diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Configuration.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Configuration.java
index 8e8b9e45..a27ab09f 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Configuration.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Configuration.java
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
  */
 package com.jayway.jsonpath;
 
+import com.jayway.jsonpath.internal.DefaultsImpl;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.json.JsonProvider;
-import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.json.JsonSmartJsonProvider;
-import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.mapper.JsonSmartMappingProvider;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.mapper.MappingProvider;
+
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -38,26 +38,7 @@ public class Configuration {
 
     private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(Configuration.class);
 
-    private static Defaults DEFAULTS = new Defaults() {
-
-        private final MappingProvider mappingProvider = new JsonSmartMappingProvider();
-
-        public JsonProvider jsonProvider() {
-            return new JsonSmartJsonProvider();
-        }
-
-        @Override
-        public Set<Option> options() {
-            return EnumSet.noneOf(Option.class);
-        }
-
-        @Override
-        public MappingProvider mappingProvider() {
-            return mappingProvider;
-        }
-    };
-
-
+    private static Defaults DEFAULTS = null;
 
     /**
      * Set Default configuration
@@ -67,6 +48,14 @@ public class Configuration {
         DEFAULTS = defaults;
     }
 
+    private static Defaults getEffectiveDefaults(){
+        if (DEFAULTS == null) {
+          return DefaultsImpl.INSTANCE;
+        } else {
+          return DEFAULTS;
+        }
+    }
+
     private final JsonProvider jsonProvider;
     private final MappingProvider mappingProvider;
     private final Set<Option> options;
@@ -186,7 +175,8 @@ public class Configuration {
      * @return a new configuration based on defaults
      */
     public static Configuration defaultConfiguration() {
-        return Configuration.builder().jsonProvider(DEFAULTS.jsonProvider()).options(DEFAULTS.options()).build();
+        Defaults defaults = getEffectiveDefaults();
+        return Configuration.builder().jsonProvider(defaults.jsonProvider()).options(defaults.options()).build();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -240,11 +230,12 @@ public class Configuration {
         }
 
         public Configuration build() {
+            Defaults defaults = getEffectiveDefaults();
             if (jsonProvider == null) {
-                jsonProvider = DEFAULTS.jsonProvider();
+                jsonProvider = defaults.jsonProvider();
             }
             if(mappingProvider == null){
-                mappingProvider = DEFAULTS.mappingProvider();
+                mappingProvider = defaults.mappingProvider();
             }
             return new Configuration(jsonProvider, mappingProvider, options, evaluationListener);
         }
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/DefaultsImpl.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/DefaultsImpl.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d56128b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/DefaultsImpl.java
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package com.jayway.jsonpath.internal;
+
+import java.util.EnumSet;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import com.jayway.jsonpath.Configuration.Defaults;
+import com.jayway.jsonpath.Option;
+import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.json.JsonProvider;
+import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.json.JsonSmartJsonProvider;
+import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.mapper.JsonSmartMappingProvider;
+import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.mapper.MappingProvider;
+
+public final class DefaultsImpl implements Defaults {
+
+  public static final DefaultsImpl INSTANCE = new DefaultsImpl();
+
+  private final MappingProvider mappingProvider = new JsonSmartMappingProvider();
+
+  @Override
+  public JsonProvider jsonProvider() {
+    return new JsonSmartJsonProvider();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Set<Option> options() {
+    return EnumSet.noneOf(Option.class);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public MappingProvider mappingProvider() {
+    return mappingProvider;
+  }
+
+  private DefaultsImpl() {
+  };
+
+}