diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4449abe..7ebcd26 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
         "@jupyterlab/ui-components": "^4.0.5",
         "@lumino/algorithm": "^2.0.0",
         "@lumino/commands": "^2.0.1",
+        "@lumino/coreutils": "^2.0.1",
         "@lumino/signaling": "^2.0.0",
         "@lumino/widgets": "^2.0.1"
     },
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index b8e008e..498e939 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -22,23 +22,26 @@ import {
 } from './utils';
 import { PageConfig } from '@jupyterlab/coreutils';
 
+export { IFavorites } from './token';
+
 const TOOLBAR_CLASS = 'jp-FileBrowser-toolbar';
 
 /**
  * Initialization data for the jupyterlab-favorites extension.
  */
-const favorites: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
+const favorites: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<IFavorites> = {
   id: PluginIDs.favorites,
   autoStart: true,
   requires: [IDefaultFileBrowser, IFileBrowserFactory, ISettingRegistry],
+  provides: IFavorites,
   optional: [IMainMenu],
-  activate: async (
+  activate: (
     app: JupyterFrontEnd,
     filebrowser: IDefaultFileBrowser,
     factory: IFileBrowserFactory,
     settingsRegistry: ISettingRegistry,
     mainMenu: IMainMenu
-  ) => {
+  ): IFavorites => {
     console.log('JupyterLab extension jupyterlab-favorites is activated!');
     const docRegistry = app.docRegistry;
     const layout = filebrowser.layout as PanelLayout;
@@ -213,6 +216,8 @@ const favorites: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
       execute: () => favoritesManager.clearFavorites(),
       label: 'Clear Favorites'
     });
+
+    return favoritesManager;
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/token.ts b/src/token.ts
index 44e7c29..35ba946 100644
--- a/src/token.ts
+++ b/src/token.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { Token } from '@lumino/coreutils';
+
 export namespace PluginIDs {
   export const favorites = 'jupyterlab-favorites';
 }
@@ -32,3 +34,9 @@ export namespace IFavorites {
     showWidget?: boolean;
   };
 }
+
+export const IFavorites = new Token<IFavorites>('jupyterlab-favorites:IFavorites');
+
+export interface IFavorites {
+  readonly favorites: IFavorites.Favorite[];
+}