diff --git a/src/cmd/add.go b/src/cmd/add.go
index 2ae41f7..039de6f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/add.go
+++ b/src/cmd/add.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ var cTags, cRels []string
 var addCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use: "add <title>", Short: "Create a new node", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		svc, err := service.GetNodeService(cfg)
+		svc, err := getNodeService()
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			return
diff --git a/src/cmd/del.go b/src/cmd/del.go
index 7c62553..d0cc28d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/del.go
+++ b/src/cmd/del.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"axolotl/service"
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ var dForce bool
 var delCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use: "del <id>", Short: "Delete a node", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		svc, err := service.GetNodeService(cfg)
+		svc, err := getNodeService()
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			return
diff --git a/src/cmd/edit.go b/src/cmd/edit.go
index 4086d9f..17783a7 100644
--- a/src/cmd/edit.go
+++ b/src/cmd/edit.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 var editCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use: "edit <id>", Short: "Edit node content in $EDITOR", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		svc, err := service.GetNodeService(cfg)
+		svc, err := getNodeService()
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			return
diff --git a/src/cmd/init.go b/src/cmd/init.go
index bd4dca9..ced7a1a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/init.go
+++ b/src/cmd/init.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"axolotl/service"
 	"axolotl/store"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ var initCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "database already exists:", dbPath)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
-		if err := service.InitNodeService(dbPath); err != nil {
+		if err := store.InitSQLiteStore(dbPath); err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "failed to initialize:", err)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/list.go b/src/cmd/list.go
index 6e6e941..9091133 100644
--- a/src/cmd/list.go
+++ b/src/cmd/list.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ var lStatus, lPrio, lType, lNamespace, lAssignee, lMention string
 var listCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use: "list", Short: "List nodes",
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		svc, err := service.GetNodeService(cfg)
+		svc, err := getNodeService()
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			return
diff --git a/src/cmd/root.go b/src/cmd/root.go
index 92abe74..f0c19de 100644
--- a/src/cmd/root.go
+++ b/src/cmd/root.go
@@ -11,6 +11,22 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
+func getNodeService() (service.NodeService, error) {
+	user := cfg.GetUser()
+	if user == "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no user configured: run 'ax user set <username>' first")
+	}
+	if rc, ok := cfg.GetRemoteConfig(); ok {
+		base := fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d", rc.Host, rc.Port)
+		return service.NewRemoteNodeService(base, user), nil
+	}
+	st, err := store.FindAndOpenSQLiteStore()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return service.NewLocalNodeService(st, user), nil
+}
+
 var jsonFlag bool
 var cfg *store.Config
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{Use: "ax", Short: "The axolotl issue tracker"}
diff --git a/src/cmd/serve.go b/src/cmd/serve.go
index 11b62ce..7c9bbe3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/serve.go
+++ b/src/cmd/serve.go
@@ -23,7 +23,16 @@ var serveCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			oidcCfg = oc
 		}
 
-		handler, err := serve.New(service.GetNodeServiceForUser, oidcCfg)
+		handler, err := serve.New(func(user string) (service.NodeService, error) {
+			if user == "" {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("user is required")
+			}
+			st, err := store.FindOrInitSQLiteStore()
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return service.NewLocalNodeService(st, user), nil
+		}, oidcCfg)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/src/cmd/show.go b/src/cmd/show.go
index 4fedad4..d6986c4 100644
--- a/src/cmd/show.go
+++ b/src/cmd/show.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"axolotl/service"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
@@ -11,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 var showCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use: "show <id>", Short: "Show node details", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		svc, err := service.GetNodeService(cfg)
+		svc, err := getNodeService()
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			return
diff --git a/src/cmd/update.go b/src/cmd/update.go
index e9ed194..94ceb06 100644
--- a/src/cmd/update.go
+++ b/src/cmd/update.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ var (
 var updateCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use: "update <id>", Short: "Update a node", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		svc, err := service.GetNodeService(cfg)
+		svc, err := getNodeService()
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			return
diff --git a/src/service/node_service.go b/src/service/node_service.go
index 9a28d5e..87779bb 100644
--- a/src/service/node_service.go
+++ b/src/service/node_service.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package service
 import (
 	"axolotl/models"
 	"axolotl/store"
-	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 )
 
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 // invalid state by interacting with this interface alone.
 //
 // Every NodeService instance is bound to a specific user (see User()).
-// GetNodeService returns an error when no user is configured.
 type NodeService interface {
 	// User returns the name/ID of the user this service instance acts on behalf of.
 	User() string
@@ -68,33 +66,10 @@ type RelInput struct {
 	Target string // name or node ID; the service resolves names. Empty = tag rel.
 }
 
-func InitNodeService(path string) error {
-	return store.InitSQLiteStore(path)
+func NewLocalNodeService(st store.GraphStore, user string) NodeService {
+	return &nodeServiceImpl{store: st, userID: user}
 }
 
-func GetNodeService(cfg *store.Config) (NodeService, error) {
-	user := cfg.GetUser()
-	if user == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no user configured: run 'ax user set <username>' first")
-	}
-	if rc, ok := cfg.GetRemoteConfig(); ok {
-		base := fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d", rc.Host, rc.Port)
-		return &apiClient{base: base, user: user, http: &http.Client{}}, nil
-	}
-	st, err := store.FindAndOpenSQLiteStore()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return &nodeServiceImpl{store: st, userID: user}, nil
-}
-
-func GetNodeServiceForUser(user string) (NodeService, error) {
-	if user == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("user is required")
-	}
-	st, err := store.FindOrInitSQLiteStore()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return &nodeServiceImpl{store: st, userID: user}, nil
+func NewRemoteNodeService(base, user string) NodeService {
+	return &apiClient{base: base, user: user, http: &http.Client{}}
 }