diff --git a/daemon/network.go b/daemon/network.go
index 70b62df838..5b54d5d296 100644
--- a/daemon/network.go
+++ b/daemon/network.go
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) createNetwork(create types.NetworkCreateRequest, id string
 
 	n, err := c.NewNetwork(driver, create.Name, id, nwOptions...)
 	if err != nil {
-		if _, ok := err.(libnetwork.ErrDataStoreNotInitialized); ok {
+		if errors.Is(err, libnetwork.ErrDataStoreNotInitialized) {
 			//nolint: revive
 			return nil, errors.New("This node is not a swarm manager. Use \"docker swarm init\" or \"docker swarm join\" to connect this node to swarm and try again.")
 		}
diff --git a/libnetwork/controller.go b/libnetwork/controller.go
index 9e745bcd2d..3d9f1fd8d8 100644
--- a/libnetwork/controller.go
+++ b/libnetwork/controller.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ type Controller struct {
 	drvRegistry      *drvregistry.DrvRegistry
 	sandboxes        sandboxTable
 	cfg              *config.Config
-	stores           []datastore.DataStore
+	store            datastore.DataStore
 	extKeyListener   net.Listener
 	watchCh          chan *Endpoint
 	unWatchCh        chan *Endpoint
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func New(cfgOptions ...config.Option) (*Controller, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	drvRegistry, err := drvregistry.New(c.getStore(datastore.LocalScope), c.getStore(datastore.GlobalScope), c.RegisterDriver, nil, c.cfg.PluginGetter)
+	drvRegistry, err := drvregistry.New(c.getStore(), nil, c.RegisterDriver, nil, c.cfg.PluginGetter)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ func New(cfgOptions ...config.Option) (*Controller, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err = initIPAMDrivers(drvRegistry, nil, c.getStore(datastore.GlobalScope), c.cfg.DefaultAddressPool); err != nil {
+	if err = initIPAMDrivers(drvRegistry, nil, nil, c.cfg.DefaultAddressPool); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ var joinCluster NetworkWalker = func(nw Network) bool {
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) reservePools() {
-	networks, err := c.getNetworksForScope(datastore.LocalScope)
+	networks, err := c.getNetworks()
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Warnf("Could not retrieve networks from local store during ipam allocation for existing networks: %v", err)
 		return
diff --git a/libnetwork/endpoint.go b/libnetwork/endpoint.go
index 9d59a1cacd..e0cab348e3 100644
--- a/libnetwork/endpoint.go
+++ b/libnetwork/endpoint.go
@@ -1151,7 +1151,7 @@ func (c *Controller) cleanupLocalEndpoints() {
 			eps[ep.id] = true
 		}
 	}
-	nl, err := c.getNetworksForScope(datastore.LocalScope)
+	nl, err := c.getNetworks()
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Warnf("Could not get list of networks during endpoint cleanup: %v", err)
 		return
diff --git a/libnetwork/endpoint_cnt.go b/libnetwork/endpoint_cnt.go
index c4670335ce..38a8d89351 100644
--- a/libnetwork/endpoint_cnt.go
+++ b/libnetwork/endpoint_cnt.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func (ec *endpointCnt) EndpointCnt() uint64 {
 }
 
 func (ec *endpointCnt) updateStore() error {
-	store := ec.n.getController().getStore(ec.DataScope())
+	store := ec.n.getController().getStore()
 	if store == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("store not found for scope %s on endpoint count update", ec.DataScope())
 	}
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func (ec *endpointCnt) setCnt(cnt uint64) error {
 }
 
 func (ec *endpointCnt) atomicIncDecEpCnt(inc bool) error {
-	store := ec.n.getController().getStore(ec.DataScope())
+	store := ec.n.getController().getStore()
 	if store == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("store not found for scope %s", ec.DataScope())
 	}
diff --git a/libnetwork/error.go b/libnetwork/error.go
index 5f00709ff9..31fd70e54c 100644
--- a/libnetwork/error.go
+++ b/libnetwork/error.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package libnetwork
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 )
 
@@ -186,8 +187,4 @@ func (mr ManagerRedirectError) Maskable() {}
 
 // ErrDataStoreNotInitialized is returned if an invalid data scope is passed
 // for getting data store
-type ErrDataStoreNotInitialized string
-
-func (dsni ErrDataStoreNotInitialized) Error() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("datastore for scope %q is not initialized", string(dsni))
-}
+var ErrDataStoreNotInitialized = errors.New("datastore is not initialized")
diff --git a/libnetwork/sandbox_store.go b/libnetwork/sandbox_store.go
index 866c620470..b71549a1c2 100644
--- a/libnetwork/sandbox_store.go
+++ b/libnetwork/sandbox_store.go
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ func (sb *Sandbox) storeDelete() error {
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) sandboxCleanup(activeSandboxes map[string]interface{}) {
-	store := c.getStore(datastore.LocalScope)
+	store := c.getStore()
 	if store == nil {
 		logrus.Error("Could not find local scope store while trying to cleanup sandboxes")
 		return
diff --git a/libnetwork/store.go b/libnetwork/store.go
index 3c7a324a79..f64924d614 100644
--- a/libnetwork/store.go
+++ b/libnetwork/store.go
@@ -22,40 +22,27 @@ func (c *Controller) initStores() error {
 	if c.cfg == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	store, err := datastore.NewDataStore(c.cfg.Scope)
+	var err error
+	c.store, err = datastore.NewDataStore(c.cfg.Scope)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	c.stores = []datastore.DataStore{store}
 
 	c.startWatch()
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) closeStores() {
-	for _, store := range c.getStores() {
+	if store := c.store; store != nil {
 		store.Close()
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Controller) getStore(scope string) datastore.DataStore {
+func (c *Controller) getStore() datastore.DataStore {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
 
-	for _, store := range c.stores {
-		if store.Scope() == scope {
-			return store
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (c *Controller) getStores() []datastore.DataStore {
-	c.mu.Lock()
-	defer c.mu.Unlock()
-
-	return c.stores
+	return c.store
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) getNetworkFromStore(nid string) (*network, error) {
@@ -67,10 +54,10 @@ func (c *Controller) getNetworkFromStore(nid string) (*network, error) {
 	return nil, ErrNoSuchNetwork(nid)
 }
 
-func (c *Controller) getNetworksForScope(scope string) ([]*network, error) {
+func (c *Controller) getNetworks() ([]*network, error) {
 	var nl []*network
 
-	store := c.getStore(scope)
+	store := c.getStore()
 	if store == nil {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
@@ -78,8 +65,7 @@ func (c *Controller) getNetworksForScope(scope string) ([]*network, error) {
 	kvol, err := store.List(datastore.Key(datastore.NetworkKeyPrefix),
 		&network{ctrlr: c})
 	if err != nil && err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get networks for scope %s: %v",
-			scope, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get networks: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	for _, kvo := range kvol {
@@ -95,7 +81,7 @@ func (c *Controller) getNetworksForScope(scope string) ([]*network, error) {
 
 		n.epCnt = ec
 		if n.scope == "" {
-			n.scope = scope
+			n.scope = store.Scope()
 		}
 		nl = append(nl, n)
 	}
@@ -103,92 +89,80 @@ func (c *Controller) getNetworksForScope(scope string) ([]*network, error) {
 	return nl, nil
 }
 
-func (c *Controller) getNetworksFromStore() []*network {
+func (c *Controller) getNetworksFromStore() []*network { // FIXME: unify with c.getNetworks()
 	var nl []*network
 
-	for _, store := range c.getStores() {
-		kvol, err := store.List(datastore.Key(datastore.NetworkKeyPrefix), &network{ctrlr: c})
-		// Continue searching in the next store if no keys found in this store
-		if err != nil {
-			if err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
-				logrus.Debugf("failed to get networks for scope %s: %v", store.Scope(), err)
-			}
-			continue
+	store := c.getStore()
+	kvol, err := store.List(datastore.Key(datastore.NetworkKeyPrefix), &network{ctrlr: c})
+	if err != nil {
+		if err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
+			logrus.Debugf("failed to get networks from store: %v", err)
 		}
+		return nil
+	}
 
-		kvep, err := store.Map(datastore.Key(epCntKeyPrefix), &endpointCnt{})
-		if err != nil && err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
-			logrus.Warnf("failed to get endpoint_count map for scope %s: %v", store.Scope(), err)
-		}
+	kvep, err := store.Map(datastore.Key(epCntKeyPrefix), &endpointCnt{})
+	if err != nil && err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
+		logrus.Warnf("failed to get endpoint_count map from store: %v", err)
+	}
 
-		for _, kvo := range kvol {
-			n := kvo.(*network)
-			n.mu.Lock()
-			n.ctrlr = c
-			ec := &endpointCnt{n: n}
-			// Trim the leading & trailing "/" to make it consistent across all stores
-			if val, ok := kvep[strings.Trim(datastore.Key(ec.Key()...), "/")]; ok {
-				ec = val.(*endpointCnt)
-				ec.n = n
-				n.epCnt = ec
-			}
-			if n.scope == "" {
-				n.scope = store.Scope()
-			}
-			n.mu.Unlock()
-			nl = append(nl, n)
+	for _, kvo := range kvol {
+		n := kvo.(*network)
+		n.mu.Lock()
+		n.ctrlr = c
+		ec := &endpointCnt{n: n}
+		// Trim the leading & trailing "/" to make it consistent across all stores
+		if val, ok := kvep[strings.Trim(datastore.Key(ec.Key()...), "/")]; ok {
+			ec = val.(*endpointCnt)
+			ec.n = n
+			n.epCnt = ec
 		}
+		if n.scope == "" {
+			n.scope = store.Scope()
+		}
+		n.mu.Unlock()
+		nl = append(nl, n)
 	}
 
 	return nl
 }
 
 func (n *network) getEndpointFromStore(eid string) (*Endpoint, error) {
-	var errors []string
-	for _, store := range n.ctrlr.getStores() {
-		ep := &Endpoint{id: eid, network: n}
-		err := store.GetObject(datastore.Key(ep.Key()...), ep)
-		// Continue searching in the next store if the key is not found in this store
-		if err != nil {
-			if err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
-				errors = append(errors, fmt.Sprintf("{%s:%v}, ", store.Scope(), err))
-				logrus.Debugf("could not find endpoint %s in %s: %v", eid, store.Scope(), err)
-			}
-			continue
-		}
-		return ep, nil
+	store := n.ctrlr.getStore()
+	ep := &Endpoint{id: eid, network: n}
+	err := store.GetObject(datastore.Key(ep.Key()...), ep)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find endpoint %s: %w", eid, err)
 	}
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find endpoint %s: %v", eid, errors)
+	return ep, nil
 }
 
 func (n *network) getEndpointsFromStore() ([]*Endpoint, error) {
 	var epl []*Endpoint
 
 	tmp := Endpoint{network: n}
-	for _, store := range n.getController().getStores() {
-		kvol, err := store.List(datastore.Key(tmp.KeyPrefix()...), &Endpoint{network: n})
-		// Continue searching in the next store if no keys found in this store
-		if err != nil {
-			if err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
-				logrus.Debugf("failed to get endpoints for network %s scope %s: %v",
-					n.Name(), store.Scope(), err)
-			}
-			continue
+	store := n.getController().getStore()
+	kvol, err := store.List(datastore.Key(tmp.KeyPrefix()...), &Endpoint{network: n})
+	if err != nil {
+		if err != datastore.ErrKeyNotFound {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get endpoints for network %s scope %s: %w",
+				n.Name(), store.Scope(), err)
 		}
+		return nil, nil
+	}
 
-		for _, kvo := range kvol {
-			ep := kvo.(*Endpoint)
-			epl = append(epl, ep)
-		}
+	for _, kvo := range kvol {
+		ep := kvo.(*Endpoint)
+		epl = append(epl, ep)
 	}
 
 	return epl, nil
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) updateToStore(kvObject datastore.KVObject) error {
-	cs := c.getStore(kvObject.DataScope())
+	cs := c.getStore()
 	if cs == nil {
-		return ErrDataStoreNotInitialized(kvObject.DataScope())
+		return ErrDataStoreNotInitialized
 	}
 
 	if err := cs.PutObjectAtomic(kvObject); err != nil {
@@ -202,9 +176,9 @@ func (c *Controller) updateToStore(kvObject datastore.KVObject) error {
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) deleteFromStore(kvObject datastore.KVObject) error {
-	cs := c.getStore(kvObject.DataScope())
+	cs := c.getStore()
 	if cs == nil {
-		return ErrDataStoreNotInitialized(kvObject.DataScope())
+		return ErrDataStoreNotInitialized
 	}
 
 retry:
@@ -258,7 +232,8 @@ func (c *Controller) networkWatchLoop(nw *netWatch, ep *Endpoint, ecCh <-chan da
 
 			epl, err := ec.n.getEndpointsFromStore()
 			if err != nil {
-				break
+				logrus.WithError(err).Debug("error getting endpoints from store")
+				continue
 			}
 
 			c.mu.Lock()
@@ -356,7 +331,7 @@ func (c *Controller) processEndpointCreate(nmap map[string]*netWatch, ep *Endpoi
 	nw.stopCh = make(chan struct{})
 	c.mu.Unlock()
 
-	store := c.getStore(n.DataScope())
+	store := c.getStore()
 	if store == nil {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go b/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go
index 2d06af4281..f6213540fb 100644
--- a/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go
+++ b/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func TestNoPersist(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error creating endpoint: %v", err)
 	}
-	store := ctrl.getStore(datastore.LocalScope).KVStore()
+	store := ctrl.getStore().KVStore()
 	if exists, _ := store.Exists(datastore.Key(datastore.NetworkKeyPrefix, nw.ID())); exists {
 		t.Fatalf("Network with persist=false should not be stored in KV Store")
 	}
diff --git a/libnetwork/store_test.go b/libnetwork/store_test.go
index 2623c16923..c857aeb63f 100644
--- a/libnetwork/store_test.go
+++ b/libnetwork/store_test.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func testLocalBackend(t *testing.T, provider, url string, storeConfig *store.Con
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error creating endpoint: %v", err)
 	}
-	store := ctrl.getStore(datastore.LocalScope).KVStore()
+	store := ctrl.getStore().KVStore()
 	if exists, err := store.Exists(datastore.Key(datastore.NetworkKeyPrefix, nw.ID())); !exists || err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Network key should have been created.")
 	}