diff --git a/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/Driver/KernelDriver.php b/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/Driver/KernelDriver.php
index a79fa4c..1bc57b7 100644
--- a/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/Driver/KernelDriver.php
+++ b/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/Driver/KernelDriver.php
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 namespace Behat\Symfony2Extension\Driver;
 
 use Behat\Mink\Driver\BrowserKitDriver;
+use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\Client;
 use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\KernelInterface;
 
 /**
@@ -21,8 +22,9 @@
  */
 class KernelDriver extends BrowserKitDriver
 {
-    public function __construct(KernelInterface $kernel, $baseUrl = null)
+    public function __construct(KernelInterface $kernel, $baseUrl = null, $shared = false)
     {
-        parent::__construct($kernel->getContainer()->get('test.client'), $baseUrl);
+        $client = $shared === true ? new Client($kernel) : $kernel->getContainer()->get('test.client');
+        parent::__construct($client, $baseUrl);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Driver/SymfonyFactory.php b/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Driver/SymfonyFactory.php
index 3485044..259f30e 100644
--- a/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Driver/SymfonyFactory.php
+++ b/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Driver/SymfonyFactory.php
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public function buildDriver(array $config)
         return new Definition('Behat\Symfony2Extension\Driver\KernelDriver', array(
             new Reference(Symfony2Extension::KERNEL_ID),
             '%mink.base_url%',
+            '%symfony2_extension.kernel.shared%'
         ));
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Symfony2Extension.php b/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Symfony2Extension.php
index 273ddb6..c93bd31 100644
--- a/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Symfony2Extension.php
+++ b/src/Behat/Symfony2Extension/ServiceContainer/Symfony2Extension.php
@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@ public function configure(ArrayNodeDefinition $builder)
                             ->end()
                             ->defaultTrue()
                         ->end()
+                        ->booleanNode('shared')
+                            ->beforeNormalization()
+                                ->ifString()->then($boolFilter)
+                            ->end()
+                            ->defaultFalse()
+                        ->end()
                     ->end()
                 ->end()
                 ->arrayNode('context')
@@ -181,6 +187,7 @@ private function loadKernel(ContainerBuilder $container, array $config)
         $container->setDefinition(self::KERNEL_ID, $definition);
         $container->setParameter(self::KERNEL_ID . '.path', $config['path']);
         $container->setParameter(self::KERNEL_ID . '.bootstrap', $config['bootstrap']);
+        $container->setParameter(self::KERNEL_ID . '.shared', $config['shared']);
     }
 
     private function loadSuiteGenerator(ContainerBuilder $container, array $config)