diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 26db6db65..b59530386 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"log"
+
 	"github.com/minio-io/minio/pkg/server"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
 func main() {
 	var tls bool
-	var inmemory bool
+	var storageTypeStr string
 	var address string
 	var certFile string
 	var keyFile string
@@ -16,13 +18,36 @@ func main() {
 		Short: "minio is a minimal object storage system",
 		Long:  "",
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-			server.Start(address, tls, certFile, keyFile, inmemory)
+			storageType := getStorageType(storageTypeStr)
+			serverConfig := server.ServerConfig{
+				Address:     address,
+				Tls:         tls,
+				CertFile:    certFile,
+				KeyFile:     keyFile,
+				StorageType: storageType,
+			}
+			server.Start(serverConfig)
 		},
 	}
 	minioCommand.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&tls, "tls", "t", false, "enable tls")
-	minioCommand.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&inmemory, "inmemory", "m", false, "in memory object storage")
+	minioCommand.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&storageTypeStr, "storage-type", "s", "file", "file,inmemory")
 	minioCommand.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&address, "http-address", "a", ":8080", "http address")
 	minioCommand.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&certFile, "cert", "c", "", "cert file path")
 	minioCommand.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&keyFile, "key", "k", "", "key file path")
 	minioCommand.Execute()
 }
+
+func getStorageType(input string) server.StorageType {
+	switch {
+	case input == "file":
+		return server.InMemoryStorage
+	case input == "inmemory":
+		return server.InMemoryStorage
+	default:
+		{
+			log.Fatal("Unknown server type:", input)
+			// needed for compile, should never return after fatal log msg
+			return server.InMemoryStorage
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/server/server.go b/pkg/server/server.go
index b797f1c27..45a239d6b 100644
--- a/pkg/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/server/server.go
@@ -30,7 +30,22 @@ import (
 	"github.com/minio-io/minio/pkg/webapi/minioapi"
 )
 
-func Start(hostname string, tls bool, certFile, keyFile string, inMemoryStorage bool) {
+type ServerConfig struct {
+	Address     string
+	Tls         bool
+	CertFile    string
+	KeyFile     string
+	StorageType StorageType
+}
+
+type StorageType int
+
+const (
+	InMemoryStorage = iota
+	FileStorage
+)
+
+func Start(config ServerConfig) {
 	var ctrlChans []chan<- string
 	var statusChans []<-chan error
 
@@ -38,21 +53,21 @@ func Start(hostname string, tls bool, certFile, keyFile string, inMemoryStorage
 	var statusChan <-chan error
 	var storage mstorage.Storage
 	var srv = httpserver.HttpServer{}
-	srv.Address = hostname
-	srv.TLS = tls
+	srv.Address = config.Address
+	srv.TLS = config.Tls
 
-	if certFile != "" {
-		srv.CertFile = certFile
+	if config.CertFile != "" {
+		srv.CertFile = config.CertFile
 	}
-	if keyFile != "" {
-		srv.KeyFile = keyFile
+	if config.KeyFile != "" {
+		srv.KeyFile = config.KeyFile
 	}
 
-	if inMemoryStorage {
+	if config.StorageType == InMemoryStorage {
 		ctrlChan, statusChan, storage = inmemory.Start()
 		ctrlChans = append(ctrlChans, ctrlChan)
 		statusChans = append(statusChans, statusChan)
-	} else {
+	} else if config.StorageType == FileStorage {
 		currentUser, err := user.Current()
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
@@ -67,6 +82,8 @@ func Start(hostname string, tls bool, certFile, keyFile string, inMemoryStorage
 		ctrlChan, statusChan, storage = fs.Start(rootPath)
 		ctrlChans = append(ctrlChans, ctrlChan)
 		statusChans = append(statusChans, statusChan)
+	} else {
+
 	}
 
 	ctrlChan, statusChan = httpserver.Start(minioapi.HttpHandler(storage), srv)