diff --git a/middleware/proxy/policy.go b/middleware/proxy/policy.go
index f90a1e23..27e02a17 100644
--- a/middleware/proxy/policy.go
+++ b/middleware/proxy/policy.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ type HostPool []*UpstreamHost
 // Policy decides how a host will be selected from a pool.
 type Policy interface {
 	Select(pool HostPool) *UpstreamHost
-	Name() string
 }
 
 // Random is a policy that selects up hosts from a pool at random.
@@ -40,11 +39,6 @@ func (r *Random) Select(pool HostPool) *UpstreamHost {
 	return randHost
 }
 
-// Name returns the name of the policy.
-func (r *Random) Name() string {
-	return "random"
-}
-
 // LeastConn is a policy that selects the host with the least connections.
 type LeastConn struct{}
 
@@ -80,11 +74,6 @@ func (r *LeastConn) Select(pool HostPool) *UpstreamHost {
 	return bestHost
 }
 
-// Name returns the name of the policy.
-func (r *LeastConn) Name() string {
-	return "least_conn"
-}
-
 // RoundRobin is a policy that selects hosts based on round robin ordering.
 type RoundRobin struct {
 	Robin uint32
@@ -104,8 +93,3 @@ func (r *RoundRobin) Select(pool HostPool) *UpstreamHost {
 	}
 	return host
 }
-
-// Name returns the name of the policy.
-func (r *RoundRobin) Name() string {
-	return "round_robin"
-}
diff --git a/middleware/proxy/policy_test.go b/middleware/proxy/policy_test.go
index 4272e332..d4c75225 100644
--- a/middleware/proxy/policy_test.go
+++ b/middleware/proxy/policy_test.go
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ func (r *customPolicy) Select(pool HostPool) *UpstreamHost {
 	return pool[0]
 }
 
-func (r *customPolicy) Name() string {
-	return "custom"
-}
-
 func testPool() HostPool {
 	pool := []*UpstreamHost{
 		&UpstreamHost{
diff --git a/middleware/proxy/upstream.go b/middleware/proxy/upstream.go
index 58325f1d..03bba0e6 100644
--- a/middleware/proxy/upstream.go
+++ b/middleware/proxy/upstream.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mholt/caddy/config/parse"
 )
 
-var supportedPolicies map[string]Policy = make(map[string]Policy)
+var supportedPolicies map[string]func() Policy = make(map[string]func() Policy)
 
 type staticUpstream struct {
 	from   string
@@ -27,15 +27,17 @@ type staticUpstream struct {
 	}
 }
 
+func init() {
+	RegisterPolicy("random", func() Policy { return &Random{} })
+	RegisterPolicy("least_conn", func() Policy { return &LeastConn{} })
+	RegisterPolicy("round_robin", func() Policy { return &RoundRobin{} })
+}
+
 // NewStaticUpstreams parses the configuration input and sets up
 // static upstreams for the proxy middleware.
 func NewStaticUpstreams(c parse.Dispenser) ([]Upstream, error) {
 	var upstreams []Upstream
 
-	RegisterPolicy(&Random{})
-	RegisterPolicy(&LeastConn{})
-	RegisterPolicy(&RoundRobin{})
-
 	for c.Next() {
 		upstream := &staticUpstream{
 			from:        "",
@@ -60,11 +62,11 @@ func NewStaticUpstreams(c parse.Dispenser) ([]Upstream, error) {
 					return upstreams, c.ArgErr()
 				}
 
-				policy, ok := supportedPolicies[c.Val()]
-				if !ok {
+				if policyCreateFunc, ok := supportedPolicies[c.Val()]; ok {
+					upstream.Policy = policyCreateFunc()
+				} else {
 					return upstreams, c.ArgErr()
 				}
-				upstream.Policy = policy
 			case "fail_timeout":
 				if !c.NextArg() {
 					return upstreams, c.ArgErr()
@@ -150,8 +152,8 @@ func NewStaticUpstreams(c parse.Dispenser) ([]Upstream, error) {
 }
 
 // RegisterPolicy adds a custom policy to the proxy.
-func RegisterPolicy(policy Policy) {
-	supportedPolicies[policy.Name()] = policy
+func RegisterPolicy(name string, policy func() Policy) {
+	supportedPolicies[name] = policy
 }
 
 func (u *staticUpstream) From() string {
diff --git a/middleware/proxy/upstream_test.go b/middleware/proxy/upstream_test.go
index 1d1cc317..f3df1613 100644
--- a/middleware/proxy/upstream_test.go
+++ b/middleware/proxy/upstream_test.go
@@ -43,9 +43,10 @@ func TestSelect(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRegisterPolicy(t *testing.T) {
+	name := "custom"
 	customPolicy := &customPolicy{}
-	RegisterPolicy(customPolicy)
-	if _, ok := supportedPolicies[customPolicy.Name()]; !ok {
+	RegisterPolicy(name, func() Policy { return customPolicy })
+	if _, ok := supportedPolicies[name]; !ok {
 		t.Error("Expected supportedPolicies to have a custom policy.")
 	}