diff --git a/ipam/allocator.go b/ipam/allocator.go
index 45944310..57c01d87 100644
--- a/ipam/allocator.go
+++ b/ipam/allocator.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/weaveworks/mesh"
 
 	"github.com/weaveworks/weave/common"
+	"github.com/weaveworks/weave/db"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/weave/ipam/paxos"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/weave/ipam/ring"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/weave/ipam/space"
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ type Allocator struct {
 	pendingAllocates []operation                  // held until we get some free space
 	pendingClaims    []operation                  // held until we know who owns the space
 	dead             map[string]time.Time         // containers we heard were dead, and when
+	db               db.DB                        // persistence
 	gossip           mesh.Gossip                  // our link to the outside world for sending messages
 	paxos            *paxos.Node
 	paxosActive      bool
@@ -64,12 +66,13 @@ type Allocator struct {
 }
 
 // NewAllocator creates and initialises a new Allocator
-func NewAllocator(ourName mesh.PeerName, ourUID mesh.PeerUID, ourNickname string, universe address.Range, quorum uint, isKnownPeer func(name mesh.PeerName) bool) *Allocator {
+func NewAllocator(ourName mesh.PeerName, ourUID mesh.PeerUID, ourNickname string, universe address.Range, quorum uint, db db.DB, isKnownPeer func(name mesh.PeerName) bool) *Allocator {
 	return &Allocator{
 		ourName:     ourName,
 		universe:    universe,
 		ring:        ring.New(universe.Start, universe.End, ourName),
 		owned:       make(map[string][]address.Address),
+		db:          db,
 		paxos:       paxos.NewNode(ourName, ourUID, quorum),
 		nicknames:   map[mesh.PeerName]string{ourName: ourNickname},
 		isKnownPeer: isKnownPeer,
diff --git a/ipam/testutils_test.go b/ipam/testutils_test.go
index f817c1ea..76fdd7f4 100644
--- a/ipam/testutils_test.go
+++ b/ipam/testutils_test.go
@@ -123,6 +123,11 @@ func CheckAllExpectedMessagesSent(allocs ...*Allocator) {
 	}
 }
 
+type mockDB struct{}
+
+func (d *mockDB) Load(_ string, _ interface{}) error { return nil }
+func (d *mockDB) Save(_ string, _ interface{}) error { return nil }
+
 func makeAllocator(name string, cidrStr string, quorum uint) (*Allocator, address.Range) {
 	peername, err := mesh.PeerNameFromString(name)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -135,7 +140,7 @@ func makeAllocator(name string, cidrStr string, quorum uint) (*Allocator, addres
 	}
 
 	alloc := NewAllocator(peername, mesh.PeerUID(rand.Int63()),
-		"nick-"+name, cidr.Range(), quorum, func(mesh.PeerName) bool { return true })
+		"nick-"+name, cidr.Range(), quorum, new(mockDB), func(mesh.PeerName) bool { return true })
 
 	return alloc, cidr.HostRange()
 }
diff --git a/prog/weaver/main.go b/prog/weaver/main.go
index 8fc4a579..627696db 100644
--- a/prog/weaver/main.go
+++ b/prog/weaver/main.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func main() {
 		defaultSubnet address.CIDR
 	)
 	if iprangeCIDR != "" {
-		allocator, defaultSubnet = createAllocator(router.Router, iprangeCIDR, ipsubnetCIDR, determineQuorum(peerCount, peers), isKnownPeer)
+		allocator, defaultSubnet = createAllocator(router.Router, iprangeCIDR, ipsubnetCIDR, determineQuorum(peerCount, peers), db, isKnownPeer)
 		observeContainers(allocator)
 	} else if peerCount > 0 {
 		Log.Fatal("--init-peer-count flag specified without --ipalloc-range")
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func parseAndCheckCIDR(cidrStr string) address.CIDR {
 	return cidr
 }
 
-func createAllocator(router *mesh.Router, ipRangeStr string, defaultSubnetStr string, quorum uint, isKnownPeer func(mesh.PeerName) bool) (*ipam.Allocator, address.CIDR) {
+func createAllocator(router *mesh.Router, ipRangeStr string, defaultSubnetStr string, quorum uint, db db.DB, isKnownPeer func(mesh.PeerName) bool) (*ipam.Allocator, address.CIDR) {
 	ipRange := parseAndCheckCIDR(ipRangeStr)
 	defaultSubnet := ipRange
 	if defaultSubnetStr != "" {
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ func createAllocator(router *mesh.Router, ipRangeStr string, defaultSubnetStr st
 			Log.Fatalf("IP address allocation default subnet %s does not overlap with allocation range %s", defaultSubnet, ipRange)
 		}
 	}
-	allocator := ipam.NewAllocator(router.Ourself.Peer.Name, router.Ourself.Peer.UID, router.Ourself.Peer.NickName, ipRange.Range(), quorum, isKnownPeer)
+	allocator := ipam.NewAllocator(router.Ourself.Peer.Name, router.Ourself.Peer.UID, router.Ourself.Peer.NickName, ipRange.Range(), quorum, db, isKnownPeer)
 
 	allocator.SetInterfaces(router.NewGossip("IPallocation", allocator))
 	allocator.Start()