diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 20a021c..8a08a4a 100755
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ internals.schema.viewBase = internals.schema.viewOverride.keys({
     helpersPath: Joi.string(),
     isCached: Joi.boolean(),
     compileMode: Joi.string().valid('sync', 'async'),
-    defaultExtension: Joi.string()
+    defaultExtension: Joi.string(),
+    context: [ Joi.object(), Joi.func() ]
 });
 
 
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ exports.Manager = internals.Manager = function (options) {
     var extensions = Object.keys(engines);
     Hoek.assert(extensions.length, 'Views manager requires at least one registered extension handler');
 
+    this._context = options.context;
     this._engines = {};
     this._defaultExtension = defaultExtension || (extensions.length === 1 ? extensions[0] : '');
 
@@ -259,9 +261,17 @@ internals.Manager.prototype.render = function (filename, context, options, callb
 
     var self = this;
 
-    context = context || {};
     options = options || {};
 
+    var defaultContext;
+    if (typeof this._context === 'function') {
+        defaultContext = this._context();
+    }
+    else {
+        defaultContext = this._context ? Hoek.clone(this._context) : {};
+    }
+    context = Hoek.merge(defaultContext, context, true, false);
+
     var engine = null;
 
     var fileExtension = Path.extname(filename).slice(1);
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 92f06fa..ef78bdf 100755
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -641,6 +641,108 @@ describe('Manager', function () {
             });
         });
 
+        it('renders with a global context object', function (done) {
+
+            var testView = new Vision.Manager({
+                engines: { html: require('handlebars') },
+                path: __dirname + '/templates',
+
+                context: {
+                    message: 'default message',
+
+                    query: {
+                        test: 'global'
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            testView.render('valid/testContext', null, null, function (err, rendered, config) {
+
+                expect(rendered).to.exist;
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>global</h1>');
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>default message</h1>');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('overrides the global context object with local values', function (done) {
+
+            var testView = new Vision.Manager({
+                engines: { html: require('handlebars') },
+                path: __dirname + '/templates',
+
+                context: {
+                    message: 'default message',
+
+                    query: {
+                        test: 'global'
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            testView.render('valid/testContext', { message : 'override' }, null, function (err, rendered, config) {
+
+                expect(rendered).to.exist;
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>global</h1>');
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>override</h1>');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('renders with a global context function', function (done) {
+
+            var testView = new Vision.Manager({
+                engines: { html: require('handlebars') },
+                path: __dirname + '/templates',
+
+                context: function () {
+
+                    return {
+                        message: 'default message',
+
+                        query: {
+                            test: 'global'
+                        }
+                    };
+                }
+            });
+
+            testView.render('valid/testContext', null, null, function (err, rendered, config) {
+
+                expect(rendered).to.exist;
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>global</h1>');
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>default message</h1>');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('overrides the global context function values with local values', function (done) {
+
+            var testView = new Vision.Manager({
+                engines: { html: require('handlebars') },
+                path: __dirname + '/templates',
+
+                context: function () {
+
+                    return {
+                        message: 'default message',
+
+                        query: {
+                            test: 'global'
+                        }
+                    };
+                }
+            });
+
+            testView.render('valid/testContext', { message : 'override' }, null, function (err, rendered, config) {
+
+                expect(rendered).to.exist;
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>global</h1>');
+                expect(rendered).to.contain('<h1>override</h1>');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
         it('uses specified default ext', function (done) {
 
             var testView = new Vision.Manager({
@@ -1190,6 +1292,84 @@ describe('Manager', function () {
                 done();
             });
         });
+
+        it('handles a global context', function (done) {
+
+            var server = new Hapi.Server();
+            server.handler('viewTest', Vision.handler);
+            server._views = new Vision.Manager({
+                engines: { html: require('handlebars') },
+                path: __dirname + '/templates',
+
+                context: {
+                    message: 'default message',
+
+                    query: {
+                        test: 'global'
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            server.route({ method: 'GET', path: '/', handler: { viewTest: { template: 'valid/testContext' } } });
+            server.inject('/', function (res) {
+
+                expect(res.result).to.contain('<h1>global</h1>');
+                expect(res.result).to.contain('<h1>default message</h1>');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('overrides the global context with the default handler context', function (done) {
+
+            var server = new Hapi.Server();
+            server.handler('viewTest', Vision.handler);
+            server._views = new Vision.Manager({
+                engines: { html: require('handlebars') },
+                path: __dirname + '/templates',
+
+                context: {
+                    message: 'default message',
+
+                    query: {
+                        test: 'global'
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            server.route({ method: 'GET', path: '/', handler: { viewTest: { template: 'valid/testContext' } } });
+            server.inject('/?test=yes', function (res) {
+
+                expect(res.result).to.contain('<h1>yes</h1>');
+                expect(res.result).to.contain('<h1>default message</h1>');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('overrides the global and default contexts with a custom handler context', function (done) {
+
+            var server = new Hapi.Server();
+            server.handler('viewTest', Vision.handler);
+            server._views = new Vision.Manager({
+                engines: { html: require('handlebars') },
+                path: __dirname + '/templates',
+
+                context: {
+                    message: 'default message',
+
+                    query: {
+                        test: 'global'
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            server.route({ method: 'GET', path: '/', handler: { viewTest: { template: 'valid/testContext', context: { message: 'override', query: { test: 'no' } } } } });
+            server.inject('/?test=yes', function (res) {
+
+                expect(res.result).to.contain('<h1>no</h1>');
+                expect(res.result).to.contain('<h1>override</h1>');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
     });
 
     describe('response()', function () {