diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5b458b10..6ed338de 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -98,12 +98,18 @@ Within your engine's `addon` directory, add a new `engine.js` file:
 ```js
 import Engine from 'ember-engines/engine';
 import Resolver from 'ember-engines/resolver';
+import loadInitializers from 'ember-load-initializers';
 
-export default Engine.extend({
-  modulePrefix: 'ember-blog',
-
+const modulePrefix = 'ember-blog';
+const Eng = Engine.extend({
+  modulePrefix,
   Resolver
 });
+
+loadInitializers(Eng, modulePrefix);
+
+export default Eng;
+
 ```
 
 It's important to define a `modulePrefix` that will be used to resolve your
diff --git a/addon/-private/engine-ext.js b/addon/-private/engine-ext.js
index 17b52db5..ee5835a7 100644
--- a/addon/-private/engine-ext.js
+++ b/addon/-private/engine-ext.js
@@ -18,6 +18,20 @@ const {
 } = Ember;
 
 Engine.reopen({
+  _initializersRan: false,
+
+  ensureInitializers() {
+    if (!this._initializersRan) {
+      this.runInitializers();
+      this._initializersRan = true;
+    }
+  },
+
+  buildInstance(options) {
+    this.ensureInitializers();
+    return this._super(options);
+  },
+
   buildRegistry() {
     let namespace = this;
     let registry = this._super(...arguments);
diff --git a/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routable-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js b/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routable-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js
index ad019ea9..44a21d70 100644
--- a/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routable-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js
+++ b/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routable-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 import Engine from 'ember-engines/engine';
 import Resolver from 'ember-engines/resolver';
+import loadInitializers from 'ember-load-initializers';
 
-export default Engine.extend({
-  modulePrefix: '<%= dasherizedModuleName %>',
+const modulePrefix = 'ember-blog';
+const Eng = Engine.extend({
+  modulePrefix,
   Resolver
 });
+
+loadInitializers(Eng, modulePrefix);
+
+export default Eng;
diff --git a/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routeless-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js b/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routeless-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js
index ad019ea9..44a21d70 100644
--- a/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routeless-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js
+++ b/blueprints/in-repo-engine/routeless-files/lib/__name__/addon/engine.js
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 import Engine from 'ember-engines/engine';
 import Resolver from 'ember-engines/resolver';
+import loadInitializers from 'ember-load-initializers';
 
-export default Engine.extend({
-  modulePrefix: '<%= dasherizedModuleName %>',
+const modulePrefix = 'ember-blog';
+const Eng = Engine.extend({
+  modulePrefix,
   Resolver
 });
+
+loadInitializers(Eng, modulePrefix);
+
+export default Eng;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d38cd98f..aec0da5c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     "ember-export-application-global": "^1.0.5",
     "ember-load-initializers": "^0.5.1",
     "ember-resolver": "^2.0.3",
+    "ember-sinon": "0.5.0",
     "ember-try": "^0.2.2",
     "loader.js": "^4.0.1"
   },
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/routeable-engine-demo-test.js b/tests/acceptance/routeable-engine-demo-test.js
index 3f3479a0..d8c2a2ef 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/routeable-engine-demo-test.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/routeable-engine-demo-test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import { test } from 'qunit';
+import sinon from 'sinon';
 import moduleForAcceptance from '../../tests/helpers/module-for-acceptance';
+import Initializer from 'ember-blog/initializers/ember-blog-initializer';
+import InstanceInitializer from 'ember-blog/instance-initializers/ember-blog-instance-initializer';
 
 moduleForAcceptance('Acceptance | routable engine demo');
 
@@ -93,3 +96,52 @@ test('transitionTo works properly within parent application', function(assert) {
     assert.equal(currentURL(), '/routeless-engine-demo');
   });
 });
+
+test('initializers run within engine', function(assert) {
+  assert.expect(1);
+
+  let stub = sinon.stub(Initializer, 'initialize');
+
+  visit('/routable-engine-demo/blog/new');
+
+  andThen(() => {
+    assert.ok(stub.calledOnce, 'Initializer ran once');
+    stub.restore();
+  });
+});
+
+test('instance initializers run within engine', function(assert) {
+  assert.expect(1);
+
+  let stub = sinon.stub(InstanceInitializer, 'initialize');
+
+  visit('/routable-engine-demo/blog/new');
+
+  andThen(() => {
+    assert.ok(stub.calledOnce, 'Instance initializer ran once');
+    stub.restore();
+  });
+});
+
+test('instance-initializers run after initializers', function(assert) {
+  assert.expect(2);
+
+  let appInitialized = false;
+  let instanceInitialized = false;
+
+  let appInit = sinon.stub(Initializer, 'initialize', function() {
+    appInitialized = true;
+    assert.ok(!instanceInitialized, 'instance initialized has not run yet');
+  });
+  let instanceInit = sinon.stub(InstanceInitializer, 'initialize', function() {
+    instanceInitialized = true;
+    assert.ok(appInitialized, 'initializer already ran');
+  });
+
+  visit('/routable-engine-demo/blog/new');
+
+  andThen(() => {
+    appInit.restore();
+    instanceInit.restore();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/engine.js b/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/engine.js
index a17a026a..eb6810a4 100644
--- a/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/engine.js
+++ b/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/engine.js
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 import Engine from 'ember-engines/engine';
 import Resolver from 'ember-engines/resolver';
+import loadInitializers from 'ember-load-initializers';
 
-export default Engine.extend({
-  modulePrefix: 'ember-blog',
+let Eng;
 
+const modulePrefix = 'ember-blog';
+
+Eng = Engine.extend({
+  modulePrefix,
   Resolver,
 
   dependencies: {
@@ -12,3 +16,7 @@ export default Engine.extend({
     ]
   }
 });
+
+loadInitializers(Eng, modulePrefix);
+
+export default Eng;
diff --git a/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/initializers/ember-blog-initializer.js b/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/initializers/ember-blog-initializer.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3a81ee1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/initializers/ember-blog-initializer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+export default {
+  name: 'ember-blog-initializer',
+  initialize() {
+
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/instance-initializers/ember-blog-instance-initializer.js b/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/instance-initializers/ember-blog-instance-initializer.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6186c692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dummy/lib/ember-blog/addon/instance-initializers/ember-blog-instance-initializer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+export default {
+  name: 'ember-blog-instance-initializer',
+  initialize() {
+  }
+}