diff --git a/cmd/prometheus/main.go b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
index 4b19c9b61..f696d739d 100644
--- a/cmd/prometheus/main.go
+++ b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
@@ -272,12 +272,14 @@ func main() {
 		conntrack.DialWithTracing(),
 	)
 
-	reloadables := []Reloadable{
-		remoteStorage,
-		targetManager,
-		ruleManager,
-		webHandler,
-		notifier,
+	reloaders := []func(cfg *config.Config) error{
+		remoteStorage.ApplyConfig,
+		targetManager.ApplyConfig,
+		webHandler.ApplyConfig,
+		notifier.ApplyConfig,
+		func(cfg *config.Config) error {
+			return ruleManager.Update(time.Duration(cfg.GlobalConfig.EvaluationInterval), cfg.RuleFiles)
+		},
 	}
 
 	prometheus.MustRegister(configSuccess)
@@ -330,11 +332,11 @@ func main() {
 				for {
 					select {
 					case <-hup:
-						if err := reloadConfig(cfg.configFile, logger, reloadables...); err != nil {
+						if err := reloadConfig(cfg.configFile, logger, reloaders...); err != nil {
 							level.Error(logger).Log("msg", "Error reloading config", "err", err)
 						}
 					case rc := <-webHandler.Reload():
-						if err := reloadConfig(cfg.configFile, logger, reloadables...); err != nil {
+						if err := reloadConfig(cfg.configFile, logger, reloaders...); err != nil {
 							level.Error(logger).Log("msg", "Error reloading config", "err", err)
 							rc <- err
 						} else {
@@ -363,7 +365,7 @@ func main() {
 					return nil
 				}
 
-				if err := reloadConfig(cfg.configFile, logger, reloadables...); err != nil {
+				if err := reloadConfig(cfg.configFile, logger, reloaders...); err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("Error loading config %s", err)
 				}
 
@@ -473,13 +475,7 @@ func main() {
 	level.Info(logger).Log("msg", "See you next time!")
 }
 
-// Reloadable things can change their internal state to match a new config
-// and handle failure gracefully.
-type Reloadable interface {
-	ApplyConfig(*config.Config) error
-}
-
-func reloadConfig(filename string, logger log.Logger, rls ...Reloadable) (err error) {
+func reloadConfig(filename string, logger log.Logger, rls ...func(*config.Config) error) (err error) {
 	level.Info(logger).Log("msg", "Loading configuration file", "filename", filename)
 
 	defer func() {
@@ -498,7 +494,7 @@ func reloadConfig(filename string, logger log.Logger, rls ...Reloadable) (err er
 
 	failed := false
 	for _, rl := range rls {
-		if err := rl.ApplyConfig(conf); err != nil {
+		if err := rl(conf); err != nil {
 			level.Error(logger).Log("msg", "Failed to apply configuration", "err", err)
 			failed = true
 		}
diff --git a/rules/manager.go b/rules/manager.go
index 3d7107036..4c5ef9382 100644
--- a/rules/manager.go
+++ b/rules/manager.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log/level"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 
-	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/config"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/notifier"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/rulefmt"
@@ -505,15 +504,15 @@ func (m *Manager) Stop() {
 	level.Info(m.logger).Log("msg", "Rule manager stopped")
 }
 
-// ApplyConfig updates the rule manager's state as the config requires. If
+// Update the rule manager's state as the config requires. If
 // loading the new rules failed the old rule set is restored.
-func (m *Manager) ApplyConfig(conf *config.Config) error {
+func (m *Manager) Update(interval time.Duration, paths []string) error {
 	m.mtx.Lock()
 	defer m.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	// Get all rule files and load the groups they define.
 	var files []string
-	for _, pat := range conf.RuleFiles {
+	for _, pat := range paths {
 		fs, err := filepath.Glob(pat)
 		if err != nil {
 			// The only error can be a bad pattern.
@@ -523,7 +522,7 @@ func (m *Manager) ApplyConfig(conf *config.Config) error {
 	}
 
 	// To be replaced with a configurable per-group interval.
-	groups, errs := m.loadGroups(time.Duration(conf.GlobalConfig.EvaluationInterval), files...)
+	groups, errs := m.loadGroups(interval, files...)
 	if errs != nil {
 		for _, e := range errs {
 			level.Error(m.logger).Log("msg", "loading groups failed", "err", e)
diff --git a/rules/manager_test.go b/rules/manager_test.go
index b9cb2ba49..33ad84fe8 100644
--- a/rules/manager_test.go
+++ b/rules/manager_test.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	"github.com/prometheus/common/model"
 
-	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/config"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/timestamp"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/value"
@@ -292,17 +291,10 @@ func TestCopyState(t *testing.T) {
 	testutil.Equals(t, oldGroup.rules[0], newGroup.rules[3])
 }
 
-func TestApplyConfig(t *testing.T) {
+func TestUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	expected := map[string]labels.Labels{
-		"test": labels.Labels{
-			labels.Label{
-				Name:  "name",
-				Value: "value",
-			},
-		},
+		"test": labels.FromStrings("name", "value"),
 	}
-	conf, err := config.LoadFile("../config/testdata/conf.good.yml")
-	testutil.Ok(t, err)
 	ruleManager := NewManager(&ManagerOptions{
 		Appendable: nil,
 		Notifier:   nil,
@@ -312,7 +304,7 @@ func TestApplyConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 	ruleManager.Run()
 
-	err = ruleManager.ApplyConfig(conf)
+	err := ruleManager.Update(0, nil)
 	testutil.Ok(t, err)
 	for _, g := range ruleManager.groups {
 		g.seriesInPreviousEval = []map[string]labels.Labels{
@@ -320,7 +312,7 @@ func TestApplyConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err = ruleManager.ApplyConfig(conf)
+	err = ruleManager.Update(0, nil)
 	testutil.Ok(t, err)
 	for _, g := range ruleManager.groups {
 		for _, actual := range g.seriesInPreviousEval {