diff --git a/packages/tc-api-express/index.js b/packages/tc-api-express/index.js
index a423402f9..9ed13b89b 100644
--- a/packages/tc-api-express/index.js
+++ b/packages/tc-api-express/index.js
@@ -52,14 +52,13 @@ const getApp = async (options = {}) => {
 	router.use(bodyParsers);
 	router.use(restPath, restMiddlewares, getRestApi(options));
 	router.use(errorToErrors);
-
+	schema.init(schemaOptions);
 	const {
 		isSchemaUpdating,
 		graphqlHandler,
 		listenForSchemaChanges: updateGraphqlApiOnSchemaChange,
 	} = getGraphqlApi(options);
 
-	schema.init();
 	updateGraphqlApiOnSchemaChange();
 	updateConstraintsOnSchemaChange();
 
@@ -83,14 +82,12 @@ const getApp = async (options = {}) => {
 		availableEvents,
 	};
 
-	schema.init(schemaOptions);
 	updateGraphqlApiOnSchemaChange();
 	// avoids this running in every single spec file
 	// instead we explictly set up the constraints once before we start the test suite
 	if (!process.env.TREECREEPER_TEST) {
 		updateConstraintsOnSchemaChange();
 	}
-
 	await schema.ready();
 
 	return app;
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/README.md b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/README.md
index abd99b35f..e68a4b6d7 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/README.md
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,15 @@ The package exports a singleton instance, and once initialised, `@financial-time
 
 ### Initialisation
 
+This is a little odd (and should be improved in future)
+
+-   When using local, static data (`schemaDirectory` or `schemaData` options below), the `init()` method populates the sdk with data immediately and its methods can be used to access the data immediately
+-   When using remote data (`schemaBaseUrl`), no data is populated, and `schema.ready()` must be awaited before using the sdk's synchronous methods.
+
+Be aware of the idiosyncrasy above if you ever come across errors complaining that no data is available.
+
+### `init(options)`
+
 The package exports an `init(options)` function, that takes the following options:
 
 -   `schemaDirectory` - absolute path to a directory that contains schema files as yaml. Will use the `TREECREEPER_SCHEMA_DIRECTORY` environment variable if defined. This is the preferred way of specifying the directory
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/browser.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/browser.js
index e633af8fe..ad8eaae12 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/browser.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/browser.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 const { SDK } = require('./sdk');
 
-module.exports = new SDK({ init: false });
+module.exports = new SDK();
 
 module.exports.SDK = SDK;
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/polling.spec.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/polling.spec.js
index 59a5abe5d..ebd2b1c12 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/polling.spec.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/polling.spec.js
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ const { RawDataWrapper } = require('../raw-data-wrapper');
 const { Cache } = require('../cache');
 
 const create = options =>
-	new SchemaUpdater(options, new RawDataWrapper(), new Cache());
+	new SchemaUpdater({
+		options,
+		rawData: new RawDataWrapper(),
+		cache: new Cache(),
+	});
 
 const nextTick = () => new Promise(res => process.nextTick(res));
 
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/stale.spec.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/stale.spec.js
index 4e5f66507..4c0ed290e 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/stale.spec.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/stale.spec.js
@@ -7,7 +7,11 @@ const { RawDataWrapper } = require('../raw-data-wrapper');
 const { Cache } = require('../cache');
 
 const create = options =>
-	new SchemaUpdater(options, new RawDataWrapper(), new Cache());
+	new SchemaUpdater({
+		options,
+		rawData: new RawDataWrapper(),
+		cache: new Cache(),
+	});
 
 const timer = delay => new Promise(res => setTimeout(res, delay));
 const nextTick = () => new Promise(res => process.nextTick(res));
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-code.spec.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-code.spec.js
index c8445a1ba..3f9e45b42 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-code.spec.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-code.spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { SDK } = require('../../sdk');
+const { SDK } = require('../..');
 
 describe('validateCode', () => {
 	const {
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property-name.spec.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property-name.spec.js
index e4c566b61..e2c70a068 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property-name.spec.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property-name.spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { SDK } = require('../../sdk');
+const { SDK } = require('../..');
 
 describe('validatePropertyName', () => {
 	const {
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property.spec.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property.spec.js
index 472f90817..cf597114d 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property.spec.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-property.spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { SDK } = require('../../sdk');
+const { SDK } = require('../..');
 const readYaml = require('../read-yaml');
 
 const getValidator = (type, { enums, relationshipTypes } = {}) => {
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-type-name.spec.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-type-name.spec.js
index 9acc956b2..d7c9e5ba5 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-type-name.spec.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/__tests__/validate-type-name.spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { SDK } = require('../../sdk');
+const { SDK } = require('../..');
 
 describe('validateTypeName', () => {
 	const {
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/updater.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/updater.js
index 5a3960ba6..bb2fb7b1e 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/updater.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/lib/updater.js
@@ -2,13 +2,15 @@ const EventEmitter = require('events');
 const fetch = require('node-fetch');
 
 class SchemaUpdater {
-	constructor(options, rawData, cache, readYaml) {
+	constructor({ options, rawData, cache, readYaml }) {
 		this.eventEmitter = new EventEmitter();
 		this.lastRefreshDate = 0;
 		this.rawData = rawData;
 		this.cache = cache;
 		this.readYaml = readYaml;
-		this.configure(options);
+		if (options) {
+			this.configure(options);
+		}
 	}
 
 	configure({
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/sdk.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/sdk.js
index 911e99073..6d722089d 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/sdk.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/sdk.js
@@ -14,12 +14,17 @@ const { SchemaUpdater } = require('./lib/updater');
 const utils = require('./lib/utils');
 
 class SDK {
-	constructor(options = {}) {
+	constructor(options) {
 		this.cache = new Cache();
 		this.rawData = new RawDataWrapper();
-		this.TreecreeperUserError = TreecreeperUserError;
-		this.subscribers = [];
+		this.updater = new SchemaUpdater({
+			options,
+			rawData: this.rawData,
+			cache: this.cache,
+			readYaml: this.readYaml,
+		});
 
+		this.TreecreeperUserError = TreecreeperUserError;
 		this.getEnums = this.createEnrichedAccessor(enums);
 		this.getPrimitiveTypes = this.createEnrichedAccessor(primitiveTypes);
 		this.getStringValidator = this.createEnrichedAccessor(stringValidator);
@@ -40,10 +45,6 @@ class SDK {
 		Object.entries(utils).forEach(([name, method]) => {
 			this[name] = method.bind(this);
 		});
-
-		if (options.init !== false) {
-			this.init(options);
-		}
 	}
 
 	createEnrichedAccessor({ accessor, cacheKeyGenerator }) {
@@ -53,19 +54,8 @@ class SDK {
 		);
 	}
 
-	async init(options) {
-		const schemaUpdater = new SchemaUpdater(
-			options,
-			this.rawData,
-			this.cache,
-			this.readYaml,
-		);
-
-		// hook up schema updater to this.cache then
-		schemaUpdater.on('change', data => {
-			this.subscribers.forEach(handler => handler(data));
-		});
-		this.updater = schemaUpdater;
+	init(options) {
+		return this.updater.configure(options);
 	}
 
 	async ready() {
@@ -82,7 +72,7 @@ class SDK {
 		if (this.rawData.isHydrated) {
 			handler(event);
 		}
-		this.subscribers.push(handler);
+		this.updater.on('change', handler);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/server.js b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/server.js
index f93bb3a12..8f2a7e3d6 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-sdk/server.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-sdk/server.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 const { SDK } = require('./sdk');
 SDK.prototype.readYaml = require('./lib/read-yaml');
 
-module.exports = new SDK({ init: false });
+module.exports = new SDK();
 module.exports.SDK = SDK;
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/enums.js b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/enums.js
index 7276b2fda..f1935c527 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/enums.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/enums.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 /* global it, describe, expect */
 const { SDK } = require('@financial-times/tc-schema-sdk');
 
-const enums = new SDK().rawData.getEnums();
+const sdk = new SDK();
+sdk.init();
+const enums = sdk.rawData.getEnums();
 
 describe('enums', () => {
 	Object.entries(enums).forEach(([name, { description, options }]) => {
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/primitive-types.js b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/primitive-types.js
index ce1cb4367..92992e128 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/primitive-types.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/primitive-types.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 /* global it, describe, expect */
 const { SDK } = require('@financial-times/tc-schema-sdk');
 
-const primitiveTypes = new SDK().rawData.getPrimitiveTypes();
+const sdk = new SDK();
+sdk.init();
+const primitiveTypes = sdk.rawData.getPrimitiveTypes();
 
 describe('primitive types', () => {
 	Object.entries(primitiveTypes).forEach(([name, { component, graphql }]) => {
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/string-patterns.js b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/string-patterns.js
index c5cb33908..fa81d7062 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/string-patterns.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/string-patterns.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 /* global it, describe, expect */
 const { SDK } = require('@financial-times/tc-schema-sdk');
 
-const stringPatterns = new SDK().rawData.getStringPatterns();
+const sdk = new SDK();
+sdk.init();
+const stringPatterns = sdk.rawData.getStringPatterns();
 const longString = 'x'.repeat(257);
 
 describe('string patterns', () => {
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-hierarchy.js b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-hierarchy.js
index 537a64da9..46d5b61e0 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-hierarchy.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-hierarchy.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 const { SDK } = require('@financial-times/tc-schema-sdk');
 
 const sdk = new SDK();
+sdk.init();
 const { readYaml, rawData } = sdk;
 
 const typeHierarchy = rawData.getTypeHierarchy();
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-test-suite.js b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-test-suite.js
index 065fe87d2..55dd7504c 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-test-suite.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/type-test-suite.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const validURL = require('valid-url');
 const { SDK } = require('@financial-times/tc-schema-sdk');
 
 const sdk = new SDK();
+sdk.init();
 const primitiveTypesMap = sdk.getPrimitiveTypes();
 const { getStringValidator } = sdk;
 const enums = sdk.rawData.getEnums();
diff --git a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/types.js b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/types.js
index d7385ec51..78843a10a 100644
--- a/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/types.js
+++ b/packages/tc-schema-validator/tests/types.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const { SDK } = require('@financial-times/tc-schema-sdk');
 const { typeTestSuite, relationshipTestSuite } = require('./type-test-suite');
 
 const sdk = new SDK();
+sdk.init();
 const { readYaml } = sdk;
 
 const makePath = dir =>