diff --git a/ionic/config/bootstrap.ts b/ionic/config/bootstrap.ts
index fcb6357853..4136c5f5a4 100644
--- a/ionic/config/bootstrap.ts
+++ b/ionic/config/bootstrap.ts
@@ -16,10 +16,14 @@ import {TapClick} from '../components/tap-click/tap-click';
 import * as dom from '../util/dom';
 
 
-export function ionicBindings(rootCmp, configSettings) {
+export function ionicBindings(rootCmp, config) {
   let app = new IonicApp();
   let platform = new IonicPlatform();
-  let config = new IonicConfig(configSettings);
+
+  if (!(config instanceof IonicConfig)) {
+    config = new IonicConfig(config);
+  }
+
   let events = new Events();
   let tapClick = new TapClick(app, config, window, document);
 
diff --git a/ionic/config/config.ts b/ionic/config/config.ts
index db590a37c0..f50366220f 100644
--- a/ionic/config/config.ts
+++ b/ionic/config/config.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 */
 
 import {IonicPlatform} from '../platform/platform';
-import {isObject, isDefined, isFunction, extend} from '../util/util';
+import {isObject, isDefined, isFunction, isArray, extend} from '../util/util';
 
 /**
 * TODO
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ export class IonicConfig {
 
  /**
   * TODO
-  * @param  {Object} settings   The settings for your app
+  * @param  {Object} config   The config for your app
   */
-  constructor(settings={}) {
-    this._s = settings;
+  constructor(config) {
+    this._s = config && isObject(config) && !isArray(config) ? config : {};
     this._c = {}; // cached values
   }
 
diff --git a/ionic/config/test/config.spec.ts b/ionic/config/test/config.spec.ts
index 250d04936e..0e1853743c 100644
--- a/ionic/config/test/config.spec.ts
+++ b/ionic/config/test/config.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,39 @@
-import {IonicConfig, IonicPlatform} from 'ionic/ionic';
+import {IonicConfig, IonicPlatform, ionicBindings} from 'ionic/ionic';
 
 export function run() {
 
+  it('should create a new IonicConfig instace when no confg passed in ionicBindings', () => {
+    let rootCmp = function(){};
+    let bindings = ionicBindings(rootCmp);
+
+    let config = bindings.find(binding => binding.toValue instanceof IonicConfig).toValue;
+
+    expect(config.get('mode')).toEqual('ios');
+  });
+
+  it('should used passed in IonicConfig instance in ionicBindings', () => {
+    let rootCmp = function(){};
+    let userConfig =  new IonicConfig({
+      mode: 'configInstance'
+    })
+    let bindings = ionicBindings(rootCmp, userConfig);
+
+    let config = bindings.find(binding => binding.toValue instanceof IonicConfig).toValue;
+
+    expect(config.get('mode')).toEqual('configInstance');
+  });
+
+  it('should create new IonicConfig instance from config object in ionicBindings', () => {
+    let rootCmp = function(){};
+    let bindings = ionicBindings(rootCmp, {
+      mode: 'configObj'
+    });
+
+    let config = bindings.find(binding => binding.toValue instanceof IonicConfig).toValue;
+
+    expect(config.get('mode')).toEqual('configObj');
+  });
+
   it('should override mode settings', () => {
     let config = new IonicConfig({
       mode: 'md'
@@ -317,4 +349,36 @@ export function run() {
     });
   });
 
+  it('should create default config w/ bad settings value', () => {
+    let config = new IonicConfig(null);
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig(undefined);
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig();
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig([1,2,3]);
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig('im bad, you know it');
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig(8675309);
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig(true);
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig(false);
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig(1);
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+
+    config = new IonicConfig(function(){});
+    expect(config.settings()).toEqual({});
+  });
+
 }