diff --git a/authority/authority.go b/authority/authority.go
index 0f171fa7..48b7a566 100644
--- a/authority/authority.go
+++ b/authority/authority.go
@@ -442,10 +442,17 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 		// Initialize step-ca Admin Database if it's not already initialized using
 		// WithAdminDB.
 		if a.adminDB == nil {
-			// Check if AuthConfig already exists
-			a.adminDB, err = adminDBNosql.New(a.db.(nosql.DB), admin.DefaultAuthorityID)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
+			if a.config.AuthorityConfig.AuthorityID == "" {
+				// Check if AuthConfig already exists
+				a.adminDB, err = adminDBNosql.New(a.db.(nosql.DB), admin.DefaultAuthorityID)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			} else {
+				a.adminDB, err = createLinkedCAClient(a.config.AuthorityConfig.AuthorityID, "localhost:6040")
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/authority/linkedca.go b/authority/linkedca.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0d9a748f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/authority/linkedca.go
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+package authority
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/errs"
+	"go.step.sm/cli-utils/config"
+	"go.step.sm/linkedca"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
+)
+
+type linkedCaClient struct {
+	client      linkedca.MajordomoClient
+	authorityID string
+}
+
+func createLinkedCAClient(authorityID, endpoint string) (*linkedCaClient, error) {
+	base := filepath.Join(config.StepPath(), "linkedca")
+	rootFile := filepath.Join(base, "root_ca.crt")
+	certFile := filepath.Join(base, "linkedca.crt")
+	keyFile := filepath.Join(base, "linkedca.key")
+
+	b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(rootFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error reading linkedca root")
+	}
+	pool := x509.NewCertPool()
+	if !pool.AppendCertsFromPEM(b) {
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("error reading %s: no certificates were found", rootFile)
+	}
+
+	conn, err := grpc.Dial(endpoint, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(credentials.NewTLS(&tls.Config{
+		RootCAs: pool,
+		GetClientCertificate: func(*tls.CertificateRequestInfo) (*tls.Certificate, error) {
+			cert, err := tls.LoadX509KeyPair(certFile, keyFile)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error reading linkedca certificate")
+			}
+			return &cert, nil
+		},
+	})))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "error connecting %s", endpoint)
+	}
+
+	return &linkedCaClient{
+		client:      linkedca.NewMajordomoClient(conn),
+		authorityID: authorityID,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) CreateProvisioner(ctx context.Context, prov *linkedca.Provisioner) error {
+	resp, err := c.client.CreateProvisioner(ctx, &linkedca.CreateProvisionerRequest{
+		Type:         prov.Type,
+		Name:         prov.Name,
+		Details:      prov.Details,
+		Claims:       prov.Claims,
+		X509Template: prov.X509Template,
+		SshTemplate:  prov.SshTemplate,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error creating provisioner")
+	}
+	prov.Id = resp.Id
+	prov.AuthorityId = resp.AuthorityId
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) GetProvisioner(ctx context.Context, id string) (*linkedca.Provisioner, error) {
+	resp, err := c.client.GetConfiguration(ctx, &linkedca.ConfigurationRequest{
+		AuthorityId: c.authorityID,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error getting provisioners")
+	}
+	for _, p := range resp.Provisioners {
+		if p.Id == id {
+			return p, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return nil, errs.NotFound("provisioner not found")
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) GetProvisioners(ctx context.Context) ([]*linkedca.Provisioner, error) {
+	resp, err := c.client.GetConfiguration(ctx, &linkedca.ConfigurationRequest{
+		AuthorityId: c.authorityID,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error getting provisioners")
+	}
+	return resp.Provisioners, nil
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) UpdateProvisioner(ctx context.Context, prov *linkedca.Provisioner) error {
+	_, err := c.client.UpdateProvisioner(ctx, &linkedca.UpdateProvisionerRequest{
+		Id:           prov.Id,
+		Name:         prov.Name,
+		Details:      prov.Details,
+		Claims:       prov.Claims,
+		X509Template: prov.X509Template,
+		SshTemplate:  prov.SshTemplate,
+	})
+	return errors.Wrap(err, "error updating provisioner")
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) DeleteProvisioner(ctx context.Context, id string) error {
+	_, err := c.client.DeleteProvisioner(ctx, &linkedca.DeleteProvisionerRequest{
+		Id: id,
+	})
+	return errors.Wrap(err, "error deleting provisioner")
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) CreateAdmin(ctx context.Context, adm *linkedca.Admin) error {
+	resp, err := c.client.CreateAdmin(ctx, &linkedca.CreateAdminRequest{
+		Subject:       adm.Subject,
+		ProvisionerId: adm.ProvisionerId,
+		Type:          adm.Type,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error creating admin")
+	}
+	adm.Id = resp.Id
+	adm.AuthorityId = resp.AuthorityId
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) GetAdmin(ctx context.Context, id string) (*linkedca.Admin, error) {
+	resp, err := c.client.GetConfiguration(ctx, &linkedca.ConfigurationRequest{
+		AuthorityId: c.authorityID,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error getting admins")
+	}
+	for _, a := range resp.Admins {
+		if a.Id == id {
+			return a, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return nil, errs.NotFound("admin not found")
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) GetAdmins(ctx context.Context) ([]*linkedca.Admin, error) {
+	resp, err := c.client.GetConfiguration(ctx, &linkedca.ConfigurationRequest{
+		AuthorityId: c.authorityID,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error getting admins")
+	}
+	return resp.Admins, nil
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) UpdateAdmin(ctx context.Context, adm *linkedca.Admin) error {
+	_, err := c.client.UpdateAdmin(ctx, &linkedca.UpdateAdminRequest{
+		Id:   adm.Id,
+		Type: adm.Type,
+	})
+	return errors.Wrap(err, "error updating admin")
+}
+
+func (c *linkedCaClient) DeleteAdmin(ctx context.Context, id string) error {
+	_, err := c.client.DeleteAdmin(ctx, &linkedca.DeleteAdminRequest{
+		Id: id,
+	})
+	return errors.Wrap(err, "error deleting admin")
+}