diff --git a/cadvisor.go b/cadvisor.go
index 84ae1544..fcf248ba 100644
--- a/cadvisor.go
+++ b/cadvisor.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import (
 var argPort = flag.Int("port", 8080, "port to listen")
 var maxProcs = flag.Int("max_procs", 0, "max number of CPUs that can be used simultaneously. Less than 1 for default (number of cores).")
 
-var argDbDriver = flag.String("storage_driver", "memory", "storage driver to use. Options are: memory (default), bigquery, and influxdb")
+var argDbDriver = flag.String("storage_driver", "", "storage driver to use. Empty means none. Options are: <empty> (default), bigquery, and influxdb")
 
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
diff --git a/storagedriver.go b/storagedriver.go
index 0009e96a..ea0c94bb 100644
--- a/storagedriver.go
+++ b/storagedriver.go
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ func NewStorageDriver(driverName string) (*memory.InMemoryStorage, error) {
 		samplesToCache = statsRequestedByUI
 	}
 	switch driverName {
+	case "":
+		backendStorage = nil
 	case "influxdb":
 		var hostname string
 		hostname, err = os.Hostname()
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ func NewStorageDriver(driverName string) (*memory.InMemoryStorage, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	glog.Infof("Caching %d recent stats in memory; using %v storage driver\n", samplesToCache, driverName)
+	glog.Infof("Caching %d recent stats in memory; using \"%v\" storage driver\n", samplesToCache, driverName)
 	storageDriver = memory.New(samplesToCache, samplesToCache, backendStorage)
 	return storageDriver, nil
 }