diff --git a/swh/vault/api/server.py b/swh/vault/api/server.py
--- a/swh/vault/api/server.py
+++ b/swh/vault/api/server.py
@@ -194,9 +194,14 @@
     return app
 
 
+api_cfg = None
+
+
 def make_app_from_configfile(config_path=DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH, **kwargs):
-    cfg = config.load_named_config(config_path, DEFAULT_CONFIG)
-    return make_app(cfg, **kwargs)
+    global api_cfg
+    if not api_cfg:
+        api_cfg = config.read(config_path, DEFAULT_CONFIG)
+    return make_app(api_cfg, **kwargs)
 
 
 @click.command()