diff --git a/libexperiments/experiments.cc b/libexperiments/experiments.cc
index 89fec64..daf3e20 100644
--- a/libexperiments/experiments.cc
+++ b/libexperiments/experiments.cc
@@ -70,9 +70,6 @@
   if (!names_to_register.empty()) {
     if (!Register_Locked(names_to_register))
       return false;
-
-    // initial read of registered experiments states
-    Refresh();
   }
 
   return true;
@@ -104,6 +101,13 @@
 
     registered_experiments_.insert(name);
     log("experiments:Registered '%s'", name.c_str());
+
+    // check if experiment is active
+    std::string file_active = config_dir_ + "/" + name + ".active";
+    if (file_exists(file_active.c_str())) {
+      enabled_experiments_.insert(name);
+      log("experiments:'%s' is now enabled", name.c_str());
+    }
   }
   return true;
 }
@@ -138,15 +142,29 @@
     return;
   }
 
-  std::string file_path = config_dir_ + "/" + name + ".active";
-  bool was_enabled = IsInEnabledList(name);
-  bool is_enabled = file_exists(file_path.c_str());
-  if (is_enabled && !was_enabled) {
-    log("experiments:'%s' is now enabled", name.c_str());
-    enabled_experiments_.insert(name);
-  } else if (!is_enabled && was_enabled) {
-    log("experiments:'%s' is now disabled", name.c_str());
-    enabled_experiments_.erase(name);
+  std::string experiments_path = config_dir_ + "/" + name;
+
+  if (IsInEnabledList(name)) {
+    // currently enabled, check if it was set to ".unrequested"
+    std::string file_unrequested = experiments_path + ".unrequested";
+    if (file_exists(file_unrequested.c_str())) {
+      // deactivate experiment
+      std::string file_active = experiments_path + ".active";
+      rm_file(file_active.c_str());
+      rm_file(file_unrequested.c_str());
+      enabled_experiments_.erase(name);
+      log("experiments:'%s' is now disabled", name.c_str());
+    }
+  } else {
+    // currently not enabled, check if it is requested
+    std::string file_requested = experiments_path + ".requested";
+    if (file_exists(file_requested.c_str())) {
+      // activate experiment
+      std::string file_active = experiments_path + ".active";
+      mv_file(file_requested.c_str(), file_active.c_str());
+      enabled_experiments_.insert(name);
+      log("experiments:'%s' is now enabled", name.c_str());
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/libexperiments/experiments_test.cc b/libexperiments/experiments_test.cc
index 5f0178d..659b430 100644
--- a/libexperiments/experiments_test.cc
+++ b/libexperiments/experiments_test.cc
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #include "experiments.h"
 #include "experiments_c_api_test.h"
 
-#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <linux/limits.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
@@ -35,68 +34,20 @@
     ASSERT_EQ(0, system(cmd.c_str()));
   }
 
-  bool CreateFile(const std::string &name) {
-    int fd = open(name.c_str(), O_CREAT | O_TRUNC,
-                  S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR | S_IRGRP | S_IROTH);
-    if (fd < 0) {
-      log_perror(errno, "Cannot create file '%s':", name.c_str());
-      return false;
-    } else {
-      close(fd);
-    }
-    return true;
+  bool SetRequested(const std::string &exp_name) {
+    remove((exp_name + ".unrequested").c_str());
+    return touch_file((exp_name + ".requested").c_str());
   }
 
-  bool RenameFile(const std::string &from_name, const std::string &to_name) {
-    if (rename(from_name.c_str(), to_name.c_str()) < 0) {
-      log_perror(errno, "Cannot rename file '%s' to '%s':", from_name.c_str(),
-                 to_name.c_str());
-      return false;
-    }
-    return true;
+  bool SetUnrequested(const std::string &exp_name) {
+    remove((exp_name + ".requested").c_str());
+    return touch_file((exp_name + ".unrequested").c_str());
   }
 
-  bool DeleteFile(const std::string &name) {
-    if (remove(name.c_str()) < 0) {
-      log_perror(errno, "Cannot delete file '%s':", name.c_str());
-      return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  bool SwitchFromTo(Experiments *e, const std::string &name,
-                    const std::string &from_ext, const std::string &to_ext) {
-    std::string from_file = name + from_ext;
-    std::string to_file = name + to_ext;
-    if (file_exists(from_file.c_str())) {
-      return RenameFile(from_file, to_file);
-    } else {
-      return CreateFile(to_file);
-    }
-  }
-
-  bool SetActive(Experiments *e, const std::string &name) {
-    return SwitchFromTo(e, name, ".inactive", ".active");
-  }
-
-  bool SetInactive(Experiments *e, const std::string &name) {
-    return SwitchFromTo(e, name, ".active", ".inactive");
-  }
-
-  bool Remove(Experiments *e, const std::string &name) {
-    std::string active_file = name + ".active";
-    if (file_exists(active_file.c_str())) {
-      if (!DeleteFile(active_file)) {
-        return false;
-      }
-    }
-    std::string inactive_file = name + ".inactive";
-    if (file_exists(inactive_file.c_str())) {
-      if (!DeleteFile(inactive_file)) {
-        return false;
-      }
-    }
-    return true;
+  void Remove(const std::string &exp_name) {
+    remove((exp_name + ".unrequested").c_str());
+    remove((exp_name + ".requested").c_str());
+    remove((exp_name + ".active").c_str());
   }
 
   static char root_path_[PATH_MAX];
@@ -163,17 +114,20 @@
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_EQ(1, e.GetNumOfRegisteredExperiments());
 
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(&e, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
 
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetInactive(&e, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
 
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(&e, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
 
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(&e, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
+
+  // clean up
+  Remove("exp1");
 }
 
 TEST_F(ExperimentsTest, Multiple) {
@@ -186,47 +140,52 @@
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
 
   // activate exp1 - AII
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(&e, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
   // activate exp2 - AAI
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(&e, "exp2"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp2"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
   // active exp3 - AAA
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(&e, "exp3"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp3"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
   // inactivate exp2 - AIA
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetInactive(&e, "exp2"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp2"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
-  // remove exp1 file - IIA
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(&e, "exp1"));
+  // inactivate exp1 file - IIA
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
   // re-activate exp2 - IAA
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(&e, "exp2"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp2"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
   // inactivate exp1 (re-create file) - IAA
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetInactive(&e, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
-  // remove all - III
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(&e, "exp1"));
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(&e, "exp2"));
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(&e, "exp3"));
+  // inactivate all - III
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp2"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp3"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp2"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp3"));
+
+  // clean up
+  Remove("exp1");
+  Remove("exp2");
+  Remove("exp3");
 }
 
 TEST_F(ExperimentsTest, TimeBetweenRefresh) {
@@ -238,7 +197,7 @@
                            &DummyExperimentsRegisterFunc, {"exp1"}));
   EXPECT_EQ(1, e.GetNumOfRegisteredExperiments());
   EXPECT_FALSE(e.IsEnabled("exp1"));
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(&e, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp1"));
 
   // measure time until we see "exp1" active
   uint64_t duration = us_elapse(start_time);
@@ -251,7 +210,7 @@
   EXPECT_LT(duration, kTimeout) << "time:" << duration;
 
   // clean up
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(&e, "exp1"));
+  Remove("exp1");
 }
 
 TEST_F(ExperimentsTest, C_API_Test) {
@@ -260,9 +219,9 @@
   EXPECT_FALSE(test_experiments_register("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(test_experiments_is_registered("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(test_experiments_is_enabled("exp1"));
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(experiments, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(test_experiments_is_enabled("exp1"));
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(experiments, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
 
   // initialize
   EXPECT_TRUE(test_experiments_initialize(test_folder_path_));
@@ -274,13 +233,13 @@
   EXPECT_EQ(1, experiments_get_num_of_registered_experiments());
 
   EXPECT_FALSE(test_experiments_is_enabled("exp1"));
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetActive(experiments, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetRequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_TRUE(test_experiments_is_enabled("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(test_experiments_is_enabled("exp2"));
 
-  EXPECT_TRUE(SetInactive(experiments, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
   EXPECT_FALSE(test_experiments_is_enabled("exp1"));
 
   // clean up
-  EXPECT_TRUE(Remove(experiments, "exp1"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(SetUnrequested("exp1"));
 }
diff --git a/libexperiments/utils.h b/libexperiments/utils.h
index 3c1adb4..2bb8ddf 100644
--- a/libexperiments/utils.h
+++ b/libexperiments/utils.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef _LIBEXPERIMENTS_UTILS_H_
 #define _LIBEXPERIMENTS_UTILS_H_
 
+#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
@@ -53,6 +54,42 @@
   return S_ISDIR(dir_stat.st_mode);
 }
 
+static inline bool touch_file(const char *name) {
+  if (!name)
+    return false;
+
+  int fd = open(name, O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR | S_IRGRP | S_IROTH);
+  if (fd < 0) {
+    log_perror(errno, "Cannot create file '%s':", name);
+    return false;
+  }
+  close(fd);
+  return true;
+}
+
+static inline bool rm_file(const char *name) {
+  if (!name)
+    return false;
+
+  if (remove(name) < 0) {
+    log_perror(errno, "Cannot rm file '%s':", name);
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+static inline bool mv_file(const char *from_name, const char *to_name) {
+  if (!from_name || !to_name)
+    return false;
+
+  // Note this uses rename() and hence only works on the same filesystem.
+  if (rename(from_name, to_name) < 0) {
+    log_perror(errno, "Cannot mv file '%s' to '%s':", from_name, to_name);
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 // This function runs the command cmd (but not in a shell), providing the
 // return code, stdout, and stderr. It also allows to specify the stdin,
 // and a command timeout value (timeout_usec, use <0 to block indefinitely).