diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/app/App.tsx b/packages/core-api/src/app/App.tsx
index 844c38ecce..c3ea77d87f 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/app/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/app/App.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import React, { ComponentType, FC } from 'react';
 import { Route, Switch, Redirect } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { AppContextProvider } from './AppContext';
-import { BackstageApp, AppComponents } from './types';
+import { BackstageApp, AppComponents, AppConfigLoader } from './types';
 import { BackstagePlugin } from '../plugin';
 import { FeatureFlagsRegistryItem } from './FeatureFlags';
 import { featureFlagsApiRef } from '../apis/definitions';
@@ -31,8 +31,11 @@ import {
   AppTheme,
   AppThemeSelector,
   appThemeApiRef,
+  configApiRef,
+  ConfigReader,
 } from '../apis';
 import { ApiAggregator } from '../apis/ApiAggregator';
+import { useAsync } from 'react-use';
 
 type FullAppOptions = {
   apis: ApiHolder;
@@ -40,6 +43,7 @@ type FullAppOptions = {
   plugins: BackstagePlugin[];
   components: AppComponents;
   themes: AppTheme[];
+  configLoader: AppConfigLoader;
 };
 
 export class PrivateAppImpl implements BackstageApp {
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ export class PrivateAppImpl implements BackstageApp {
   private readonly plugins: BackstagePlugin[];
   private readonly components: AppComponents;
   private readonly themes: AppTheme[];
+  private readonly configLoader: AppConfigLoader;
 
   constructor(options: FullAppOptions) {
     this.apis = options.apis;
@@ -55,6 +60,7 @@ export class PrivateAppImpl implements BackstageApp {
     this.plugins = options.plugins;
     this.components = options.components;
     this.themes = options.themes;
+    this.configLoader = options.configLoader;
   }
 
   getApis(): ApiHolder {
@@ -141,18 +147,32 @@ export class PrivateAppImpl implements BackstageApp {
   }
 
   getProvider(): ComponentType<{}> {
-    const appApis = ApiRegistry.from([
-      [appThemeApiRef, AppThemeSelector.createWithStorage(this.themes)],
-    ]);
-    const apis = new ApiAggregator(this.apis, appApis);
+    const Provider: FC<{}> = ({ children }) => {
+      const config = useAsync(this.configLoader);
+      if (config.loading) {
+        return null;
+      }
 
-    const Provider: FC<{}> = ({ children }) => (
-      <ApiProvider apis={apis}>
-        <AppContextProvider app={this}>
-          <AppThemeProvider>{children}</AppThemeProvider>
-        </AppContextProvider>
-      </ApiProvider>
-    );
+      let errorPage = undefined;
+      if (config.error) {
+        const { BootErrorPage } = this.components;
+        errorPage = <BootErrorPage step="load-config" error={config.error} />;
+      }
+
+      const appApis = ApiRegistry.from([
+        [appThemeApiRef, AppThemeSelector.createWithStorage(this.themes)],
+        [configApiRef, new ConfigReader(config.value ?? {})],
+      ]);
+      const apis = new ApiAggregator(this.apis, appApis);
+
+      return (
+        <ApiProvider apis={apis}>
+          <AppContextProvider app={this}>
+            <AppThemeProvider>{errorPage ?? children}</AppThemeProvider>
+          </AppContextProvider>
+        </ApiProvider>
+      );
+    };
     return Provider;
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/app/types.ts b/packages/core-api/src/app/types.ts
index ea3a812557..e43a625569 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/app/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/app/types.ts
@@ -20,10 +20,26 @@ import { BackstagePlugin } from '../plugin';
 import { ApiHolder } from '../apis';
 import { AppTheme } from '../apis/definitions';
 
+export type BootErrorPageProps = {
+  step: 'load-config';
+  error: Error;
+};
+
 export type AppComponents = {
   NotFoundErrorPage: ComponentType<{}>;
+  BootErrorPage: ComponentType<BootErrorPageProps>;
 };
 
+/**
+ * TBD
+ */
+export type AppConfig = any;
+
+/**
+ * A function that loads in the App config that will be accessible via the ConfigApi.
+ */
+export type AppConfigLoader = () => Promise<AppConfig>;
+
 export type AppOptions = {
   /**
    * A holder of all APIs available in the app.
@@ -68,6 +84,17 @@ export type AppOptions = {
    * ```
    */
   themes?: AppTheme[];
+
+  /**
+   * A function that loads in App configuration that will be accessible via
+   * the ConfigApi.
+   *
+   * Defaults to an empty config.
+   *
+   * TODO(Rugvip): Omitting this should instead default to loading in configuration
+   *  that was packaged by the backstage-cli and default docker container boot script.
+   */
+  configLoader?: AppConfigLoader;
 };
 
 export type BackstageApp = {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/api-wrappers/createApp.tsx b/packages/core/src/api-wrappers/createApp.tsx
index 03adc41ec6..cc083b0e24 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/api-wrappers/createApp.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/api-wrappers/createApp.tsx
@@ -14,12 +14,14 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { FC } from 'react';
 import privateExports, {
   AppOptions,
   ApiRegistry,
   defaultSystemIcons,
+  BootErrorPageProps,
 } from '@backstage/core-api';
+import { BrowserRouter as Router } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { ErrorPage } from '../layout/ErrorPage';
 import { lightTheme, darkTheme } from '@backstage/theme';
@@ -38,12 +40,25 @@ export function createApp(options?: AppOptions) {
   const DefaultNotFoundPage = () => (
     <ErrorPage status="404" statusMessage="PAGE NOT FOUND" />
   );
+  const DefaultBootErrorPage: FC<BootErrorPageProps> = ({ step, error }) => {
+    let message = '';
+    if (step === 'load-config') {
+      message = `The configuration failed to load, someone should have a look at this error: ${error.message}`;
+    }
+    // TODO: figure out a nicer way to handle routing on the error page, when it can be done.
+    return (
+      <Router>
+        <ErrorPage status="501" statusMessage={message} />
+      </Router>
+    );
+  };
 
   const apis = options?.apis ?? ApiRegistry.from([]);
   const icons = { ...defaultSystemIcons, ...options?.icons };
   const plugins = options?.plugins ?? [];
   const components = {
     NotFoundErrorPage: DefaultNotFoundPage,
+    BootErrorPage: DefaultBootErrorPage,
     ...options?.components,
   };
   const themes = options?.themes ?? [
@@ -60,8 +75,16 @@ export function createApp(options?: AppOptions) {
       theme: darkTheme,
     },
   ];
+  const configLoader = options?.configLoader ?? (async () => ({}));
 
-  const app = new PrivateAppImpl({ apis, icons, plugins, components, themes });
+  const app = new PrivateAppImpl({
+    apis,
+    icons,
+    plugins,
+    components,
+    themes,
+    configLoader,
+  });
 
   app.verify();