diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.cpp
index df4339323..6a5799b4c 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.cpp
@@ -46,10 +46,32 @@ namespace Opm {
         m_ioConfig->initFirstRFTOutput(schedule);
     }
 
-    const SummaryConfig& EclipseConfig::getSummaryConfig() const {
+
+    const InitConfig& EclipseConfig::init() const {
+        return m_initConfig;
+    }
+
+    const IOConfig& EclipseConfig::io() const {
+        return *m_ioConfig;
+    }
+
+    IOConfig& EclipseConfig::io() {
+        return *m_ioConfig;
+    }
+
+    const SimulationConfig& EclipseConfig::simulation() const {
+        return m_simulationConfig;
+    }
+
+    const SummaryConfig& EclipseConfig::summary() const {
         return m_summaryConfig;
     }
 
+    // [[deprecated]] --- use summary()
+    const SummaryConfig& EclipseConfig::getSummaryConfig() const {
+        return summary();
+    }
+
     IOConfigConstPtr EclipseConfig::getIOConfigConst() const {
         return m_ioConfig;
     }
@@ -58,11 +80,13 @@ namespace Opm {
         return m_ioConfig;
     }
 
+    // [[deprecated]] --- use init()
     const InitConfig& EclipseConfig::getInitConfig() const {
-        return m_initConfig;
+        return init();
     }
 
+    // [[deprecated]] --- use simulation()
     const SimulationConfig& EclipseConfig::getSimulationConfig() const {
-        return m_simulationConfig;
+        return simulation();
     }
 }
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.hpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.hpp
index 1ad47c17e..00d180bcc 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.hpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseConfig.hpp
@@ -43,8 +43,14 @@ namespace Opm {
                       const Schedule& schedule,
                       const ParseContext& parseContext);
 
-        std::shared_ptr< const IOConfig > getIOConfigConst() const;
-        std::shared_ptr< IOConfig > getIOConfig() const;
+        const InitConfig& init() const;
+        const IOConfig& io() const;
+        IOConfig& io();
+        const SimulationConfig & simulation() const;
+        const SummaryConfig& summary() const;
+
+        std::shared_ptr<const IOConfig> getIOConfigConst() const;
+        std::shared_ptr<IOConfig> getIOConfig() const;
         const InitConfig& getInitConfig() const;
         const SimulationConfig & getSimulationConfig() const;
         const SummaryConfig& getSummaryConfig() const;
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp
index c8ab0af44..19af68219 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp
@@ -137,22 +137,31 @@ namespace Opm {
         return m_schedule;
     }
 
+    /// [[deprecated]] --- use cfg().io()
     IOConfigConstPtr EclipseState::getIOConfigConst() const {
         return m_eclipseConfig.getIOConfigConst();
     }
 
+    /// [[deprecated]] --- use cfg().io()
     IOConfigPtr EclipseState::getIOConfig() const {
         return m_eclipseConfig.getIOConfig();
     }
 
+    /// [[deprecated]] --- use cfg().init()
     const InitConfig& EclipseState::getInitConfig() const {
         return m_eclipseConfig.getInitConfig();
     }
 
+    /// [[deprecated]] --- use cfg()
     const EclipseConfig& EclipseState::getEclipseConfig() const {
+        return cfg();
+    }
+
+    const EclipseConfig& EclipseState::cfg() const {
         return m_eclipseConfig;
     }
 
+    /// [[deprecated]] --- use cfg().simulation()
     const SimulationConfig& EclipseState::getSimulationConfig() const {
         return m_eclipseConfig.getSimulationConfig();
     }
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.hpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.hpp
index dc493ce9c..21c209674 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.hpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.hpp
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ namespace Opm {
 
         const TableManager& getTableManager() const;
         const EclipseConfig& getEclipseConfig() const;
+        const EclipseConfig& cfg() const;
 
         // the unit system used by the deck. note that it is rarely needed to convert
         // units because internally to opm-parser everything is represented by SI
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.cpp
index 0c1363ec3..1f311af51 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.cpp
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ namespace Opm {
         m_output_enabled = enabled;
     }
 
-    std::string IOConfig::getOutputDir() {
+    std::string IOConfig::getOutputDir() const {
         return m_output_dir;
     }
 
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.hpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.hpp
index f787a49e4..cf09631c5 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.hpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/IOConfig.hpp
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ namespace Opm {
         bool getOutputEnabled();
         void setOutputEnabled(bool enabled);
 
-        std::string getOutputDir();
+        std::string getOutputDir() const;
         void setOutputDir(const std::string& outputDir);
 
         const std::string& getBaseName() const;
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/tests/IOConfigTest.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/tests/IOConfigTest.cpp
index 7f164ace2..1646a205a 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/tests/IOConfigTest.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/IOConfig/tests/IOConfigTest.cpp
@@ -163,10 +163,10 @@ static DeckPtr createDeck(const std::string& input) {
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( RFT_TIME) {
     DeckPtr deck = createDeck(deckStr_RFT);
     EclipseState state( *deck , Opm::ParseContext() );
-    std::shared_ptr<const IOConfig> ioConfig = state.getIOConfigConst();
+    const IOConfig& ioConfig = state.cfg().io();
 
 
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( ioConfig->getFirstRFTStep() , 2 );
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( ioConfig.getFirstRFTStep() , 2 );
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(RPTRST_mixed_mnemonics_int_list) {
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/tests/EclipseStateTests.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/tests/EclipseStateTests.cpp
index 13469944a..ac2e958d8 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/tests/EclipseStateTests.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/tests/EclipseStateTests.cpp
@@ -448,14 +448,16 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(TestIOConfigBaseName) {
     ParserPtr parser(new Parser());
     DeckConstPtr deck = parser->parseFile("testdata/integration_tests/IOConfig/SPE1CASE2.DATA", parseContext);
     EclipseState state(*deck, parseContext);
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(state.getIOConfig()->getBaseName(), "SPE1CASE2");
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(state.getIOConfig()->getOutputDir(), "testdata/integration_tests/IOConfig");
+    const auto& io = state.cfg().io();
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(io.getBaseName(), "SPE1CASE2");
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(io.getOutputDir(), "testdata/integration_tests/IOConfig");
 
     ParserPtr parser2(new Parser());
     DeckConstPtr deck2 = createDeckWithGridOpts();
     EclipseState state2(*deck2, parseContext);
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(state2.getIOConfig()->getBaseName(), "");
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(state2.getIOConfig()->getOutputDir(), ".");
+    const auto& io2 = state2.cfg().io();
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(io2.getBaseName(), "");
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(io2.getOutputDir(), ".");
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(TestIOConfigCreation) {
@@ -495,8 +497,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(TestIOConfigCreation) {
     DeckPtr deck = parser->parseString(deckData, ParseContext()) ;
     EclipseState state(*deck , ParseContext());
 
-    IOConfigConstPtr ioConfig = state.getIOConfigConst();
-    const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig->restartConfig();
+    const IOConfig& ioConfig = state.cfg().io();
+    const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig.restartConfig();
 
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(false, rstConfig.getWriteRestartFile(0));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(false, rstConfig.getWriteRestartFile(1));
@@ -547,8 +549,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(TestIOConfigCreationWithSolutionRPTRST) {
     DeckPtr deck = parser->parseString(deckData, parseContext) ;
     EclipseState state(*deck, parseContext);
 
-    IOConfigConstPtr ioConfig = state.getIOConfigConst();
-    const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig->restartConfig();
+    const IOConfig& ioConfig = state.cfg().io();
+    const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig.restartConfig();
 
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(true  ,  rstConfig.getWriteRestartFile(0));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(false ,  rstConfig.getWriteRestartFile(1));
@@ -639,8 +641,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(TestIOConfigCreationWithSolutionRPTSOL) {
         DeckPtr deck = parser->parseString(deckData, parseContext) ;
         EclipseState state(*deck, parseContext);
 
-        IOConfigConstPtr ioConfig = state.getIOConfigConst();
-        const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig->restartConfig();
+        const IOConfig& ioConfig = state.cfg().io();
+        const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig.restartConfig();
 
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(true, rstConfig.getWriteRestartFile(0));
     }
@@ -649,8 +651,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(TestIOConfigCreationWithSolutionRPTSOL) {
         DeckPtr deck = parser->parseString(deckData2, parseContext) ;
         EclipseState state(*deck, parseContext);
 
-        IOConfigConstPtr ioConfig = state.getIOConfigConst();
-        const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig->restartConfig();
+        const IOConfig& ioConfig = state.cfg().io();
+        const RestartConfig& rstConfig = ioConfig.restartConfig();
 
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(true, rstConfig.getWriteRestartFile(0));
     }
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/IOConfigIntegrationTest.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/IOConfigIntegrationTest.cpp
index 90ac057ef..eeb6c86d8 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/IOConfigIntegrationTest.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/IOConfigIntegrationTest.cpp
@@ -36,16 +36,16 @@
 
 using namespace Opm;
 
-inline void verifyRestartConfig(IOConfigConstPtr ioconfig, std::vector<std::tuple<int , bool, boost::gregorian::date>>& rptConfig) {
+inline void verifyRestartConfig(const IOConfig& io, std::vector<std::tuple<int , bool, boost::gregorian::date>>& rptConfig) {
 
     for (auto rptrst : rptConfig) {
         int report_step                    = std::get<0>(rptrst);
         bool save                          = std::get<1>(rptrst);
         boost::gregorian::date report_date = std::get<2>(rptrst);
 
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( save , ioconfig->restartConfig().getWriteRestartFile( report_step ));
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( save , io.restartConfig().getWriteRestartFile( report_step ));
         if (save) {
-            BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( report_date, ioconfig->getTimestepDate( report_step ));
+            BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( report_date, io.getTimestepDate( report_step ));
         }
     }
 }
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( NorneRestartConfig ) {
 
 
     auto state = Parser::parse("testdata/integration_tests/IOConfig/RPTRST_DECK.DATA");
-    verifyRestartConfig(state.getIOConfigConst(), rptConfig);
+    verifyRestartConfig(state.cfg().io(), rptConfig);
 }
 
 
@@ -339,10 +339,10 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( RestartConfig2 ) {
     ParserPtr parser(new Parser());
     DeckConstPtr deck = parser->parseFile("testdata/integration_tests/IOConfig/RPT_TEST2.DATA", parseContext);
     EclipseState state( *deck , parseContext );
-    std::shared_ptr<const IOConfig> ioConfig = state.getIOConfigConst();
+    const IOConfig& ioConfig = state.cfg().io();
     verifyRestartConfig(ioConfig, rptConfig);
 
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( ioConfig->getFirstRestartStep() , 0 );
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( ioConfig.getFirstRestartStep() , 0 );
 }
 
 
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/Parser.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/Parser.cpp
index 6098c4c31..7f7b1899c 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/Parser.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/Parser.cpp
@@ -625,8 +625,9 @@ bool parseState( ParserState& parserState, const Parser& parser ) {
     EclipseState Parser::parse(const std::string &filename, const ParseContext& context) {
         assertFullDeck(context);
         Parser p;
-        auto deck = p.parseFile(filename, context);
-        return EclipseState(deck, context);
+        DeckPtr deck = p.parseFile(filename, context);
+        EclipseState es(deck, context);
+        return es;
     }
 
     EclipseState Parser::parse(const Deck& deck, const ParseContext& context) {