diff --git a/lib/samly/helper.ex b/lib/samly/helper.ex
index aa1bf7e..d82ede1 100644
--- a/lib/samly/helper.ex
+++ b/lib/samly/helper.ex
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ defmodule Samly.Helper do
 
   @spec get_idp(binary) :: nil | IdpData.t()
   def get_idp(idp_id) do
-    idps = Application.get_env(:samly, :identity_providers, %{})
-    Map.get(idps, idp_id)
+    IdpData.store().get(idp_id)
   end
 
   @spec get_metadata_uri(nil | binary, binary) :: nil | charlist
diff --git a/lib/samly/idp_data.ex b/lib/samly/idp_data.ex
index 0aa662c..c281318 100644
--- a/lib/samly/idp_data.ex
+++ b/lib/samly/idp_data.ex
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ defmodule Samly.IdpData do
 
   @type id :: binary()
 
+  def store() do
+    Application.get_env(:samly, Samly.Provider, [])
+    |> Keyword.get(:idp_data_store, Samly.IdpDataStore.Config)
+  end
+
   @spec load_providers([map], %{required(id()) => %SpData{}}) ::
           %{required(id()) => %IdpData{}} | no_return()
   def load_providers(prov_config, service_providers) do
diff --git a/lib/samly/idp_data_store/config.ex b/lib/samly/idp_data_store/config.ex
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dafb297
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/samly/idp_data_store/config.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+defmodule Samly.IdpDataStore.Config do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Reads identity providers data from Application environment (config files).
+
+  This is the default behaviour. To change it, set the following config:
+
+    config :samly, Samly.Provider,
+      idp_data_store: MyApp.IdpStore
+
+  This implementation only provides `init/2` and `get/1`.any()
+  `delete/1` and `put/2` will return `:unsupported`.
+  """
+
+  @behaviour Samly.IdpDataStore.Store
+
+  @impl true
+  def init(opts, service_providers) do
+    identity_providers =
+      Samly.IdpData.load_providers(opts || [], service_providers)
+
+    Application.put_env(:samly, :identity_providers, identity_providers)
+  end
+
+  @impl true
+  def get(idp_id) do
+    idps = Application.get_env(:samly, :identity_providers, %{})
+    Map.get(idps, idp_id)
+  end
+
+  @impl true
+  def put(_idp_id, _idp_data), do: :unsupported
+
+  @impl true
+  def delete(_idp_id), do: :unsupported
+end
diff --git a/lib/samly/idp_data_store/store.ex b/lib/samly/idp_data_store/store.ex
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..090d874
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/samly/idp_data_store/store.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+defmodule Samly.IdpDataStore.Store do
+  alias Samly.IdpData
+  alias Samly.SpData
+
+  @doc """
+  Called during GenServer init to initializes the store.
+
+  Takes an optional list of `identity_providers` to populate the store from,
+  and the already-configured map of `service_providers` data.
+  """
+  @callback init([map], %{SpData.id() => SpData.t()}) :: :ok | {:error, any()}
+
+  @doc """
+  Fetches the IdpData for the given Id from the store.
+  """
+  @callback get(binary) :: nil | IdpData.t()
+
+  @doc """
+  Saves the IdpData for the given Id into the store.
+  Could be omitted by implementation. In that case, it should return `:unsupported`
+  """
+  @callback put(binary, IdpData.t()) :: :ok | :unsupported | {:error, any()}
+
+  @doc """
+  Removes the IdpData for the given Id from the store.
+  Could be omitted by implementation. In that case, it should return `:unsupported`
+  """
+  @callback delete(binary) :: :ok | :unsupported | {:error, any()}
+end
diff --git a/lib/samly/provider.ex b/lib/samly/provider.ex
index 5c9e032..953bcd8 100644
--- a/lib/samly/provider.ex
+++ b/lib/samly/provider.ex
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ defmodule Samly.Provider do
   require Logger
 
   require Samly.Esaml
-  alias Samly.{State}
+  alias Samly.{State, IdpData}
 
   @doc false
   def start_link(gs_opts \\ []) do
@@ -58,12 +58,9 @@ defmodule Samly.Provider do
     Application.put_env(:samly, :idp_id_from, idp_id_from)
 
     service_providers = Samly.SpData.load_providers(opts[:service_providers] || [])
-
-    identity_providers =
-      Samly.IdpData.load_providers(opts[:identity_providers] || [], service_providers)
-
     Application.put_env(:samly, :service_providers, service_providers)
-    Application.put_env(:samly, :identity_providers, identity_providers)
+
+    :ok = IdpData.store().init(opts[:identity_providers], service_providers)
 
     {:ok, %{}}
   end