diff --git a/distil/api/app.py b/distil/api/app.py
index 9f75069..c62d5bb 100644
--- a/distil/api/app.py
+++ b/distil/api/app.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 # implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-
 import flask
 from oslo_config import cfg
 
@@ -24,7 +23,9 @@ from distil.utils import api
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 
 
-def make_app():
+def make_app(args=None):
+    config.parse_args(args, 'distil-api')
+
     app = flask.Flask(__name__)
 
     @app.route('/', methods=['GET'])
diff --git a/distil/cmd/distil_api.py b/distil/cmd/distil_api.py
index afe5e1f..3a5689c 100644
--- a/distil/cmd/distil_api.py
+++ b/distil/cmd/distil_api.py
@@ -41,9 +41,7 @@ class WritableLogger(object):
 
 
 def main():
-    config.parse_args(sys.argv[1:], 'distil-api')
-
-    application = app.make_app()
+    application = app.make_app(sys.argv[1:])
     CONF.log_opt_values(LOG, logging.INFO)
     try:
         wsgi.server(eventlet.listen((CONF.host, CONF.port), backlog=500),