diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 73e4759..1636d2c 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 cache headers for static assets
-make redis connection into a separate method
 
 tests
 
diff --git a/lib/redis_document_store.js b/lib/redis_document_store.js
index ac09b28..2ba56dc 100644
--- a/lib/redis_document_store.js
+++ b/lib/redis_document_store.js
@@ -2,25 +2,29 @@ var redis = require('redis');
 var winston = require('winston');
 var hashlib = require('hashlib');
 
-// TODO move to a different method (conn)
 var RedisDocumentStore = function(options) {
   if (!RedisDocumentStore.client) {
-    var host = options.host || '127.0.0.1';
-    var port = options.port || 6379;
-    var index = options.db || 0;
-    RedisDocumentStore.client = redis.createClient(port, host);
-    RedisDocumentStore.client.select(index, function(err, reply) {
-      if (err) {
-        winston.error('error connecting to redis index ' + index, { error: error.message });
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      else {
-        winston.info('connected to redis on ' + host + ':' + port + '/' + index);
-      }
-    });
+    RedisDocumentStore.connect(options);
   }
 };
 
+// Create a connection according to config
+RedisDocumentStore.connect = function(options) {
+  var host = options.host || '127.0.0.1';
+  var port = options.port || 6379;
+  var index = options.db || 0;
+  RedisDocumentStore.client = redis.createClient(port, host);
+  RedisDocumentStore.client.select(index, function(err, reply) {
+    if (err) {
+      winston.error('error connecting to redis index ' + index, { error: error.message });
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    else {
+      winston.info('connected to redis on ' + host + ':' + port + '/' + index);
+    }
+  });
+};
+
 // Save file in a key
 RedisDocumentStore.prototype.set = function(key, data, callback) {
   RedisDocumentStore.client.set(key, data, function(err, reply) {