diff --git a/appmode/server_extension.py b/appmode/server_extension.py
index a4ff236..4c90508 100644
--- a/appmode/server_extension.py
+++ b/appmode/server_extension.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from notebook.base.handlers import IPythonHandler, FilesRedirectHandler, path_regex
 import notebook.notebook.handlers as orig_handler
 from tornado import web
+import json
 
 class AppmodeHandler(IPythonHandler):
     #===========================================================================
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ def get(self, path):
         user_name = path_split.pop(1)
         # global environment variables are lazy but easiest way to pass username
         os.environ['APPMODE_USER']=user_name
+        os.environ['APPMODE_SETTINGS'] = json.dumps(self.settings)
         path = '/'.join(path_split)
         path = path.strip('/')
         self.log.info('Appmode get: %s', path)
diff --git a/example_app.ipynb b/example_app.ipynb
index 2c1686f..d7e4ba1 100644
--- a/example_app.ipynb
+++ b/example_app.ipynb
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "import os\n",
-    "USERNAME=os.environ.get('APPMODE_USER', 'Not logged in')"
+    "USERNAME=os.environ.get('APPMODE_USER', 'Not logged in')\n",
+    "print(os.environ.get('APPMODE_SETTINGS', ''), 'settings loaded')"
    ]
   },
   {