diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 3f1927d..8c3a3d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ def test_expand_collection(monkeypatch):
                 s.collection = 'a{}'.format(i)
                 yield s
 
-
     class TypeB(object):
         @classmethod
         def discover(cls, **config):
@@ -100,7 +99,6 @@ def test_expand_collection(monkeypatch):
                 s.collection = 'b{}'.format(i)
                 yield s
 
-
     import vdirsyncer.storage
     monkeypatch.setitem(vdirsyncer.storage.storage_names, 'mytype_a', TypeA)
     monkeypatch.setitem(vdirsyncer.storage.storage_names, 'mytype_b', TypeB)
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/cli.py b/vdirsyncer/cli.py
index f9733ac..f94ca9b 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/cli.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/cli.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def storage_instance_from_config(config, description=None):
         invalid = given - all
 
         cli_logger.critical('error: Failed to initialize {}'
-                            .format(description or storage_name))
+                            .format(description or cls.storage_name))
 
         if not missing and not invalid:
             cli_logger.exception('')
@@ -146,12 +146,12 @@ def storage_instance_from_config(config, description=None):
         if missing:
             cli_logger.critical(
                 u'error: {} storage requires the parameters: {}'
-                .format(storage_name, u', '.join(missing)))
+                .format(cls.storage_name, u', '.join(missing)))
 
         if invalid:
             cli_logger.critical(
                 u'error: {} storage doesn\'t take the parameters: {}'
-                .format(storage_name, u', '.join(invalid)))
+                .format(cls.storage_name, u', '.join(invalid)))
 
         sys.exit(1)
 
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/storage/__init__.py b/vdirsyncer/storage/__init__.py
index e29d3a1..8fa26ca 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/storage/__init__.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/storage/__init__.py
@@ -17,10 +17,23 @@ from .filesystem import FilesystemStorage
 from .http import HttpStorage
 from .singlefile import SingleFileStorage
 
-storage_names = {
-    'caldav': CaldavStorage,
-    'carddav': CarddavStorage,
-    'filesystem': FilesystemStorage,
-    'http': HttpStorage,
-    'singlefile': SingleFileStorage
-}
+
+def _generate_storage_dict(*classes):
+    rv = {}
+    for cls in classes:
+        key = cls.storage_name
+        assert key
+        assert isinstance(key, str)
+        assert key not in rv
+        rv[key] = cls
+    return rv
+
+storage_names = _generate_storage_dict(
+    CaldavStorage,
+    CarddavStorage,
+    FilesystemStorage,
+    HttpStorage,
+    SingleFileStorage
+)
+
+del _generate_storage_dict
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/storage/base.py b/vdirsyncer/storage/base.py
index 042aa0e..d6984a0 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/storage/base.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/storage/base.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ class Storage(object):
         looked for.
     '''
     fileext = '.txt'
+    storage_name = None  # the name used in the config file
     _repr_attributes = ()
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/storage/dav.py b/vdirsyncer/storage/dav.py
index a1c4a28..02b49df 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/storage/dav.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/storage/dav.py
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ class CaldavStorage(DavStorage):
         in the normal usecase.
     '''
 
+    storage_name = 'caldav'
     fileext = '.ics'
     item_mimetype = 'text/calendar'
     dav_header = 'calendar-access'
@@ -383,6 +384,7 @@ class CarddavStorage(DavStorage):
     CardDAV. Usable as ``carddav`` in the config file.
     ''' + DavStorage.__doc__
 
+    storage_name = 'carddav'
     fileext = '.vcf'
     item_mimetype = 'text/vcard'
     dav_header = 'addressbook'
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/storage/filesystem.py b/vdirsyncer/storage/filesystem.py
index ccead25..a14065f 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/storage/filesystem.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/storage/filesystem.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class FilesystemStorage(Storage):
     :param create: Create directories if they don't exist.
     '''
 
+    storage_name = 'filesystem'
     _repr_attributes = ('path',)
 
     def __init__(self, path, fileext, collection=None, encoding='utf-8',
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/storage/http.py b/vdirsyncer/storage/http.py
index 8878de6..f932b59 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/storage/http.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/storage/http.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class HttpStorage(Storage):
         url = https://example.com/holidays_from_hicksville.ics
     '''
 
+    storage_name = 'http'
     _repr_attributes = ('username', 'url')
     _items = None
 
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/storage/singlefile.py b/vdirsyncer/storage/singlefile.py
index 05457b9..bd38798 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/storage/singlefile.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/storage/singlefile.py
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ class SingleFileStorage(Storage):
 
     '''
 
+    storage_name = 'singlefile'
     _repr_attributes = ('path',)
 
     _write_mode = 'wb'