diff --git a/cloud/shepherd/equinix/manager/initializer.go b/cloud/shepherd/equinix/manager/initializer.go
index f51d4e4..4193f4c 100644
--- a/cloud/shepherd/equinix/manager/initializer.go
+++ b/cloud/shepherd/equinix/manager/initializer.go
@@ -6,32 +6,30 @@
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/pem"
-	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"os"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/packethost/packngo"
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
-	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
-	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
 
 	apb "source.monogon.dev/cloud/agent/api"
-	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/bmaas/bmdb"
 	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/bmaas/bmdb/model"
 	ecl "source.monogon.dev/cloud/shepherd/equinix/wrapngo"
 )
 
-// AgentConfig configures how the Initializer will deploy Agents on machines. In
-// CLI scenarios, this should be populated from flags via RegisterFlags.
-type AgentConfig struct {
+// InitializerConfig configures how the Initializer will deploy Agents on
+// machines. In CLI scenarios, this should be populated from flags via
+// RegisterFlags.
+type InitializerConfig struct {
+	ControlLoopConfig
+
 	// Executable is the contents of the agent binary created and run
 	// at the provisioned servers. Must be set.
 	Executable []byte
@@ -59,7 +57,9 @@
 	SSHExecTimeout time.Duration
 }
 
-func (a *AgentConfig) RegisterFlags() {
+func (a *InitializerConfig) RegisterFlags() {
+	a.ControlLoopConfig.RegisterFlags("initializer")
+
 	flag.Func("agent_executable_path", "Local filesystem path of agent binary to be uploaded", func(val string) error {
 		if val == "" {
 			return nil
@@ -96,194 +96,89 @@
 	flag.DurationVar(&a.SSHExecTimeout, "agent_ssh_exec_timeout", 60*time.Second, "Timeout for connecting over SSH to a machine")
 }
 
-// InitializerConfig configures the broad agent initialization process. The
-// specifics of how an agent is started are instead configured in Agent Config. In
-// CLI scenarios, this should be populated from flags via RegisterFlags.
-type InitializerConfig struct {
-	// DBQueryLimiter limits the rate at which BMDB is queried for servers ready
-	// for BMaaS agent initialization. Must be set.
-	DBQueryLimiter *rate.Limiter
-
-	// Parallelism is how many instances of the Initializer will be allowed to run in
-	// parallel against the BMDB. This speeds up the process of starting/restarting
-	// agents significantly, as one initializer instance can handle at most one agent
-	// (re)starting process.
-	//
-	// If not set (ie. 0), default to 1. A good starting value for production
-	// deployments is 10 or so.
-	Parallelism int
-}
-
-// flagLimiter configures a *rate.Limiter as a flag.
-func flagLimiter(l **rate.Limiter, name, defval, help string) {
-	syntax := "'duration,count' eg. '2m,10' for a 10-sized bucket refilled at one token every 2 minutes"
-	help = help + fmt.Sprintf(" (default: %q, syntax: %s)", defval, syntax)
-	flag.Func(name, help, func(val string) error {
-		if val == "" {
-			val = defval
-		}
-		parts := strings.Split(val, ",")
-		if len(parts) != 2 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("invalid syntax, want: %s", syntax)
-		}
-		duration, err := time.ParseDuration(parts[0])
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("invalid duration: %w", err)
-		}
-		refill, err := strconv.ParseUint(parts[1], 10, 31)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("invalid refill rate: %w", err)
-		}
-		*l = rate.NewLimiter(rate.Every(duration), int(refill))
-		return nil
-	})
-	flag.Set(name, defval)
-}
-
-func (i *InitializerConfig) RegisterFlags() {
-	flagLimiter(&i.DBQueryLimiter, "initializer_db_query_rate", "250ms,8", "Rate limiting for BMDB queries")
-	flag.IntVar(&i.Parallelism, "initializer_parallelism", 1, "How many initializer instances to run in parallel, ie. how many agents to attempt to (re)start at once")
-}
-
-// Initializer implements the BMaaS agent initialization process. Initialization
-// entails asking the BMDB for machines that need the agent started
-// (or-restarted) and acting upon that.
+// The Initializer starts the agent on machines that aren't yet running it.
 type Initializer struct {
-	config       *InitializerConfig
-	agentConfig  *AgentConfig
+	InitializerConfig
+
 	sharedConfig *SharedConfig
+	cl           ecl.Client
+	signer       ssh.Signer
 	sshClient    SSHClient
-	// cl is the packngo wrapper used by the initializer.
-	cl ecl.Client
 }
 
-// task describes a single server currently being processed either in the
-// context of agent initialization or recovery.
-type task struct {
-	// id is the BMDB-assigned machine identifier.
-	id uuid.UUID
-	// pid is an identifier assigned by the provider (Equinix).
-	pid uuid.UUID
-	// work is a machine lock facilitated by BMDB that prevents machines from
-	// being processed by multiple workers at the same time.
-	work *bmdb.Work
-	// dev is a provider machine/device record.
-	dev *packngo.Device
-}
-
-// New creates an Initializer instance, checking the InitializerConfig,
-// SharedConfig and AgentConfig for errors.
-func (c *InitializerConfig) New(cl ecl.Client, sc *SharedConfig, ac *AgentConfig) (*Initializer, error) {
+// NewInitializer creates an Initializer instance, checking the
+// InitializerConfig, SharedConfig and AgentConfig for errors.
+func NewInitializer(cl ecl.Client, ic InitializerConfig, sc *SharedConfig) (*Initializer, error) {
 	if err := sc.check(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if len(ac.Executable) == 0 {
+	if err := ic.ControlLoopConfig.Check(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if len(ic.Executable) == 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("agent executable not configured")
 	}
-	if ac.TargetPath == "" {
+	if ic.TargetPath == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("agent target path must be set")
 	}
-	if ac.Endpoint == "" {
+	if ic.Endpoint == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("agent endpoint must be set")
 	}
-	if ac.SSHConnectTimeout == 0 {
+	if ic.SSHConnectTimeout == 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("agent SSH connection timeout must be set")
 	}
-	if ac.SSHExecTimeout == 0 {
+	if ic.SSHExecTimeout == 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("agent SSH execution timeout must be set")
 	}
-	if c.DBQueryLimiter == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("DBQueryLimiter must be configured")
+
+	signer, err := sc.sshSigner()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not initialize signer: %w", err)
 	}
-	if c.Parallelism == 0 {
-		c.Parallelism = 1
-	}
+
 	return &Initializer{
-		config:       c,
+		InitializerConfig: ic,
+
 		sharedConfig: sc,
-		agentConfig:  ac,
-		sshClient:    &PlainSSHClient{},
 		cl:           cl,
+		sshClient:    &PlainSSHClient{},
+		signer:       signer,
 	}, nil
 }
 
-// Run the initializer(s) (depending on opts.Parallelism) blocking the current
-// goroutine until the given context expires and all provisioners quit.
-func (i *Initializer) Run(ctx context.Context, conn *bmdb.Connection) error {
-	eg := errgroup.Group{}
-	for j := 0; j < i.config.Parallelism; j += 1 {
-		eg.Go(func() error {
-			return i.runOne(ctx, conn)
-		})
-	}
-	return eg.Wait()
+func (c *Initializer) getMachines(ctx context.Context, q *model.Queries, limit int32) ([]model.MachineProvided, error) {
+	return q.GetMachinesForAgentStart(ctx, limit)
 }
 
-// Run the initializer blocking the current goroutine until the given context
-// expires.
-func (c *Initializer) runOne(ctx context.Context, conn *bmdb.Connection) error {
-	signer, err := c.sharedConfig.sshSigner()
+func (c *Initializer) processMachine(ctx context.Context, t *task) error {
+	dev, err := c.cl.GetDevice(ctx, c.sharedConfig.ProjectId, t.machine.ProviderID)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not initialize signer: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Maintain a BMDB session as long as possible.
-	var sess *bmdb.Session
-	for {
-		if sess == nil {
-			sess, err = conn.StartSession(ctx)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("could not start BMDB session: %w", err)
-			}
-		}
-		// Inside that session, run the main logic.
-		err = c.runInSession(ctx, sess, signer)
-
-		switch {
-		case err == nil:
-		case errors.Is(err, ctx.Err()):
-			return err
-		case errors.Is(err, bmdb.ErrSessionExpired):
-			klog.Errorf("Session expired, restarting...")
-			sess = nil
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
-		case err != nil:
-			klog.Errorf("Processing failed: %v", err)
-			// TODO(q3k): close session
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// runInSession executes one iteration of the initializer's control loop within a
-// BMDB session. This control loop attempts to start or re-start the agent on any
-// machines that need this per the BMDB.
-func (c *Initializer) runInSession(ctx context.Context, sess *bmdb.Session, signer ssh.Signer) error {
-	t, err := c.source(ctx, sess)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not source machine: %w", err)
-	}
-	if t == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	defer t.work.Cancel(ctx)
-
-	klog.Infof("Machine %q needs agent start, fetching corresponding packngo device %q...", t.id, t.pid)
-	dev, err := c.cl.GetDevice(ctx, c.sharedConfig.ProjectId, t.pid.String())
-	if err != nil {
-		klog.Errorf("failed to fetch device %q: %v", t.pid, err)
+		klog.Errorf("failed to fetch device %q: %v", t.machine.ProviderID, err)
 		d := 30 * time.Second
 		err = t.work.Fail(ctx, &d, "failed to fetch device from equinix")
 		return err
 	}
-	t.dev = dev
 
-	err = c.init(ctx, signer, t)
+	// Start the agent.
+	klog.Infof("Starting agent on device (ID: %s, PID %s)", t.machine.MachineID, t.machine.ProviderID)
+	apk, err := c.startAgent(ctx, c.signer, dev, t.machine.MachineID)
 	if err != nil {
-		klog.Errorf("Failed to initialize: %v", err)
-		d := 1 * time.Minute
-		err = t.work.Fail(ctx, &d, fmt.Sprintf("failed to initialize machine: %v", err))
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("while starting the agent: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Agent startup succeeded. Set the appropriate BMDB tag, and release the
+	// lock.
+	klog.Infof("Setting AgentStarted (ID: %s, PID: %s, Agent public key: %s).", t.machine.MachineID, t.machine.ProviderID, hex.EncodeToString(apk))
+	err = t.work.Finish(ctx, func(q *model.Queries) error {
+		return q.MachineSetAgentStarted(ctx, model.MachineSetAgentStartedParams{
+			MachineID:      t.machine.MachineID,
+			AgentStartedAt: time.Now(),
+			AgentPublicKey: apk,
+		})
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("while setting AgentStarted tag: %w", err)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -293,7 +188,7 @@
 func (i *Initializer) startAgent(ctx context.Context, sgn ssh.Signer, d *packngo.Device, mid uuid.UUID) ([]byte, error) {
 	// Provide a bound on execution time in case we get stuck after the SSH
 	// connection is established.
-	sctx, sctxC := context.WithTimeout(ctx, i.agentConfig.SSHExecTimeout)
+	sctx, sctxC := context.WithTimeout(ctx, i.SSHExecTimeout)
 	defer sctxC()
 
 	// Use the device's IP address exposed by Equinix API.
@@ -308,7 +203,7 @@
 	}
 	klog.V(1).Infof("Dialing device (machine ID: %s, addr: %s).", mid, addr)
 
-	conn, err := i.sshClient.Dial(sctx, addr, "root", sgn, i.agentConfig.SSHConnectTimeout)
+	conn, err := i.sshClient.Dial(sctx, addr, "root", sgn, i.SSHConnectTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("while dialing the device: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -317,7 +212,7 @@
 	// Upload the agent executable.
 
 	klog.Infof("Uploading the agent executable (machine ID: %s, addr: %s).", mid, addr)
-	if err := conn.Upload(sctx, i.agentConfig.TargetPath, i.agentConfig.Executable); err != nil {
+	if err := conn.Upload(sctx, i.TargetPath, i.Executable); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("while uploading agent executable: %w", err)
 	}
 	klog.V(1).Infof("Upload successful (machine ID: %s, addr: %s).", mid, addr)
@@ -326,8 +221,8 @@
 	// standard input.
 	imsg := apb.TakeoverInit{
 		MachineId:     mid.String(),
-		BmaasEndpoint: i.agentConfig.Endpoint,
-		CaCertificate: i.agentConfig.EndpointCACertificate,
+		BmaasEndpoint: i.Endpoint,
+		CaCertificate: i.EndpointCACertificate,
 	}
 	imsgb, err := proto.Marshal(&imsg)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -335,8 +230,8 @@
 	}
 
 	// Start the agent and wait for the agent's output to arrive.
-	klog.V(1).Infof("Starting the agent executable at path %q (machine ID: %s).", i.agentConfig.TargetPath, mid)
-	stdout, stderr, err := conn.Execute(ctx, i.agentConfig.TargetPath, imsgb)
+	klog.V(1).Infof("Starting the agent executable at path %q (machine ID: %s).", i.TargetPath, mid)
+	stdout, stderr, err := conn.Execute(ctx, i.TargetPath, imsgb)
 	stderrStr := strings.TrimSpace(string(stderr))
 	if stderrStr != "" {
 		klog.Warningf("Agent stderr: %q", stderrStr)
@@ -367,71 +262,3 @@
 	klog.Infof("Started the agent (machine ID: %s, key: %s).", mid, hex.EncodeToString(successResp.Key))
 	return successResp.Key, nil
 }
-
-// init initializes the server described by t, using BMDB session 'sess' to set
-// the relevant BMDB tag on success, and 'sgn' to authenticate to the server.
-func (ir *Initializer) init(ctx context.Context, sgn ssh.Signer, t *task) error {
-	// Start the agent.
-	klog.Infof("Starting agent on device (ID: %s, PID %s)", t.id, t.pid)
-	apk, err := ir.startAgent(ctx, sgn, t.dev, t.id)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("while starting the agent: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Agent startup succeeded. Set the appropriate BMDB tag, and release the
-	// lock.
-	klog.Infof("Setting AgentStarted (ID: %s, PID: %s, Agent public key: %s).", t.id, t.pid, hex.EncodeToString(apk))
-	err = t.work.Finish(ctx, func(q *model.Queries) error {
-		return q.MachineSetAgentStarted(ctx, model.MachineSetAgentStartedParams{
-			MachineID:      t.id,
-			AgentStartedAt: time.Now(),
-			AgentPublicKey: apk,
-		})
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("while setting AgentStarted tag: %w", err)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// source supplies returns a BMDB-locked server ready for initialization, locked
-// by a work item. If both task and error are nil, then there are no machines
-// needed to be initialized.
-// The returned work item in task _must_ be canceled or finished by the caller.
-func (ir *Initializer) source(ctx context.Context, sess *bmdb.Session) (*task, error) {
-	ir.config.DBQueryLimiter.Wait(ctx)
-
-	var machine *model.MachineProvided
-	work, err := sess.Work(ctx, model.ProcessShepherdAccess, func(q *model.Queries) ([]uuid.UUID, error) {
-		machines, err := q.GetMachinesForAgentStart(ctx, 1)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		if len(machines) < 1 {
-			return nil, bmdb.ErrNothingToDo
-		}
-		machine = &machines[0]
-		return []uuid.UUID{machines[0].MachineID}, nil
-	})
-
-	if errors.Is(err, bmdb.ErrNothingToDo) {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("while querying BMDB agent candidates: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	pid, err := uuid.Parse(machine.ProviderID)
-	if err != nil {
-		t := time.Hour
-		work.Fail(ctx, &t, fmt.Sprintf("could not parse provider UUID %q", machine.ProviderID))
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("while parsing provider UUID: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	return &task{
-		id:   machine.MachineID,
-		pid:  pid,
-		work: work,
-	}, nil
-}