diff --git a/cmd/samproxy/main.go b/cmd/samproxy/main.go
index 371d59e3e8..11221c9409 100644
--- a/cmd/samproxy/main.go
+++ b/cmd/samproxy/main.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ var version string
 
 type Options struct {
 	ConfiFile string `short:"c" long:"config" description:"Path to config file" default:"/etc/samproxy/samproxy.toml"`
+	PeerType  string `short:"p" long:"peer_type" description:"Peer type - should be redis or file" default:"file"`
 	Version   bool   `short:"v" long:"version" description:"Print version number and exit"`
 }
 
@@ -54,8 +55,17 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
-	c := &config.FileConfig{Path: opts.ConfiFile}
-	err := c.Start()
+	var c config.Config
+	var err error
+	// either the flag or the env var will kick us in to redis mode
+	if opts.PeerType == "redis" || os.Getenv(config.RedisHostEnvVarName) != "" {
+		c = &config.RedisPeerFileConfig{}
+		c.(*config.RedisPeerFileConfig).Path = opts.ConfiFile
+		err = c.(*config.RedisPeerFileConfig).Start()
+	} else {
+		c = &config.FileConfig{Path: opts.ConfiFile}
+		err = c.(*config.FileConfig).Start()
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("unable to load config: %+v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/config/redis.go b/config/redis.go
index 02b7278b44..0cab411b68 100644
--- a/config/redis.go
+++ b/config/redis.go
@@ -167,22 +167,15 @@ func (rc *RedisPeerFileConfig) watchPeers() {
 	sort.Strings(oldPeerList)
 	tk := time.NewTicker(refreshCacheInterval)
 
-	defer func() {
-		fmt.Printf("leaving watchPeers\n")
-	}()
-
 	for range tk.C {
-		fmt.Printf("watchPeers: starting tick\n")
 		currentPeers, err := rc.peerStore.GetMembers(context.TODO())
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("watchPeers: got error %+v|n", err)
 			// TODO maybe do something better here?
 			continue
 		}
 		sort.Strings(currentPeers)
 		if !equal(oldPeerList, currentPeers) {
 			// update peer list and trigger callbacks saying the peer list has changed
-			fmt.Printf("peer list has changed; new peer list +%v\n", currentPeers)
 			rc.peerLock.Lock()
 			rc.peers = currentPeers
 			oldPeerList = currentPeers