diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index b14d904f..0aca1361 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 System.config({
   defaultJSExtensions: true,
+  transpiler: "babel",
+  babelOptions: {
+    "optional": [
+      "runtime",
+      "optimisation.modules.system"
+    ]
+  },
   paths: {
     "github:*": "jspm_packages/github/*",
     "aurelia-framework/*": "dist/*",
@@ -7,16 +14,16 @@ System.config({
   },
 
   map: {
-    "aurelia-binding": "npm:aurelia-binding@1.0.0",
-    "aurelia-dependency-injection": "npm:aurelia-dependency-injection@1.0.0",
+    "aurelia-binding": "npm:aurelia-binding@1.7.1",
+    "aurelia-dependency-injection": "npm:aurelia-dependency-injection@1.3.2",
     "aurelia-loader": "npm:aurelia-loader@1.0.0",
-    "aurelia-logging": "npm:aurelia-logging@1.0.0",
-    "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.0",
-    "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.0.0",
+    "aurelia-logging": "npm:aurelia-logging@1.4.0",
+    "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.3",
+    "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.8.0",
     "aurelia-pal-browser": "npm:aurelia-pal-browser@1.0.0",
-    "aurelia-path": "npm:aurelia-path@1.0.0",
-    "aurelia-task-queue": "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.0.0",
-    "aurelia-templating": "npm:aurelia-templating@1.0.0",
+    "aurelia-path": "npm:aurelia-path@1.1.1",
+    "aurelia-task-queue": "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.3.0",
+    "aurelia-templating": "npm:aurelia-templating@1.7.0",
     "babel": "npm:babel-core@5.8.38",
     "babel-runtime": "npm:babel-runtime@5.8.38",
     "core-js": "npm:core-js@2.4.1",
@@ -44,38 +51,38 @@ System.config({
       "process": "github:jspm/nodelibs-process@0.1.2",
       "util": "npm:util@0.10.3"
     },
-    "npm:aurelia-binding@1.0.0": {
-      "aurelia-logging": "npm:aurelia-logging@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-task-queue": "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.0.0"
+    "npm:aurelia-binding@1.7.1": {
+      "aurelia-logging": "npm:aurelia-logging@1.4.0",
+      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.3",
+      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.8.0",
+      "aurelia-task-queue": "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.3.0"
     },
-    "npm:aurelia-dependency-injection@1.0.0": {
-      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.0.0"
+    "npm:aurelia-dependency-injection@1.3.2": {
+      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.3",
+      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.8.0"
     },
     "npm:aurelia-loader@1.0.0": {
-      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-path": "npm:aurelia-path@1.0.0"
+      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.3",
+      "aurelia-path": "npm:aurelia-path@1.1.1"
     },
-    "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.0": {
-      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.0.0"
+    "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.3": {
+      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.8.0"
     },
     "npm:aurelia-pal-browser@1.0.0": {
-      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.0.0"
+      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.8.0"
     },
-    "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.0.0": {
-      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.0.0"
+    "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.3.0": {
+      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.8.0"
     },
-    "npm:aurelia-templating@1.0.0": {
-      "aurelia-binding": "npm:aurelia-binding@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-dependency-injection": "npm:aurelia-dependency-injection@1.0.0",
+    "npm:aurelia-templating@1.7.0": {
+      "aurelia-binding": "npm:aurelia-binding@1.7.1",
+      "aurelia-dependency-injection": "npm:aurelia-dependency-injection@1.3.2",
       "aurelia-loader": "npm:aurelia-loader@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-logging": "npm:aurelia-logging@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-path": "npm:aurelia-path@1.0.0",
-      "aurelia-task-queue": "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.0.0"
+      "aurelia-logging": "npm:aurelia-logging@1.4.0",
+      "aurelia-metadata": "npm:aurelia-metadata@1.0.3",
+      "aurelia-pal": "npm:aurelia-pal@1.8.0",
+      "aurelia-path": "npm:aurelia-path@1.1.1",
+      "aurelia-task-queue": "npm:aurelia-task-queue@1.3.0"
     },
     "npm:babel-runtime@5.8.38": {
       "process": "github:jspm/nodelibs-process@0.1.2"
diff --git a/src/framework-configuration.js b/src/framework-configuration.js
index 9d514c5a..561a0413 100644
--- a/src/framework-configuration.js
+++ b/src/framework-configuration.js
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import * as TheLogManager from 'aurelia-logging';
-import {ViewEngine} from 'aurelia-templating';
+import {ViewEngine, HtmlBehaviorResource} from 'aurelia-templating';
 import {join} from 'aurelia-path';
 import {Container} from 'aurelia-dependency-injection';
 
 const logger = TheLogManager.getLogger('aurelia');
 const extPattern = /\.[^/.]+$/;
 
-function runTasks(config, tasks) {
+function runTasks(config: FrameworkConfiguration, tasks) {
   let current;
   let next = () => {
     current = tasks.shift();
@@ -20,18 +20,30 @@ function runTasks(config, tasks) {
   return next();
 }
 
-function loadPlugin(config, loader, info) {
+interface FrameworkPluginInfo {
+  moduleId?: string;
+  resourcesRelativeTo?: string[];
+  configure?: (config: FrameworkConfiguration, pluginConfig?: any) => any;
+  config?: any;
+}
+
+function loadPlugin(config: FrameworkConfiguration, loader: Loader, info: FrameworkPluginInfo) {
   logger.debug(`Loading plugin ${info.moduleId}.`);
-  config.resourcesRelativeTo = info.resourcesRelativeTo;
+  if (typeof info.moduleId === 'string') {
+    config.resourcesRelativeTo = info.resourcesRelativeTo;
 
-  let id = info.moduleId; // General plugins installed/configured by the end user.
+    let id = info.moduleId; // General plugins installed/configured by the end user.
 
-  if (info.resourcesRelativeTo.length > 1 ) { // In case of bootstrapper installed plugins like `aurelia-templating-resources` or `aurelia-history-browser`.
-    return loader.normalize(info.moduleId, info.resourcesRelativeTo[1])
-      .then(normalizedId => _loadPlugin(normalizedId));
-  }
+    if (info.resourcesRelativeTo.length > 1 ) { // In case of bootstrapper installed plugins like `aurelia-templating-resources` or `aurelia-history-browser`.
+      return loader.normalize(info.moduleId, info.resourcesRelativeTo[1])
+        .then(normalizedId => _loadPlugin(normalizedId));
+    }
 
-  return _loadPlugin(id);
+    return _loadPlugin(id);
+  } else if (typeof info.configure === 'function') {
+    // use info.config || {} to keep behavior consistent with loading from string
+    return Promise.resolve(info.configure.call(null, config, info.config || {}));
+  }
 
   function _loadPlugin(moduleId) {
     return loader.loadModule(moduleId).then(m => { // eslint-disable-line consistent-return
@@ -98,14 +110,20 @@ function loadResources(aurelia, resourcesToLoad, appResources) {
   }
 }
 
-function getExt(name) { // eslint-disable-line consistent-return
+function getExt(name: string) { // eslint-disable-line consistent-return
   let match = name.match(extPattern);
   if (match && match.length > 0) {
     return (match[0].split('.'))[1];
   }
 }
 
-function assertProcessed(plugins) {
+function loadBehaviors(config: FrameworkConfiguration) {
+  return Promise.all(config.behaviorToLoad.map(m => m.load(config.container, m.target))).then(() => {
+    config.behaviorToLoad = null;
+  });
+}
+
+function assertProcessed(plugins: FrameworkConfiguration) {
   if (plugins.processed) {
     throw new Error('This config instance has already been applied. To load more plugins or global resources, create a new FrameworkConfiguration instance.');
   }
@@ -132,13 +150,29 @@ export class FrameworkConfiguration {
   constructor(aurelia: Aurelia) {
     this.aurelia = aurelia;
     this.container = aurelia.container;
+    /**
+     * Plugin / feature loadind instruction
+     * @type {FrameworkPluginInfo[]}
+     */
     this.info = [];
     this.processed = false;
     this.preTasks = [];
     this.postTasks = [];
+    /**
+     * Custom element's metadata queue for loading view factory
+     * @type {HtmlBehaviorResource[]}
+     */
+    this.behaviorToLoad = [];
     this.resourcesToLoad = {};
     this.preTask(() => aurelia.loader.normalize('aurelia-bootstrapper').then(name => this.bootstrapperName = name));
-    this.postTask(() => loadResources(aurelia, this.resourcesToLoad, aurelia.resources));
+    this.postTask(() => {
+      // if devs want to go all in static, and remove loader
+      // the following code shouldn't run
+      // add a check to make sure it only runs when there is something to do so
+      if (Object.keys(this.resourcesToLoad).length) {
+        return loadResources(aurelia, this.resourcesToLoad, aurelia.resources);
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   /**
@@ -202,11 +236,14 @@ export class FrameworkConfiguration {
    * @param config The configuration for the specified plugin.
    * @return Returns the current FrameworkConfiguration instance.
    */
-  feature(plugin: string, config?: any = {}): FrameworkConfiguration {
-    let hasIndex = /\/index$/i.test(plugin);
-    let moduleId = hasIndex || getExt(plugin) ? plugin : plugin + '/index';
-    let root = hasIndex ? plugin.substr(0, plugin.length - 6) : plugin;
-    return this.plugin({ moduleId, resourcesRelativeTo: [root, ''], config });
+  feature(plugin: string | ((config: FrameworkConfiguration, pluginConfig?: any) => any), config?: any = {}): FrameworkConfiguration {
+    if (typeof plugin === 'string') {
+      let hasIndex = /\/index$/i.test(plugin);
+      let moduleId = hasIndex || getExt(plugin) ? plugin : plugin + '/index';
+      let root = hasIndex ? plugin.substr(0, plugin.length - 6) : plugin;
+      return this.plugin({ moduleId, resourcesRelativeTo: [root, ''], config });
+    }
+    return this.plugin(plugin, config);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -214,7 +251,7 @@ export class FrameworkConfiguration {
    * @param resources The relative module id to the resource. (Relative to the plugin's installer.)
    * @return Returns the current FrameworkConfiguration instance.
    */
-  globalResources(resources: string|string[]): FrameworkConfiguration {
+  globalResources(resources: string | Function | (string | Function)[]): FrameworkConfiguration {
     assertProcessed(this);
 
     let toAdd = Array.isArray(resources) ? resources : arguments;
@@ -223,19 +260,28 @@ export class FrameworkConfiguration {
 
     for (let i = 0, ii = toAdd.length; i < ii; ++i) {
       resource = toAdd[i];
-      if (typeof resource !== 'string') {
+      if (!resource) {
         throw new Error(`Invalid resource path [${resource}]. Resources must be specified as relative module IDs.`);
       }
+      if (typeof resource === 'string') {
+        let parent = resourcesRelativeTo[0];
+        let grandParent = resourcesRelativeTo[1];
+        let name = resource;
 
-      let parent = resourcesRelativeTo[0];
-      let grandParent = resourcesRelativeTo[1];
-      let name = resource;
+        if ((resource.startsWith('./') || resource.startsWith('../')) && parent !== '') {
+          name = join(parent, resource);
+        }
 
-      if ((resource.startsWith('./') || resource.startsWith('../')) && parent !== '') {
-        name = join(parent, resource);
+        this.resourcesToLoad[name] = { moduleId: name, relativeTo: grandParent };
+      } else {
+        let meta = this.aurelia.resources.autoRegister(this.container, resource);
+        if (meta instanceof HtmlBehaviorResource && meta.elementName !== null) {
+          this.behaviorToLoad.push(meta);
+        }
+        if (this.behaviorToLoad.length === 1) {
+          this.postTask(() => loadBehaviors(this));
+        }
       }
-
-      this.resourcesToLoad[name] = { moduleId: name, relativeTo: grandParent };
     }
 
     return this;
@@ -256,17 +302,30 @@ export class FrameworkConfiguration {
   /**
    * Configures an external, 3rd party plugin before Aurelia starts.
    * @param plugin The ID of the 3rd party plugin to configure.
-   * @param config The configuration for the specified plugin.
+   * @param pluginConfig The configuration for the specified plugin.
    * @return Returns the current FrameworkConfiguration instance.
  */
-  plugin(plugin: string, config?: any): FrameworkConfiguration {
+  plugin(
+    plugin: string | ((frameworkConfig: FrameworkConfiguration) => any) | FrameworkPluginInfo,
+    pluginConfig?: any
+  ): FrameworkConfiguration {
     assertProcessed(this);
 
-    if (typeof (plugin) === 'string') {
-      return this.plugin({ moduleId: plugin, resourcesRelativeTo: [plugin, ''], config: config || {} });
+    let info: FrameworkPluginInfo;
+    switch (typeof plugin) {
+    case 'string':
+      info = { moduleId: plugin, resourcesRelativeTo: [plugin, ''], config: pluginConfig || {} };
+      break;
+    case 'function':
+      info = { configure: plugin, config: pluginConfig || {} };
+      break;
+    default:
+      // this is for internal use, from `feature` call
+      info = plugin;
+      break;
     }
 
-    this.info.push(plugin);
+    this.info.push(info);
     return this;
   }
 
diff --git a/test/framework-configuration.js b/test/framework-configuration.js
index 5f09af4a..a99d8f20 100644
--- a/test/framework-configuration.js
+++ b/test/framework-configuration.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import './setup';
 import {FrameworkConfiguration} from '../src/framework-configuration';
 import {Aurelia} from '../src/aurelia';
-import {Metadata} from 'aurelia-metadata';
+import { HtmlBehaviorResource } from 'aurelia-templating';
 
 describe('the framework config', () => {
   it('should initialize', () => {
@@ -177,6 +177,68 @@ describe('the framework config', () => {
         done();
       });
     });
+
+    it('should normalize configure function for plugin', () => {
+      function configure() {}
+      config.plugin(configure);
+      expect(config.info.length).toBe(1);
+
+      var info = config.info[0];
+      expect(info.moduleId).toBe(undefined, 'info.moduleId should have been undefined when using configure fn');
+      expect(info.configure).toBe(configure);
+      expect(info.config).toBeDefined('info.config should have been an empty object when not specified');
+    });
+
+    it('should normalize configure function for feature', () => {
+      function configure() {}
+      config.feature(configure);
+      expect(config.info.length).toBe(1);
+
+      var info = config.info[0];
+      expect(info.moduleId).toBe(undefined, 'info.moduleId should have been undefined when using configure fn');
+      expect(info.configure).toBe(configure);
+      expect(info.config).toBeDefined('info.config should have been an empty object when not specified');
+    });
+
+    fit('should queue and load html behavior when calling globalResources with custom element classes', done => {
+      const mockLoadResources = jasmine.createSpy();
+      const mockLoadResourcesTask = jasmine.createSpy(undefined, function() {
+        if (Object.keys(config.resourcesToLoad).length) {
+          return mockLoadResources();
+        }
+      });
+
+      let behaviorQueued = false;
+      let behaviorLoaded = false;
+      aurelia.resources.autoRegister = function() {
+        const meta = new HtmlBehaviorResource();
+        meta.elementName = 'el';
+        meta.load = function() {
+          behaviorLoaded = true;
+        };
+        return meta;
+      };
+      
+      config.behaviorToLoad.push = function() {
+        behaviorQueued = true;
+        return [].push.apply(this, arguments);
+      };
+      config.postTasks.splice(0, 1, mockLoadResourcesTask);
+      config.plugin(function(cfg) {
+        cfg.globalResources(class El {});
+      });
+
+      config
+        .apply()
+        .then(
+          () => {
+            expect(behaviorQueued).toBe(true, 'It should haved queued html behavior to load');
+            expect(behaviorLoaded).toBe(true, 'It should have loaded behavior');
+          },
+          () => expect(true).toBeFalsy('FrameworkConfiguration should have been applied')
+        )
+        .then(done);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('apply()', () => {
@@ -214,5 +276,27 @@ describe('the framework config', () => {
       .catch((reason) => expect(true).toBeFalsy(reason))
       .then(done);
     });
+
+    it('should not call loadResources when there\'s none', (done) => {
+      const mockLoadResources = jasmine.createSpy();
+      const mockLoadResourcesTask = jasmine.createSpy(undefined, function() {
+        if (Object.keys(config.resourcesToLoad).length) {
+          return mockLoadResources();
+        }
+      });
+      const config = aurelia.use;
+
+      aurelia.resources.autoRegister = function() {};
+      config.postTasks.splice(0, 1, mockLoadResourcesTask);
+      config.plugin(function(cfg) {
+        cfg.globalResources(class El {});
+      });
+      config.apply()
+        .then(
+          () => expect(mockLoadResources).not.toHaveBeenCalled(),
+          () => expect(true).toBeFalsy('FrameworkConfiguration should have been applied')
+        )
+        .then(done);
+    });
   });
 });