diff --git a/lib/Controller.php b/lib/Controller.php
index 095bbebb..4a1aa0d7 100644
--- a/lib/Controller.php
+++ b/lib/Controller.php
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ class Controller
     {
         try {
             // Ensure last paste from visitors IP address was more than configured amount of seconds ago.
+            ServerSalt::setStore($this->_model->getStore());
             TrafficLimiter::setConfiguration($this->_conf);
             TrafficLimiter::setStore($this->_model->getStore());
             if (!TrafficLimiter::canPass()) {
diff --git a/lib/Data/Filesystem.php b/lib/Data/Filesystem.php
index 3a481d92..8b443ad4 100644
--- a/lib/Data/Filesystem.php
+++ b/lib/Data/Filesystem.php
@@ -287,17 +287,17 @@ class Filesystem extends AbstractData
                     self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'purge_limiter.php',
                     '<?php' . PHP_EOL . '$GLOBALS[\'purge_limiter\'] = ' . $value . ';'
                 );
-                break;
             case 'salt':
-                ;
-                break;
+                return self::_storeString(
+                    self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'salt.php',
+                    '<?php # |' . $value . '|'
+                );
             case 'traffic_limiter':
                 self::$_traffic_limiter_cache[$key] = $value;
                 return self::_storeString(
                     self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'traffic_limiter.php',
-                    '<?php' . PHP_EOL . '$GLOBALS[\'purge_limiter\'] = ' . var_export(self::$_traffic_limiter_cache, true) . ';'
+                    '<?php' . PHP_EOL . '$GLOBALS[\'traffic_limiter\'] = ' . var_export(self::$_traffic_limiter_cache, true) . ';'
                 );
-                break;
         }
         return false;
     }
@@ -315,17 +315,23 @@ class Filesystem extends AbstractData
         switch ($namespace) {
             case 'purge_limiter':
                 $file = self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'purge_limiter.php';
-                if (is_file($file)) {
+                if (is_readable($file)) {
                     require $file;
                     return $GLOBALS['purge_limiter'];
                 }
                 break;
             case 'salt':
-                ;
+                $file = self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'salt.php';
+                if (is_readable($file)) {
+                    $items = explode('|', file_get_contents($file));
+                    if (is_array($items) && count($items) == 3) {
+                        return $items[1];
+                    }
+                }
                 break;
             case 'traffic_limiter':
                 $file = self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'traffic_limiter.php';
-                if (is_file($file)) {
+                if (is_readable($file)) {
                     require $file;
                     self::$_traffic_limiter_cache = $GLOBALS['traffic_limiter'];
                     if (array_key_exists($key, self::$_traffic_limiter_cache)) {
diff --git a/lib/Model/Paste.php b/lib/Model/Paste.php
index 6f343938..b855e6d5 100644
--- a/lib/Model/Paste.php
+++ b/lib/Model/Paste.php
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class Paste extends AbstractModel
         }
 
         $this->_data['meta']['created'] = time();
-        $this->_data['meta']['salt']    = serversalt::generate();
+        $this->_data['meta']['salt']    = ServerSalt::generate();
 
         // store paste
         if (
diff --git a/lib/Persistence/AbstractPersistence.php b/lib/Persistence/AbstractPersistence.php
index 73f0ab2e..4e61a8ee 100644
--- a/lib/Persistence/AbstractPersistence.php
+++ b/lib/Persistence/AbstractPersistence.php
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 
 namespace PrivateBin\Persistence;
 
-use Exception;
 use PrivateBin\Data\AbstractData;
 
 /**
@@ -22,15 +21,6 @@ use PrivateBin\Data\AbstractData;
  */
 abstract class AbstractPersistence
 {
-    /**
-     * path in which to persist something
-     *
-     * @access private
-     * @static
-     * @var    string
-     */
-    private static $_path = 'data';
-
     /**
      * data storage to use to persist something
      *
@@ -40,18 +30,6 @@ abstract class AbstractPersistence
      */
     protected static $_store;
 
-    /**
-     * set the path
-     *
-     * @access public
-     * @static
-     * @param  string $path
-     */
-    public static function setPath($path)
-    {
-        self::$_path = $path;
-    }
-
     /**
      * set the path
      *
@@ -63,95 +41,4 @@ abstract class AbstractPersistence
     {
         self::$_store = $store;
     }
-
-    /**
-     * get the path
-     *
-     * @access public
-     * @static
-     * @param  string $filename
-     * @return string
-     */
-    public static function getPath($filename = null)
-    {
-        if (strlen($filename)) {
-            return self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename;
-        } else {
-            return self::$_path;
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * checks if the file exists
-     *
-     * @access protected
-     * @static
-     * @param  string $filename
-     * @return bool
-     */
-    protected static function _exists($filename)
-    {
-        self::_initialize();
-        return is_file(self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * prepares path for storage
-     *
-     * @access protected
-     * @static
-     * @throws Exception
-     */
-    protected static function _initialize()
-    {
-        // Create storage directory if it does not exist.
-        if (!is_dir(self::$_path)) {
-            if (!@mkdir(self::$_path, 0700)) {
-                throw new Exception('unable to create directory ' . self::$_path, 10);
-            }
-        }
-        $file = self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . '.htaccess';
-        if (!is_file($file)) {
-            $writtenBytes = 0;
-            if ($fileCreated = @touch($file)) {
-                $writtenBytes = @file_put_contents(
-                    $file,
-                    'Require all denied' . PHP_EOL,
-                    LOCK_EX
-                );
-            }
-            if ($fileCreated === false || $writtenBytes === false || $writtenBytes < 19) {
-                throw new Exception('unable to write to file ' . $file, 11);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * store the data
-     *
-     * @access protected
-     * @static
-     * @param  string $filename
-     * @param  string $data
-     * @throws Exception
-     * @return string
-     */
-    protected static function _store($filename, $data)
-    {
-        self::_initialize();
-        $file         = self::$_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename;
-        $fileCreated  = true;
-        $writtenBytes = 0;
-        if (!is_file($file)) {
-            $fileCreated = @touch($file);
-        }
-        if ($fileCreated) {
-            $writtenBytes = @file_put_contents($file, $data, LOCK_EX);
-        }
-        if ($fileCreated === false || $writtenBytes === false || $writtenBytes < strlen($data)) {
-            throw new Exception('unable to write to file ' . $file, 13);
-        }
-        @chmod($file, 0640); // protect file access
-        return $file;
-    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/Persistence/ServerSalt.php b/lib/Persistence/ServerSalt.php
index 329a8ef2..93f5486e 100644
--- a/lib/Persistence/ServerSalt.php
+++ b/lib/Persistence/ServerSalt.php
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 namespace PrivateBin\Persistence;
 
 use Exception;
+use PrivateBin\Data\AbstractData;
 
 /**
  * ServerSalt
@@ -71,20 +72,12 @@ class ServerSalt extends AbstractPersistence
             return self::$_salt;
         }
 
-        if (self::_exists(self::$_file)) {
-            if (is_readable(self::getPath(self::$_file))) {
-                $items = explode('|', file_get_contents(self::getPath(self::$_file)));
-            }
-            if (!isset($items) || !is_array($items) || count($items) != 3) {
-                throw new Exception('unable to read file ' . self::getPath(self::$_file), 20);
-            }
-            self::$_salt = $items[1];
+        $salt = self::$_store->getValue('salt');
+        if ($salt) {
+            self::$_salt = $salt;
         } else {
             self::$_salt = self::generate();
-            self::_store(
-                self::$_file,
-                '<?php # |' . self::$_salt . '|'
-            );
+            self::$_store->setValue(self::$_salt, 'salt');
         }
         return self::$_salt;
     }
@@ -94,11 +87,11 @@ class ServerSalt extends AbstractPersistence
      *
      * @access public
      * @static
-     * @param  string $path
+     * @param  AbstractData $store
      */
-    public static function setPath($path)
+    public static function setStore(AbstractData $store)
     {
         self::$_salt = '';
-        parent::setPath($path);
+        parent::setStore($store);
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/Persistence/TrafficLimiter.php b/lib/Persistence/TrafficLimiter.php
index f6bc07fb..11468614 100644
--- a/lib/Persistence/TrafficLimiter.php
+++ b/lib/Persistence/TrafficLimiter.php
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class TrafficLimiter extends AbstractPersistence
         // this hash is used as an array key, hence a shorter algo is used
         $hash = self::getHash('sha256');
         $now = time();
-        $tl = self::$_store->getValue('traffic_limiter', $hash);
+        $tl = (int) self::$_store->getValue('traffic_limiter', $hash);
         self::$_store->purgeValues('traffic_limiter', $now - self::$_limit);
         if ($tl > 0 && ($tl + self::$_limit >= $now)) {
             $result = false;
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class TrafficLimiter extends AbstractPersistence
             $tl     = time();
             $result = true;
         }
-        self::$_store->setValue((string) $tl, 'traffic_limiter');
+        self::$_store->setValue((string) $tl, 'traffic_limiter', $hash);
         return $result;
     }
 }
diff --git a/tst/ControllerTest.php b/tst/ControllerTest.php
index 92683ced..165ae089 100644
--- a/tst/ControllerTest.php
+++ b/tst/ControllerTest.php
@@ -125,28 +125,6 @@ class ControllerTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         );
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @runInSeparateProcess
-     */
-    public function testHtaccess()
-    {
-        $htaccess = $this->_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . '.htaccess';
-        @unlink($htaccess);
-
-        $paste = Helper::getPasteJson();
-        $file  = tempnam(sys_get_temp_dir(), 'FOO');
-        file_put_contents($file, $paste);
-        Request::setInputStream($file);
-        $_SERVER['HTTP_X_REQUESTED_WITH'] = 'JSONHttpRequest';
-        $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD']        = 'POST';
-        $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']           = '::1';
-        ob_start();
-        new Controller;
-        ob_end_clean();
-
-        $this->assertFileExists($htaccess, 'htaccess recreated');
-    }
-
     /**
      * @expectedException Exception
      * @expectedExceptionCode 2
diff --git a/tst/JsonApiTest.php b/tst/JsonApiTest.php
index 17b699f1..6d9732a5 100644
--- a/tst/JsonApiTest.php
+++ b/tst/JsonApiTest.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class JsonApiTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         /* Setup Routine */
         $this->_path  = sys_get_temp_dir() . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'privatebin_data';
         $this->_model = Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_path));
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_path);
+        ServerSalt::setStore($this->_model);
 
         $_POST   = array();
         $_GET    = array();
diff --git a/tst/ModelTest.php b/tst/ModelTest.php
index d5c4074f..478d4c10 100644
--- a/tst/ModelTest.php
+++ b/tst/ModelTest.php
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ class ModelTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         if (!is_dir($this->_path)) {
             mkdir($this->_path);
         }
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_path);
         $options                   = parse_ini_file(CONF_SAMPLE, true);
         $options['purge']['limit'] = 0;
         $options['model']          = array(
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@ class ModelTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         );
         Helper::confBackup();
         Helper::createIniFile(CONF, $options);
+        ServerSalt::setStore(Database::getInstance($options['model_options']));
         $this->_conf            = new Configuration;
         $this->_model           = new Model($this->_conf);
         $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] = '::1';
diff --git a/tst/Persistence/ServerSaltTest.php b/tst/Persistence/ServerSaltTest.php
index ecdc0f83..3db5f7d7 100644
--- a/tst/Persistence/ServerSaltTest.php
+++ b/tst/Persistence/ServerSaltTest.php
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 
+use PrivateBin\Data\Filesystem;
 use PrivateBin\Persistence\ServerSalt;
 
 class ServerSaltTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
@@ -19,7 +20,9 @@ class ServerSaltTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         if (!is_dir($this->_path)) {
             mkdir($this->_path);
         }
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_path);
+        ServerSalt::setStore(
+            Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_path))
+        );
 
         $this->_otherPath = $this->_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'foo';
 
@@ -40,46 +43,46 @@ class ServerSaltTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
     public function testGeneration()
     {
         // generating new salt
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_path);
+        ServerSalt::setStore(
+            Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_path))
+        );
         $salt = ServerSalt::get();
 
         // try setting a different path and resetting it
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_otherPath);
+        ServerSalt::setStore(
+            Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_otherPath))
+        );
         $this->assertNotEquals($salt, ServerSalt::get());
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_path);
+        ServerSalt::setStore(
+            Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_path))
+        );
         $this->assertEquals($salt, ServerSalt::get());
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @expectedException Exception
-     * @expectedExceptionCode 11
-     */
     public function testPathShenanigans()
     {
         // try setting an invalid path
         chmod($this->_invalidPath, 0000);
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_invalidPath);
-        ServerSalt::get();
+        $store = Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_invalidPath));
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $salt = ServerSalt::get();
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $this->assertNotEquals($salt, ServerSalt::get());
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @expectedException Exception
-     * @expectedExceptionCode 20
-     */
     public function testFileRead()
     {
         // try setting an invalid file
         chmod($this->_invalidPath, 0700);
         file_put_contents($this->_invalidFile, '');
         chmod($this->_invalidFile, 0000);
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_invalidPath);
-        ServerSalt::get();
+        $store = Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_invalidPath));
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $salt = ServerSalt::get();
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $this->assertNotEquals($salt, ServerSalt::get());
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @expectedException Exception
-     * @expectedExceptionCode 13
-     */
     public function testFileWrite()
     {
         // try setting an invalid file
@@ -90,19 +93,24 @@ class ServerSaltTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         }
         file_put_contents($this->_invalidPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . '.htaccess', '');
         chmod($this->_invalidPath, 0500);
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_invalidPath);
-        ServerSalt::get();
+        $store = Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_invalidPath));
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $salt = ServerSalt::get();
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $this->assertNotEquals($salt, ServerSalt::get());
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @expectedException Exception
-     * @expectedExceptionCode 10
-     */
     public function testPermissionShenanigans()
     {
         // try creating an invalid path
         chmod($this->_invalidPath, 0000);
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_invalidPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'baz');
-        ServerSalt::get();
+        ServerSalt::setStore(
+            Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_invalidPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'baz'))
+        );
+        $store = Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_invalidPath));
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $salt = ServerSalt::get();
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        $this->assertNotEquals($salt, ServerSalt::get());
     }
 }
diff --git a/tst/Persistence/TrafficLimiterTest.php b/tst/Persistence/TrafficLimiterTest.php
index 41013016..2e81d83a 100644
--- a/tst/Persistence/TrafficLimiterTest.php
+++ b/tst/Persistence/TrafficLimiterTest.php
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 
+use PrivateBin\Data\Filesystem;
+use PrivateBin\Persistence\ServerSalt;
 use PrivateBin\Persistence\TrafficLimiter;
 
 class TrafficLimiterTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
@@ -10,7 +12,9 @@ class TrafficLimiterTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
     {
         /* Setup Routine */
         $this->_path = sys_get_temp_dir() . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'trafficlimit';
-        TrafficLimiter::setPath($this->_path);
+        $store = Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_path));
+        ServerSalt::setStore($store);
+        TrafficLimiter::setStore($store);
     }
 
     public function tearDown()
@@ -19,11 +23,17 @@ class TrafficLimiterTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         Helper::rmDir($this->_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR);
     }
 
+    public function testHtaccess()
+    {
+        $htaccess = $this->_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . '.htaccess';
+        @unlink($htaccess);
+        $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] = 'foobar';
+        TrafficLimiter::canPass();
+        $this->assertFileExists($htaccess, 'htaccess recreated');
+    }
+
     public function testTrafficGetsLimited()
     {
-        $this->assertEquals($this->_path, TrafficLimiter::getPath());
-        $file = 'baz';
-        $this->assertEquals($this->_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $file, TrafficLimiter::getPath($file));
         TrafficLimiter::setLimit(4);
         $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] = '127.0.0.1';
         $this->assertTrue(TrafficLimiter::canPass(), 'first request may pass');
diff --git a/tst/Vizhash16x16Test.php b/tst/Vizhash16x16Test.php
index afcda562..abfb8c49 100644
--- a/tst/Vizhash16x16Test.php
+++ b/tst/Vizhash16x16Test.php
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 
+use PrivateBin\Data\Filesystem;
 use PrivateBin\Persistence\ServerSalt;
 use PrivateBin\Vizhash16x16;
 
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ class Vizhash16x16Test extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
             mkdir($this->_path);
         }
         $this->_file = $this->_path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'vizhash.png';
-        ServerSalt::setPath($this->_path);
+        ServerSalt::setStore(Filesystem::getInstance(array('dir' => $this->_path)));
     }
 
     public function tearDown()