diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory.java
index b7e71999..e0c58c50 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory.java
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public class SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory implements CouchbaseClientFactory {
 		this(Cluster.connect(connectionString, ClusterOptions.clusterOptions(authenticator).environment(environment)), bucketName, scopeName);
 	}
 
-	SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory(final Cluster cluster, final String bucketName, final String scopeName) {
+	public SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory(final Cluster cluster, final String bucketName, final String scopeName) {
 		this.cluster = cluster;
 		this.bucket = cluster.bucket(bucketName);
 		this.scope = scopeName == null ? bucket.defaultScope() : bucket.scope(scopeName);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java
index dac1de92..2ad56e78 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import com.couchbase.client.java.Cluster;
+import com.couchbase.client.java.ClusterOptions;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.BeanDefinition;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider;
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ import com.couchbase.client.core.env.PasswordAuthenticator;
 import com.couchbase.client.java.env.ClusterEnvironment;
 import com.couchbase.client.java.json.JacksonTransformers;
 
+import static com.couchbase.client.java.ClusterOptions.*;
+
 /**
  * Base class for Spring Data Couchbase configuration using JavaConfig.
  *
@@ -61,6 +65,10 @@ import com.couchbase.client.java.json.JacksonTransformers;
 @Configuration
 public abstract class AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration implements CouchbaseConfigurer {
 
+	protected CouchbaseConfigurer couchbaseConfigurer() {
+		return this;
+	}
+
 	public abstract String getConnectionString();
 
 	public abstract String getUserName();
@@ -78,10 +86,17 @@ public abstract class AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration implements CouchbaseConfigu
 	}
 
 	@Bean
+	public CouchbaseClientFactory couchbaseClientFactory(Cluster couchbaseCluster) {
+		return new SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory(couchbaseCluster, getBucketName(), getScopeName());
+	}
+
 	@Override
-	public CouchbaseClientFactory couchbaseClientFactory(ClusterEnvironment clusterEnvironment) {
-		return new SimpleCouchbaseClientFactory(getConnectionString(), authenticator(), getBucketName(),
-				getScopeName(), clusterEnvironment);
+	@Bean
+	public Cluster couchbaseCluster() throws Exception {
+		return Cluster.connect(
+			getConnectionString(),
+			clusterOptions(authenticator()).environment(couchbaseConfigurer().clusterEnvironment())
+		);
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseConfigurer.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseConfigurer.java
index 281fc01b..07c8786b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseConfigurer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseConfigurer.java
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.data.couchbase.config;
 
+import com.couchbase.client.java.Cluster;
 import com.couchbase.client.java.env.ClusterEnvironment;
-import org.springframework.data.couchbase.CouchbaseClientFactory;
 
 /**
  * Strategy interface for users to provide as a factory for custom components needed
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ public interface CouchbaseConfigurer {
 	ClusterEnvironment clusterEnvironment() throws Exception;
 
 	/**
-	 * Set up the underlying main {@link CouchbaseClientFactory} reference to be used by the Spring Data framework
+	 * Set up the underlying main {@link Cluster} reference to be used by the Spring Data framework
 	 * when storing into Couchbase.
 	 *
-	 * @throws Exception in case of error during the CouchbaseClientFactory instantiation.
+	 * @throws Exception in case of error during the Cluster instantiation.
 	 */
-	CouchbaseClientFactory couchbaseClientFactory(ClusterEnvironment clusterEnvironment) throws Exception;
+	Cluster couchbaseCluster() throws Exception;
 
 }