diff --git a/src/Orleans/Configuration/ProviderConfiguration.cs b/src/Orleans/Configuration/ProviderConfiguration.cs
index 558906412f7..db69a92a534 100644
--- a/src/Orleans/Configuration/ProviderConfiguration.cs
+++ b/src/Orleans/Configuration/ProviderConfiguration.cs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace Orleans.Runtime.Configuration
     public class ProviderConfiguration : IProviderConfiguration
     {
         private IDictionary<string, string> properties;
-        private IList<ProviderConfiguration> childConfigurations;
+        private readonly IList<ProviderConfiguration> childConfigurations;
         private IList<IProvider> childProviders;
         [NonSerialized]
         private IProviderManager providerManager;
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public class ProviderConfiguration : IProviderConfiguration
         internal ProviderConfiguration()
         {
             properties = new Dictionary<string, string>();
+            childConfigurations = new List<ProviderConfiguration>();
         }
 
         public ProviderConfiguration(IDictionary<string, string> properties, string type, string name)
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ public ProviderConfiguration(IDictionary<string, string> properties, string type
             this.properties = properties;
             Type = type;
             Name = name;
+            childConfigurations = new List<ProviderConfiguration>();
         }
 
         // for testing purposes
@@ -66,13 +68,12 @@ internal ProviderConfiguration(IDictionary<string, string> properties, IList<IPr
         {
             this.properties = properties;
             this.childProviders = childProviders;
+            childConfigurations = new List<ProviderConfiguration>();
         }
 
         // Load from an element with the format <Provider Type="..." Name="...">...</Provider>
         internal void Load(XmlElement child, IDictionary<string, IProviderConfiguration> alreadyLoaded, XmlNamespaceManager nsManager)
         {
-            childConfigurations = new List<ProviderConfiguration>();
-
             if (nsManager == null)
             {
                 nsManager = new XmlNamespaceManager(new NameTable());
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@ internal void SetProviderManager(IProviderManager manager)
                 child.SetProviderManager(manager);
         }
 
-        internal void SetProperty(string key, string val)
+        public void SetProperty(string key, string val)
         {
             if (!properties.ContainsKey(key))
             {