diff --git a/jupyter_server/extension/application.py b/jupyter_server/extension/application.py
index 791bc9fca6..db9909c609 100644
--- a/jupyter_server/extension/application.py
+++ b/jupyter_server/extension/application.py
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ def _prepare_config(self):
         the object to the webapp's settings as `<extension_name>_config`.  
         """
         traits = self.class_own_traits().keys()
-        self.config = Config({t: getattr(self, t) for t in traits})
-        self.settings['{}_config'.format(self.extension_name)] = self.config
+        self.extension_config = Config({t: getattr(self, t) for t in traits})
+        self.settings['{}_config'.format(self.extension_name)] = self.extension_config
 
     def _prepare_settings(self):
         # Make webapp settings accessible to initialize_settings method
@@ -279,7 +279,6 @@ def load_jupyter_server_extension(cls, serverapp, argv=[], **kwargs):
         # Configure and initialize extension.
         extension = cls()
         extension.initialize(serverapp, argv=argv)
-
         return extension
 
     @classmethod
@@ -290,7 +289,6 @@ def _prepare_launch(cls, serverapp, argv=[], **kwargs):
         """
         # Load the extension
         extension = cls.load_jupyter_server_extension(serverapp, argv=argv, **kwargs)
-        
         # Start the browser at this extensions default_url, unless user
         # configures ServerApp.default_url on command line.
         try:
@@ -313,11 +311,10 @@ def launch_instance(cls, argv=None, **kwargs):
         # arguments trigger actions from the extension not the server.
         _preparse_command_line(cls)
         # Handle arguments.
-        if argv is not None:
+        if argv is None:
             args = sys.argv[1:]  # slice out extension config.
         else:
             args = []
-        
         # Get a jupyter server instance.
         serverapp = cls.initialize_server(argv=args)
         extension = cls._prepare_launch(serverapp, argv=args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/jupyter_server/extension/handler.py b/jupyter_server/extension/handler.py
index ea6f8ba5d6..22737ed3bb 100644
--- a/jupyter_server/extension/handler.py
+++ b/jupyter_server/extension/handler.py
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ def initialize(self, extension_name):
     def config(self):
         return self.settings["{}_config".format(self.extension_name)]
 
+    @property
+    def server_config(self):
+        return self.settings["config"]
+
     @property
     def static_url_prefix(self):
         return "/static/{extension_name}/".format(
diff --git a/jupyter_server/serverapp.py b/jupyter_server/serverapp.py
index 801ec7b22c..2f6826dc78 100755
--- a/jupyter_server/serverapp.py
+++ b/jupyter_server/serverapp.py
@@ -492,6 +492,11 @@ def start(self):
     _("Allow the server to be run from root user.")
 )
 
+flags['standalone']=(
+    {'ServerApp' : {'standalone' : True}},
+    _("Run the server without enabling extensions.")
+)
+
 # Add notebook manager flags
 flags.update(boolean_flag('script', 'FileContentsManager.save_script',
                'DEPRECATED, IGNORED',
@@ -1138,6 +1143,12 @@ def _update_server_extensions(self, change):
          is not available.
          """))
 
+    standalone = Bool(
+        False,
+        config=True,
+        help="Run the server without enabling extensions."
+    )
+
     def parse_command_line(self, argv=None):
         super(ServerApp, self).parse_command_line(argv)
 
@@ -1469,7 +1480,8 @@ def initialize(self, argv=None):
         self.init_webapp()
         self.init_terminals()
         self.init_signal()
-        self.init_server_extensions()
+        if self.standalone is False:
+            self.init_server_extensions()
         self.init_mime_overrides()
         self.init_shutdown_no_activity()