diff --git a/cmd/remco/main.go b/cmd/remco/main.go
index 071a2734..1a291f2d 100644
--- a/cmd/remco/main.go
+++ b/cmd/remco/main.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"reflect"
 	"sync"
 	"syscall"
 
@@ -25,12 +26,14 @@ import (
 var (
 	configPath          string
 	printVersionAndExit bool
+	onetime             bool
 )
 
 func init() {
 	const defaultConfig = "/etc/remco/config"
 	flag.StringVar(&configPath, "config", defaultConfig, "path to the configuration file")
 	flag.BoolVar(&printVersionAndExit, "version", false, "print version and exit")
+	flag.BoolVar(&onetime, "onetime", false, "run templating process once and exit")
 }
 
 func run() {
@@ -46,6 +49,17 @@ func run() {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	if onetime {
+		for _, res := range cfg.Resource {
+			for _, b := range res.Backends.GetBackends() {
+				if !reflect.ValueOf(b).IsZero() {
+					backend := b.GetBackend()
+					backend.Onetime = true
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	run := NewSupervisor(cfg, reapLock, done)
 	defer run.Stop()
 
diff --git a/pkg/backends/consul.go b/pkg/backends/consul.go
index d378c74c..c2830b46 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/consul.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/consul.go
@@ -75,3 +75,8 @@ func (c *ConsulConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *ConsulConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/backends/env.go b/pkg/backends/env.go
index 919b2669..bb3dc5f4 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/env.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/env.go
@@ -34,3 +34,8 @@ func (c *EnvConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 	c.Backend.ReadWatcher = client
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *EnvConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/backends/etcd.go b/pkg/backends/etcd.go
index 84761387..9edbfeb9 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/etcd.go
@@ -111,3 +111,8 @@ func (c *EtcdConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 	c.Backend.ReadWatcher = client
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *EtcdConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/backends/file.go b/pkg/backends/file.go
index 664f7f4e..11915904 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/file.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/file.go
@@ -46,3 +46,8 @@ func (c *FileConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 	c.Backend.ReadWatcher = client
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *FileConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/backends/mock.go b/pkg/backends/mock.go
index 3f0b8aca..1c88c63d 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/mock.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/mock.go
@@ -35,3 +35,8 @@ func (c *MockConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *MockConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/backends/plugin/plugin.go b/pkg/backends/plugin/plugin.go
index 1b26b8ab..0c4d9d1b 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/plugin/plugin.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/plugin/plugin.go
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ func (p *Plugin) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 	return p.Backend, nil
 }
 
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (p *Plugin) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &p.Backend
+}
+
 // initPlugin sends the config map to the plugin
 // the plugin can then run some initialization tasks
 func (p *plug) initPlugin(config map[string]interface{}) error {
diff --git a/pkg/backends/redis.go b/pkg/backends/redis.go
index 40576cf6..179f4447 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/redis.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/redis.go
@@ -71,3 +71,8 @@ func (c *RedisConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *RedisConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/backends/vault.go b/pkg/backends/vault.go
index e9ada21a..e80d4378 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/vault.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/vault.go
@@ -100,3 +100,8 @@ func (c *VaultConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *VaultConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/backends/zookeeper.go b/pkg/backends/zookeeper.go
index 25726da7..7fb464c4 100644
--- a/pkg/backends/zookeeper.go
+++ b/pkg/backends/zookeeper.go
@@ -56,3 +56,8 @@ func (c *ZookeeperConfig) Connect() (template.Backend, error) {
 	c.Backend.ReadWatcher = client
 	return c.Backend, nil
 }
+
+// return Backend config to allow modification before connect() for onetime param or similar
+func (c *ZookeeperConfig) GetBackend() *template.Backend {
+	return &c.Backend
+}
diff --git a/pkg/template/backend.go b/pkg/template/backend.go
index 6530cef9..7286afda 100644
--- a/pkg/template/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/template/backend.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 // Connect should also set the name and the StoreClient of the Backend. The other values of Backend will be loaded from the configuration file.
 type BackendConnector interface {
 	Connect() (Backend, error)
+	GetBackend() *Backend
 }
 
 // Backend is the representation of a template backend like etcd or consul