diff --git a/src/lib/base.html b/src/lib/base.html
index b2feaf5797..a1690205d7 100644
--- a/src/lib/base.html
+++ b/src/lib/base.html
@@ -7,7 +7,13 @@
 Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
 subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
 -->
+<link rel="import" href="settings.html">
 <script>
+(function() {
+
+  'use strict';
+
+  var settings = Polymer.Settings;
 
   Polymer.Base = {
 
@@ -28,7 +34,7 @@
       this._desugarBehaviors(); // abstract
       this._doBehavior('beforeRegister'); // abstract
       this._registerFeatures();  // abstract
-      if (this.forceRegister) {
+      if (settings.eagerRegister || this.eagerRegister) {
         this.ensureRegistered();
       }
     },
@@ -178,4 +184,5 @@
   // TODO(sjmiles): ad hoc telemetry
   Polymer.telemetry.instanceCount = 0;
 
+})();
 </script>
diff --git a/src/lib/settings.html b/src/lib/settings.html
index 7e4c4288f7..dc25d13ae7 100644
--- a/src/lib/settings.html
+++ b/src/lib/settings.html
@@ -18,38 +18,33 @@
       // like: Polymer = {dom: 'shady'}
 
       // via Polymer object
-      var user = window.Polymer || {};
+      var settings = window.Polymer || {};
 
       // via url
       var parts = location.search.slice(1).split('&');
       for (var i=0, o; (i < parts.length) && (o=parts[i]); i++) {
         o = o.split('=');
-        o[0] && (user[o[0]] = o[1] || true);
+        o[0] && (settings[o[0]] = o[1] || true);
       }
 
-      var wantShadow = (user.dom === 'shadow');
-      var hasShadow = Boolean(Element.prototype.createShadowRoot);
-      var nativeShadow = hasShadow && !window.ShadowDOMPolyfill;
-      var useShadow = wantShadow && hasShadow;
+      settings.wantShadow = (settings.dom === 'shadow');
+      settings.hasShadow = Boolean(Element.prototype.createShadowRoot);
+      settings.nativeShadow = settings.hasShadow && !window.ShadowDOMPolyfill;
+      settings.useShadow = settings.wantShadow && settings.hasShadow;
 
-      var hasNativeImports = Boolean('import' in document.createElement('link'));
-      var useNativeImports = hasNativeImports;
+      settings.hasNativeImports = 
+        Boolean('import' in document.createElement('link'));
+      settings.useNativeImports = settings.hasNativeImports;
 
-      var useNativeCustomElements = (!window.CustomElements ||
+      settings.useNativeCustomElements = (!window.CustomElements ||
         window.CustomElements.useNative);
 
-      var usePolyfillProto = !useNativeCustomElements && !Object.__proto__;
-
-      return {
-        wantShadow: wantShadow,
-        hasShadow: hasShadow,
-        nativeShadow: nativeShadow,
-        useShadow: useShadow,
-        useNativeShadow: useShadow && nativeShadow,
-        useNativeImports: useNativeImports,
-        useNativeCustomElements: useNativeCustomElements,
-        usePolyfillProto: usePolyfillProto
-      };
+      settings.useNativeShadow = settings.useShadow && settings.nativeShadow;
+
+      settings.usePolyfillProto = !settings.useNativeCustomElements && 
+        !Object.__proto__;
+
+      return settings;
     })()
   };
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lazy-register.html b/test/unit/lazy-register.html
index bae08acb11..0d07bc8a3a 100644
--- a/test/unit/lazy-register.html
+++ b/test/unit/lazy-register.html
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
     window.XEager = Polymer({
       is: 'x-eager',
-      forceRegister: true,
+      eagerRegister: true,
       registered: sinon.spy()
     });
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
     HTMLImports.whenReady(function() {
       Polymer({
         is: 'x-eager-style',
-        forceRegister: true
+        eagerRegister: true
       });
     });
     </script>
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
     assert.isTrue(XLazy.prototype.registered.called, 'registered not called after instance created');
   });
 
-  test('registered called at registration time if `forceRegister` is true', function() {
+  test('registered called at registration time if `eagerRegister` is true', function() {
     assert.isTrue(XEager.prototype.registered.called, 'registered not called before instance created');
     document.createElement('x-eager');
     assert.isTrue(XLazy.prototype.registered.calledOnce, 'registered called more than once');
@@ -93,12 +93,27 @@
     assert.ok(document.querySelector('style[scope=x-lazy-style]'), 'style shimmed at first instance');
   });  
 
-  test('styles shimmed at registration when `forceRegister` is true', function() {
+  test('styles shimmed at registration when `eagerRegister` is true', function() {
     assert.ok(document.querySelector('style[scope=x-eager-style]'), 'style shimmed before registration complete');
     document.createElement('x-eager-style');
     assert.equal(document.querySelectorAll('style[scope=x-eager-style]').length, 1);
   });  
 
+  test('Polymer.Settings.eagerRegister', function() {
+    Polymer.Settings.eagerRegister = true;
+    var XTest1 = Polymer({
+      is: 'x-test1',
+      registered: sinon.spy()
+    });
+    assert.isTrue(XTest1.prototype.registered.called, 'registered not called when eagerRegister is set');
+    Polymer.Settings.eagerRegister = false;
+    var XTest2 = Polymer({
+      is: 'x-test2',
+      registered: sinon.spy()
+    });
+    assert.isFalse(XTest2.prototype.registered.called, 'registered called when eagerRegister not set');
+  });
+
 });
 
 </script>