diff --git a/lib/loader/loader.go b/lib/loader/loader.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e0974a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/loader/loader.go
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+package loader
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"strconv"
+
+	i2pconv "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel-config/lib"
+	i2ptunnel "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/core"
+	httpclient "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/http/client"
+	httpserver "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/http/server"
+	ircclient "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/irc/client"
+	ircserver "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/irc/server"
+	socks "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/socks/client"
+	tcpclient "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/tcp/client"
+	tcpserver "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/tcp/server"
+	udpclient "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/udp/client"
+	udpserver "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/udp/server"
+)
+
+var DEFAULT_SAM_ADDRESS = "localhost:7656"
+
+func validateHost(samAddr ...string) string {
+	samhost := DEFAULT_SAM_ADDRESS
+	switch len(samAddr) {
+	case 0:
+		samhost = DEFAULT_SAM_ADDRESS
+	case 1:
+		host, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(samAddr[0])
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Println("Invalid SAM port number, trying the default", err)
+			return DEFAULT_SAM_ADDRESS
+		}
+		samhost = net.JoinHostPort(host, port)
+	case 2:
+		host := samAddr[0]
+		port, err := strconv.Atoi(samAddr[1])
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Println("Invalid SAM port number, trying the default", err)
+			return DEFAULT_SAM_ADDRESS
+		}
+		samhost = net.JoinHostPort(host, strconv.Itoa(port))
+	default:
+		return DEFAULT_SAM_ADDRESS
+	}
+	return samhost
+}
+
+// using go-i2ptunnel-config's Converter, load the config file and return an I2PTunnel matching the configured tunnel type
+func Load(path string, samAddr ...string) (i2ptunnel.I2PTunnel, error) {
+	samhost := validateHost(samAddr...)
+
+	conv := i2pconv.Converter{}
+	format, err := conv.DetectFormat(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	bytes, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	tunnel, err := conv.ParseInput(bytes, format)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	switch tunnel.Type {
+	case "tcpclient":
+		return tcpclient.NewTCPClient(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "tcpserver":
+		return tcpserver.NewTCPServer(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "udpclient":
+		return udpclient.NewUDPClient(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "udpserver":
+		return udpserver.NewUDPServer(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "socks":
+		return socks.NewSocksClient(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "httpclient":
+		return httpclient.NewHTTPClient(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "httpserver":
+		return httpserver.NewHTTPServer(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "ircclient":
+		return ircclient.NewIRCClient(*tunnel, samhost)
+	case "ircserver":
+		return ircserver.NewIRCServer(*tunnel, samhost)
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown tunnel type: %s", tunnel.Type)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/socks/client/new.go b/lib/socks/client/new.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..01380ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/socks/client/new.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package socks
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+
+	i2pconv "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel-config/lib"
+	i2ptunnel "github.com/go-i2p/go-i2ptunnel/lib/core"
+	"github.com/go-i2p/onramp"
+)
+
+func NewSocksClient(config i2pconv.TunnelConfig, samAddr string) (*SOCKS, error) {
+	keys, options, err := config.SAMTunnel()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	name := strings.ReplaceAll(config.Name, " ", "_")
+	garlic, err := onramp.NewGarlic(name, samAddr, options)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	garlic.ServiceKeys = keys
+	return &SOCKS{
+		TunnelConfig:    config,
+		Garlic:          garlic,
+		I2PTunnelStatus: i2ptunnel.I2PTunnelStatusStopped,
+		done:            make(chan struct{}),
+	}, nil
+}