = config_sync_get_changes($source_storage, $target_storage);
   if (empty($config_changes)) {
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
  */
 function config_export() {
   // Retrieve a list of differences between the active store and staging.
-  $source_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.active');
+  $source_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage');
   $target_storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.staging');
 
   $config_changes = config_sync_get_changes($source_storage, $target_storage);
diff -u b/core/includes/install.core.inc b/core/includes/install.core.inc
--- b/core/includes/install.core.inc
+++ b/core/includes/install.core.inc
@@ -302,9 +302,9 @@
 
     $container->register('dispatcher', 'Symfony\Component\EventDispatcher\EventDispatcher');
 
-    $container->register('config.storage.active', 'Drupal\Core\Config\InstallStorage');
+    $container->register('config.storage', 'Drupal\Core\Config\InstallStorage');
     $container->register('config.factory', 'Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigFactory')
-      ->addArgument(new Reference('config.storage.active'))
+      ->addArgument(new Reference('config.storage'))
       ->addArgument(new Reference('dispatcher'));
 
     drupal_container($container);
diff -u b/core/includes/install.inc b/core/includes/install.inc
--- b/core/includes/install.inc
+++ b/core/includes/install.inc
@@ -313,9 +313,10 @@
   if (!isset($config_directories[$type])) {
     return FALSE;
   }
-  // config_get_config_directory() throws an exception when there is a prepared
-  // settings.php that defines $config_directories already and the directories
-  // do not exist yet.
+  // config_get_config_directory() throws an exception when the $type passed
+  // it doesn't exist yet in $config_directories. This can happen if there is
+  // a prepared settings.php that defines $config_directories already and the
+  // directories do not exist yet.
   try {
     $config_directory = config_get_config_directory($type);
     if (is_dir($config_directory) && is_writable($config_directory)) {
diff -u b/core/includes/module.inc b/core/includes/module.inc
--- b/core/includes/module.inc
+++ b/core/includes/module.inc
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@
     $module_list = array_keys($module_list);
   }
 
-  $storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.active');
+  $storage = drupal_container()->get('config.storage');
   foreach ($module_list as $module) {
     // Uninstall the module.
     module_load_install($module);
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/CachedStorage.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/CachedStorage.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/CachedStorage.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/CachedStorage.php
@@ -10,34 +10,27 @@
 use Drupal\Core\Cache\CacheBackendInterface;
 
 /**
- * Defines the Cache storage controller.
+ * Defines the cached storage controller.
  *
- * This storage controller essentially just bridges the configuration system
- * storage to a backend of the cache system. All StorageInterface method calls
- * are forwarded to the corresponding CacheBackendInterface methods.
- *
- * @see Drupal\Core\Cache\CacheBackendInterface
- *
- * While this causes a level of indirection and the functionality could
- * technically be embedded into a configuration storage controller directly,
- * a separate bridge is architecturally cleaner and also allows for alternative
- * setups.
- *
- * By default, the configuration system uses this controller in the
- * CachedFileStorage implementation.
- *
- * @see Drupal\Core\Config\CachedFileStorage
+ * The class gets another storage and a cache backend injected. It tries to
+ * read from the cache and if it misses, delegates the read. It also handles
+ * cache invalidation.
  */
 class CachedStorage implements StorageInterface {
 
-  protected $options;
+  /**
+   * The storage to be cached.
+   *
+   * @var Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface
+   */
+  protected $delegate;
 
   /**
    * The instantiated Cache backend.
    *
    * @var Drupal\Core\Cache\CacheBackendInterface
    */
-  protected $storage;
+  protected $cache;
 
   /**
    * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::__construct().
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/DatabaseStorage.php /dev/null
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/DatabaseStorage.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,153 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-/**
- * @file
- * Definition of Drupal\Core\Config\DatabaseStorage.
- */
-
-namespace Drupal\Core\Config;
-
-use Drupal\Core\Database\Database;
-use Exception;
-
-/**
- * Defines the Database storage controller.
- */
-class DatabaseStorage implements StorageInterface {
-
-  /**
-   * Database connection options for this storage controller.
-   *
-   * - connection: The connection key to use.
-   * - target: The target on the connection to use.
-   *
-   * @var array
-   */
-  protected $options;
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::__construct().
-   */
-  public function __construct(array $options = array()) {
-    $options += array(
-      'connection' => 'default',
-      'target' => 'default',
-    );
-    $this->options = $options;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Returns the database connection to use.
-   */
-  protected function getConnection() {
-    return Database::getConnection($this->options['target'], $this->options['connection']);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::exists().
-   */
-  public function exists($name) {
-    return (bool) $this->getConnection()->queryRange('SELECT 1 FROM {config} WHERE name = :name', 0, 1, array(
-      ':name' => $name,
-    ), $this->options)->fetchField();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::read().
-   *
-   * @throws PDOException
-   * @throws Drupal\Core\Database\DatabaseExceptionWrapper
-   *   Only thrown in case $this->options['throw_exception'] is TRUE.
-   */
-  public function read($name) {
-    $data = FALSE;
-    // There are situations, like in the installer, where we may attempt a
-    // read without actually having the database available. In this case,
-    // catch the exception and just return an empty array so the caller can
-    // handle it if need be.
-    try {
-      $raw = $this->getConnection()->query('SELECT data FROM {config} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => $name), $this->options)->fetchField();
-      if ($raw !== FALSE) {
-        $data = $this->decode($raw);
-      }
-    }
-    catch (Exception $e) {
-    }
-    return $data;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::write().
-   *
-   * @throws PDOException
-   *
-   * @todo Ignore slave targets for data manipulation operations.
-   */
-  public function write($name, array $data) {
-    $data = $this->encode($data);
-    $options = array('return' => Database::RETURN_AFFECTED) + $this->options;
-    return (bool) $this->getConnection()->merge('config', $options)
-      ->key(array('name' => $name))
-      ->fields(array('data' => $data))
-      ->execute();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::delete().
-   *
-   * @throws PDOException
-   *
-   * @todo Ignore slave targets for data manipulation operations.
-   */
-  public function delete($name) {
-    $options = array('return' => Database::RETURN_AFFECTED) + $this->options;
-    return (bool) $this->getConnection()->delete('config', $options)
-      ->condition('name', $name)
-      ->execute();
-  }
-
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::rename().
-   *
-   * @throws PDOException
-   */
-  public function rename($name, $new_name) {
-    $options = array('return' => Database::RETURN_AFFECTED) + $this->options;
-    return (bool) $this->getConnection()->update('config', $options)
-      ->fields(array('name' => $new_name))
-      ->condition('name', $name)
-      ->execute();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::encode().
-   */
-  public static function encode($data) {
-    return serialize($data);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::decode().
-   *
-   * @throws ErrorException
-   *   unserialize() triggers E_NOTICE if the string cannot be unserialized.
-   */
-  public static function decode($raw) {
-    $data = @unserialize($raw);
-    return is_array($data) ? $data : FALSE;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::listAll().
-   *
-   * @throws PDOException
-   * @throws Drupal\Core\Database\DatabaseExceptionWrapper
-   *   Only thrown in case $this->options['throw_exception'] is TRUE.
-   */
-  public function listAll($prefix = '') {
-    return $this->getConnection()->query('SELECT name FROM {config} WHERE name LIKE :name', array(
-      ':name' => db_like($prefix) . '%',
-    ), $this->options)->fetchCol();
-  }
-}
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/FileStorage.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/FileStorage.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/FileStorage.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/FileStorage.php
@@ -15,21 +15,16 @@
 class FileStorage implements StorageInterface {
 
   /**
-   * Configuration options for this storage controller.
+   * The filesystem path for configuration objects.
    *
-   * - directory: The filesystem path for configuration objects.
-   *
-   * @var array
+   * @var string
    */
-  protected $options;
+  protected $directory = '';
 
   /**
    * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::__construct().
    */
-  public function __construct($directory = '') {
-    if (empty($directory)) {
-      $directory = config_get_config_directory();
-    }
+  public function __construct($directory) {
     $this->directory = $directory;
   }
 
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php
@@ -15,19 +15,9 @@
 class InstallStorage extends FileStorage {
 
   /**
-   * Configuration options for this storage controller.
-   *
-   * @var array
-   */
-  protected $options;
-
-  /**
-   * Implements Drupal\Core\Config\StorageInterface::__construct().
+   * Overrides Drupal\Core\Config\FileStorage::__construct().
    */
-  public function __construct(array $options = array()) {
-    // Intentionally not calling FileStorage's constructor, since that calls
-    // into config_get_config_directory(), which is not functional yet.
-    $this->options = $options;
+  public function __construct() {
   }
 
   /**
@@ -73,7 +63,7 @@
    * @throws Drupal\Core\Config\StorageException
    */
   public function write($name, array $data) {
-    throw new StorageException('Write operations are not allowed.');
+    throw new StorageException('Write operation is not allowed during install.');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -82,7 +72,7 @@
    * @throws Drupal\Core\Config\StorageException
    */
   public function delete($name) {
-    throw new StorageException('Write operations are not allowed.');
+    throw new StorageException('Delete operation is not allowed during install.');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -91,7 +81,7 @@
    * @throws Drupal\Core\Config\StorageException
    */
   public function rename($name, $new_name) {
-    throw new StorageException('Write operations are not allowed.');
+    throw new StorageException('Rename operation is not allowed during install.');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -101,5 +91,5 @@
    */
   public function listAll($prefix = '') {
-    throw new StorageException('List operation is not supported.');
+    throw new StorageException('List operation is not allowed during install.');
   }
 }
reverted:
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/CoreBundle.php
+++ a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/CoreBundle.php
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@
       ->setFactoryClass('Drupal\Core\Database\Database')
       ->setFactoryMethod('getConnection')
       ->addArgument('slave');
-    $container->register('config.storage.staging', 'Drupal\Core\Config\FileStorage')
-      ->addArgument(config_get_config_directory(CONFIG_STAGING_DIRECTORY));
 
     // @todo Replace below lines with the commented out block below it when it's
     //   performant to do so: http://drupal.org/node/1706064.
diff -u b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/ConfigStorageController.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/ConfigStorageController.php
--- b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/ConfigStorageController.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/ConfigStorageController.php
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@
 
     // Load all of the configuration entities.
     if ($ids === NULL) {
-      $names = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.active')->listAll($prefix);
+      $names = drupal_container()->get('config.storage')->listAll($prefix);
       $result = array();
       foreach ($names as $name) {
         $config = config($name);
diff -u b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php
--- b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
    * Tests CRUD operations.
    */
   function testCRUD() {
-    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage.active');
+    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
     $name = 'config_test.crud';
 
     $config = config($name);
diff -u b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigFileContentTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigFileContentTest.php
--- b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigFileContentTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigFileContentTest.php
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
    * Tests setting, writing, and reading of a configuration setting.
    */
   function testReadWriteConfig() {
-    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage.active');
+    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
 
     $name = 'foo.bar';
     $key = 'foo';
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@
     $this->assertEqual($config->get(), array(), t('New config object is empty.'));
 
     // Verify nothing was saved.
-    $db_data = $storage->read($name);
-    $this->assertIdentical($db_data, FALSE);
+    $data = $storage->read($name);
+    $this->assertIdentical($data, FALSE);
 
     // Add a top level value
     $config = config($name);
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@
     $config->save();
 
     // Verify the database entry exists.
-    $db_data = $storage->read($name);
-    $this->assertTrue($db_data);
+    $data = $storage->read($name);
+    $this->assertTrue($data);
 
     // Read top level value
     $config = config($name);
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@
     $config->set($key, $value)->save();
 
     // Verify the database entry exists from a chained save.
-    $db_data = $storage->read($chained_name);
-    $this->assertEqual($db_data, $config->get());
+    $data = $storage->read($chained_name);
+    $this->assertEqual($data, $config->get());
 
     // Get file listing for all files starting with 'foo'. Should return
     // two elements.
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@
     $config->delete();
 
     // Verify the database entry no longer exists.
-    $db_data = $storage->read($name);
-    $this->assertIdentical($db_data, FALSE);
+    $data = $storage->read($name);
+    $this->assertIdentical($data, FALSE);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@
     );
 
     // Encode and write, and reload and decode the configuration data.
-    $filestorage = new FileStorage();
+    $filestorage = new FileStorage(config_get_config_directory());
     $filestorage->write($name, $config_data);
     $config_parsed = $filestorage->read($name);
 
diff -u b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php
--- b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
   function testDeleted() {
     $name = 'config_test.system';
     $dynamic_name = 'config_test.dynamic.default';
-    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage.active');
+    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
     $staging = $this->container->get('config.storage.staging');
 
     // Verify the default configuration values exist.
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
   function testNew() {
     $name = 'config_test.new';
     $dynamic_name = 'config_test.dynamic.new';
-    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage.active');
+    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
     $staging = $this->container->get('config.storage.staging');
 
     // Export.
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@
   function testUpdated() {
     $name = 'config_test.system';
     $dynamic_name = 'config_test.dynamic.default';
-    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage.active');
+    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
     $staging = $this->container->get('config.storage.staging');
 
     // Export.
diff -u b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/Storage/DatabaseStorageTest.php /dev/null
--- b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/Storage/DatabaseStorageTest.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-/**
- * @file
- * Definition of Drupal\config\Tests\Storage\DatabaseStorageTest.
- */
-
-namespace Drupal\config\Tests\Storage;
-
-use Drupal\Core\Config\DatabaseStorage;
-
-/**
- * Tests DatabaseStorage controller operations.
- */
-class DatabaseStorageTest extends ConfigStorageTestBase {
-  public static function getInfo() {
-    return array(
-      'name' => 'DatabaseStorage controller operations',
-      'description' => 'Tests DatabaseStorage controller operations.',
-      'group' => 'Configuration',
-    );
-  }
-
-  function setUp() {
-    parent::setUp();
-
-    $schema['config'] = array(
-      'description' => 'Default active store for the configuration system.',
-      'fields' => array(
-        'name' => array(
-          'description' => 'The identifier for the configuration entry, such as module.example (the name of the file, minus the file extension).',
-          'type' => 'varchar',
-          'length' => 255,
-          'not null' => TRUE,
-          'default' => '',
-        ),
-        'data' => array(
-          'description' => 'The raw data for this configuration entry.',
-          'type' => 'blob',
-          'not null' => TRUE,
-          'size' => 'big',
-          'translatable' => TRUE,
-        ),
-      ),
-      'primary key' => array('name'),
-    );
-    db_create_table('config', $schema['config']);
-
-    $this->storage = new DatabaseStorage();
-    $this->invalidStorage = new DatabaseStorage(array('connection' => 'invalid'));
-
-    // ::listAll() verifications require other configuration data to exist.
-    $this->storage->write('system.performance', array());
-  }
-
-  protected function read($name) {
-    $data = db_query('SELECT data FROM {config} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => $name))->fetchField();
-    return unserialize($data);
-  }
-
-  protected function insert($name, $data) {
-    db_insert('config')->fields(array('name' => $name, 'data' => $data))->execute();
-  }
-
-  protected function update($name, $data) {
-    db_update('config')->fields(array('data' => $data))->condition('name', $name)->execute();
-  }
-
-  protected function delete($name) {
-    db_delete('config')->condition('name', $name)->execute();
-  }
-}
diff -u b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/Storage/FileStorageTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/Storage/FileStorageTest.php
--- b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/Storage/FileStorageTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/Storage/FileStorageTest.php
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
   function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
-    $this->storage = new FileStorage();
+    $this->storage = new FileStorage(config_get_config_directory());
     $this->invalidStorage = new FileStorage($this->configDirectories[CONFIG_ACTIVE_DIRECTORY] . '/nonexisting');
 
     // FileStorage::listAll() requires other configuration data to exist.
diff -u b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Module/ModuleTestBase.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Module/ModuleTestBase.php
--- b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Module/ModuleTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Module/ModuleTestBase.php
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 namespace Drupal\system\Tests\Module;
 
 use Drupal\Core\Database\Database;
-use Drupal\Core\Config\DatabaseStorage;
 use Drupal\Core\Config\FileStorage;
 use Drupal\simpletest\WebTestBase;
 
diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
--- b/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -1550,8 +1550,8 @@
  * Creates {cache_config} cache table for the new configuration system.
  */
 function system_update_8003() {
-  $schema['cache'] = array(
-    'description' => 'Generic cache table for caching things not separated out into their own tables. Contributed modules may also use this to store cached items.',
+  $cache_update = array(
+    'description' =>  'Cache table for configuration data.',
     'fields' => array(
       'cid' => array(
         'description' => 'Primary Key: Unique cache ID.',
@@ -1603,7 +1603,7 @@
     ),
     'primary key' => array('cid'),
   );
-  db_create_table('cache_config', $schema['cache']);
+  db_create_table('cache_config', $cache_update);
 }
 
 /**
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/core/includes/cache.inc
+++ b/core/includes/cache.inc
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 
+use Drupal\Core\Cache\CacheFactory;
+
 /**
  * @file
  * Functions and interfaces for cache handling.
@@ -32,9 +34,7 @@ function cache($bin = 'cache') {
   // storage of a cache bin mid-request.
   static $cache_objects;
   if (!isset($cache_objects[$bin])) {
-    $cache_backends = cache_get_backends();
-    $class = isset($cache_backends[$bin]) ? $cache_backends[$bin] : $cache_backends['cache'];
-    $cache_objects[$bin] = new $class($bin);
+    $cache_objects[$bin] = CacheFactory::get($bin);
   }
   return $cache_objects[$bin];
 }