diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index 591549c08..252a79b5c 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -129,10 +129,40 @@ var normalizeConfig = function(config, configFilePath) {
         [preprocessors[pattern]] : preprocessors[pattern];
   });
 
+
+  // define custom launchers/preprocessors/reporters - create an inlined plugin
+  var module = Object.create(null);
+  ['launcher', 'preprocessor', 'reporter'].forEach(function(type) {
+    var definitions = config['custom' + helper.ucFirst(type) + 's'] || {};
+
+    Object.keys(definitions).forEach(function(name) {
+      var definition = definitions[name];
+
+      if (!helper.isObject(definition)) {
+        return log.warn('Can not define %s %s. Definition has to be an object.', type, name);
+      }
+
+      if (!helper.isString(definition.base)) {
+        return log.warn('Can not define %s %s. Missing base %s.', type, name, type);
+      }
+
+      var token = type + ':' + definition.base;
+      var locals = {
+        args: ['value', definition]
+      };
+
+      module[type + ':' + name] = ['factory', function(injector) {
+        return injector.createChild([locals], [token]).get(token);
+      }];
+    });
+  });
+
+  config.plugins.push(module);
+
   return config;
 };
 
-// TODO(vojta): remove
+// TODO(vojta): remove in 0.11
 var CONST_ERR = '%s is not supported anymore.\n\tPlease use `frameworks = ["%s"];` instead.';
 ['JASMINE', 'MOCHA', 'QUNIT'].forEach(function(framework) {
   [framework, framework + '_ADAPTER'].forEach(function(name) {
@@ -161,29 +191,34 @@ var CONST_ERR = '%s is not supported anymore.\n\tPlease use `frameworks = ["%s"]
   }});
 });
 
-var KarmaDsl = function(config) {
+var Config = function() {
+  var config = this;
+
   this.LOG_DISABLE = constant.LOG_DISABLE;
   this.LOG_ERROR = constant.LOG_ERROR;
   this.LOG_WARN = constant.LOG_WARN;
   this.LOG_INFO = constant.LOG_INFO;
   this.LOG_DEBUG = constant.LOG_DEBUG;
 
-  this.configure = function(newConfig) {
+  this.set = function(newConfig) {
     Object.keys(newConfig).forEach(function(key) {
       config[key] = newConfig[key];
     });
   };
 
-  // this.defineLauncher
-  // this.defineReporter
-  // this.definePreprocessor
+  // TODO(vojta): remove this in 0.10
+  this.configure = function(newConfig) {
+    log.warn('config.configure() is deprecated, please use config.set() instead.');
+    this.set(newConfig);
+  };
+
+  // TODO(vojta): remove this in 0.10
   ['launcher', 'reporter', 'preprocessor'].forEach(function(type) {
-    this['define' + helper.ucFirst(type)] = function(name, base, options) {
-      var module = Object.create(null);
-      var token = type + ':' + base;
-      var locals = {
-        args: ['value', options]
-      };
+    var methodName = 'define' + helper.ucFirst(type);
+    var propertyName = 'custom' + helper.ucFirst(type) + 's';
+
+    config[methodName] = function(name, base, options) {
+      log.warn('config.%s is deprecated, please use "%s" instead.', methodName, propertyName);
 
       if (!helper.isString(name)) {
         return log.warn('Can not define %s. Name has to be a string.', type);
@@ -197,13 +232,48 @@ var KarmaDsl = function(config) {
         return log.warn('Can not define %s %s. Arguments has to be an object.', type, name);
       }
 
-      module[type + ':' + name] = ['factory', function(injector) {
-        return injector.createChild([locals], [token]).get(token);
-      }];
-
-      config.plugins.push(module);
+      config[propertyName] = config[propertyName] || {};
+      config[propertyName][name] = options;
+      options.base = base;
     };
-  }, this);
+  });
+
+
+  // DEFAULT CONFIG
+  this.frameworks = [];
+  this.port = constant.DEFAULT_PORT;
+  this.runnerPort = constant.DEFAULT_RUNNER_PORT;
+  this.hostname = constant.DEFAULT_HOSTNAME;
+  this.basePath = '';
+  this.files = [];
+  this.exclude = [];
+  this.logLevel = constant.LOG_INFO;
+  this.colors = true;
+  this.autoWatch = false;
+  this.reporters = ['progress'];
+  this.singleRun = false;
+  this.browsers = [];
+  this.captureTimeout = 60000;
+  this.proxies = {};
+  this.proxyValidateSSL = true;
+  this.preprocessors = {'**/*.coffee': 'coffee'};
+  this.urlRoot = '/';
+  this.reportSlowerThan = 0;
+  this.loggers = [constant.CONSOLE_APPENDER];
+  this.transports = ['websocket', 'flashsocket', 'xhr-polling', 'jsonp-polling'];
+  this.plugins = ['karma-*'];
+
+  // TODO(vojta): remove in 0.10
+  this.junitReporter = {
+    outputFile: 'test-results.xml',
+    suite: ''
+  };
+
+  // TODO(vojta): remove in 0.10
+  this.coverageReporter = {
+    type: 'html',
+    dir: 'coverage'
+  };
 };
 
 var parseConfig = function(configFilePath, cliOptions) {
@@ -228,50 +298,17 @@ var parseConfig = function(configFilePath, cliOptions) {
     configModule = function() {};
   }
 
-  var config = {
-    frameworks: [],
-    port: constant.DEFAULT_PORT,
-    runnerPort: constant.DEFAULT_RUNNER_PORT,
-    hostname: constant.DEFAULT_HOSTNAME,
-    basePath: '',
-    files: [],
-    exclude: [],
-    logLevel: constant.LOG_INFO,
-    colors: true,
-    autoWatch: false,
-    reporters: ['progress'],
-    singleRun: false,
-    browsers: [],
-    captureTimeout: 60000,
-    proxies: {},
-    proxyValidateSSL: true,
-    preprocessors: {'**/*.coffee': 'coffee'},
-    urlRoot: '/',
-    reportSlowerThan: 0,
-    // TODO(vojta): remove
-    junitReporter: {
-      outputFile: 'test-results.xml',
-      suite: ''
-    },
-    // TODO(vojta): remove
-    coverageReporter: {
-      type: 'html',
-      dir: 'coverage/'
-    },
-    loggers: [ constant.CONSOLE_APPENDER ],
-    transports: [ 'websocket', 'flashsocket', 'xhr-polling', 'jsonp-polling' ],
-    plugins: [ 'karma-*' ]
-  };
-  var dsl = new KarmaDsl(config);
+  var config = new Config();
+
   try {
-    configModule(dsl);
+    configModule(config);
   } catch(e) {
     log.error('Error in config file!\n', e);
     return process.exit(1);
   }
 
   // merge the config from config file and cliOptions (precendense)
-  dsl.configure(cliOptions);
+  config.set(cliOptions);
 
   // configure the logger as soon as we can
   logger.setup(config.logLevel, config.colors, config.loggers);
diff --git a/test/client/karma.conf.js b/test/client/karma.conf.js
index a71411151..5df350c0d 100644
--- a/test/client/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/client/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     // base path, that will be used to resolve files and exclude
     basePath: '../..',
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ module.exports = function(karma) {
     // level of logging
     // possible values: karma.LOG_DISABLE || karma.LOG_ERROR || karma.LOG_WARN || karma.LOG_INFO || karma.LOG_DEBUG
     // CLI --log-level debug
-    logLevel: karma.LOG_INFO,
+    logLevel: config.LOG_INFO,
 
     // enable / disable watching file and executing tests whenever any file changes
     // CLI --auto-watch --no-auto-watch
diff --git a/test/e2e/angular-scenario/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/angular-scenario/karma.conf.js
index 299699102..0591e1ace 100644
--- a/test/e2e/angular-scenario/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/angular-scenario/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['ng-scenario'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/basic/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/basic/karma.conf.js
index d7216fbb5..823733d25 100644
--- a/test/e2e/basic/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/basic/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['jasmine'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/coffee-config/karma.conf.coffee b/test/e2e/coffee-config/karma.conf.coffee
index 36e616e53..be3e9835b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/coffee-config/karma.conf.coffee
+++ b/test/e2e/coffee-config/karma.conf.coffee
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = (karma) ->
-  karma.configure
+module.exports = (config) ->
+  config.set
 
     frameworks: ['jasmine']
 
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ module.exports = (karma) ->
 
     reporters: ['dots']
 
-    preprocessors: {
+    preprocessors:
       '**/*.coffee': 'coffee'
-    }
 
     plugins: [
       'karma-jasmine'
diff --git a/test/e2e/coffee/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/coffee/karma.conf.js
index b1ac1fb74..229377900 100644
--- a/test/e2e/coffee/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/coffee/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['jasmine'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/coverage/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/coverage/karma.conf.js
index 2df95b6b8..9f0a5aa7f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/coverage/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/coverage/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['jasmine'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/coverageQunit/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/coverageQunit/karma.conf.js
index 04256752c..462d1ac93 100644
--- a/test/e2e/coverageQunit/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/coverageQunit/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['qunit'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/coverageRequirejs/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/coverageRequirejs/karma.conf.js
index ed1784340..31e0d3546 100644
--- a/test/e2e/coverageRequirejs/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/coverageRequirejs/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['mocha', 'requirejs'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/junit/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/junit/karma.conf.js
index 73c9e9cb8..cb2b068e0 100644
--- a/test/e2e/junit/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/junit/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['jasmine'],
 
     files: [
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module.exports = function(karma) {
 
     reporters: ['dots', 'junit'],
 
-    logLevel: karma.LOG_DEBUG,
+    logLevel: config.LOG_DEBUG,
 
     junitReporter: {
       outputFile: 'test-results.xml'
diff --git a/test/e2e/mocha/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/mocha/karma.conf.js
index c5963071b..89b3d6fb2 100644
--- a/test/e2e/mocha/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/mocha/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['mocha'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/qunit/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/qunit/karma.conf.js
index edb7cb5b1..bfd5a1422 100644
--- a/test/e2e/qunit/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/qunit/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['qunit'],
 
     files: [
diff --git a/test/e2e/requirejs/karma.conf.js b/test/e2e/requirejs/karma.conf.js
index e4436e4fc..2e2c4d940 100644
--- a/test/e2e/requirejs/karma.conf.js
+++ b/test/e2e/requirejs/karma.conf.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 // Karma configuration
 // Generated on Thu Jul 26 2012 14:35:23 GMT-0700 (PDT)
 
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     // base path, that will be used to resolve files and exclude
     basePath: '',
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ module.exports = function(karma) {
 
     // level of logging
     // possible values: LOG_DISABLE || LOG_ERROR || LOG_WARN || LOG_INFO || LOG_DEBUG
-    logLevel: karma.LOG_INFO,
+    logLevel: config.LOG_INFO,
 
 
     // enable / disable watching file and executing tests whenever any file changes
diff --git a/test/e2e/syntax-error/karma.conf.ignore.js b/test/e2e/syntax-error/karma.conf.ignore.js
index d20e781e3..5dc244299 100644
--- a/test/e2e/syntax-error/karma.conf.ignore.js
+++ b/test/e2e/syntax-error/karma.conf.ignore.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
     frameworks: ['jasmine'],
 
     // files to load
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module.exports = function(karma) {
 
     autoWatch: true,
     autoWatchInterval: 1,
-    logLevel: karma.LOG_INFO,
+    logLevel: config.LOG_INFO,
     logColors: true,
 
     browsers: ['Chrome'],
diff --git a/test/e2e/timeout/karma.conf.ignore.js b/test/e2e/timeout/karma.conf.ignore.js
index c3ef50e45..e8ddf3a4e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/timeout/karma.conf.ignore.js
+++ b/test/e2e/timeout/karma.conf.ignore.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 // Karma configuration
 // Generated on Sun Sep 30 2012 22:44:01 GMT-0700 (PDT)
 
-module.exports = function(karma) {
-  karma.configure({
+module.exports = function(config) {
+  config.set({
 
     // base path, that will be used to resolve files and exclude
     basePath: '',
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module.exports = function(karma) {
 
     // level of logging
     // possible values: LOG_DISABLE || LOG_ERROR || LOG_WARN || LOG_INFO || LOG_DEBUG
-    logLevel: karma.LOG_INFO,
+    logLevel: config.LOG_INFO,
 
 
     // enable / disable watching file and executing tests whenever any file changes
diff --git a/test/unit/config.spec.coffee b/test/unit/config.spec.coffee
index 420b5f71a..67c4a6efe 100644
--- a/test/unit/config.spec.coffee
+++ b/test/unit/config.spec.coffee
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ describe 'config', ->
     cfg.exclude = [] if not cfg.exclude
     cfg.junitReporter = {} if not cfg.junitReporter
     cfg.coverageReporter = {} if not cfg.coverageReporter
+    cfg.plugins = [] if not cfg.plugins
     m.normalizeConfig cfg
 
   # extract only pattern properties from list of pattern objects
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@ describe 'config', ->
     list.map (pattern) -> pattern.pattern
 
   wrapCfg = (cfg) ->
-    return (karma) ->
-      karma.configure cfg
+    return (config) ->
+      config.set cfg
 
   beforeEach ->
     mocks = {}
@@ -66,9 +67,7 @@ describe 'config', ->
 
     beforeEach ->
       logSpy = sinon.spy()
-
       logger = require '../../lib/logger.js'
-
       logger.create('config').on 'log', logSpy
 
 
@@ -165,30 +164,6 @@ describe 'config', ->
       ]
 
 
-    it 'should return only config, no globals', ->
-      config = e.parseConfig '/home/config1.js', {port: 456}
-
-      expect(config.port).to.equal 456
-      expect(config.basePath).to.equal resolveWinPath('/home/base')
-      expect(config.reporters).to.deep.equal ['dots']
-
-      # defaults
-      expect(config.files).to.deep.equal []
-      expect(config.exclude).to.deep.equal [resolveWinPath('/home/config1.js')]
-      expect(config.logLevel).to.exist
-      expect(config.autoWatch).to.equal false
-      expect(config.singleRun).to.equal false
-      expect(config.browsers).to.deep.equal []
-      expect(config.reportSlowerThan).to.equal 0
-      expect(config.captureTimeout).to.equal 60000
-      expect(config.proxies).to.deep.equal {}
-
-      expect(config.LOG_DISABLE).to.not.exist
-      expect(config.JASMINE).to.not.exist
-      expect(config.console).to.not.exist
-      expect(config.require).to.not.exist
-
-
     it 'should normalize urlRoot config', ->
       config = normalizeConfigWithDefaults {urlRoot: ''}
       expect(config.urlRoot).to.equal '/'
@@ -346,9 +321,8 @@ describe 'config', ->
       expect(pattern.served).to.equal false
 
 
-  describe 'DSL', ->
+  describe 'custom', ->
     di = require 'di'
-    dsl = config = null
 
     forwardArgsFactory = (args) ->
       args
@@ -358,13 +332,12 @@ describe 'config', ->
       'launcher:base': ['type', forwardArgsFactory]
       'reporter:base': ['type', forwardArgsFactory]
 
-    beforeEach ->
-      config = {plugins: []}
-      dsl = new m.KarmaDsl config
-
-
     it 'should define a custom launcher', ->
-      dsl.defineLauncher 'custom', 'base', {first: 123, whatever: 'aaa'}
+      config = normalizeConfigWithDefaults
+        customLaunchers: custom:
+          base: 'base'
+          first: 123
+          whatever: 'aaa'
 
       injector = new di.Injector([baseModule].concat config.plugins)
       injectedArgs = injector.get 'launcher:custom'
@@ -375,7 +348,11 @@ describe 'config', ->
 
 
     it 'should define a custom preprocessor', ->
-      dsl.definePreprocessor 'custom', 'base', {second: 123, whatever: 'bbb'}
+      config = normalizeConfigWithDefaults
+        customPreprocessors: custom:
+          base: 'base'
+          second: 123
+          whatever: 'bbb'
 
       injector = new di.Injector([baseModule].concat config.plugins)
       injectedArgs = injector.get 'preprocessor:custom'
@@ -386,7 +363,11 @@ describe 'config', ->
 
 
     it 'should define a custom reporter', ->
-      dsl.defineReporter 'custom', 'base', {third: 123, whatever: 'ccc'}
+      config = normalizeConfigWithDefaults
+        customReporters: custom:
+          base: 'base'
+          third: 123
+          whatever: 'ccc'
 
       injector = new di.Injector([baseModule].concat config.plugins)
       injectedArgs = injector.get 'reporter:custom'