diff --git a/Stylet/Bootstrapper.cs b/Stylet/Bootstrapper.cs
index 5498771..ca9920f 100644
--- a/Stylet/Bootstrapper.cs
+++ b/Stylet/Bootstrapper.cs
@@ -11,20 +11,14 @@ namespace Stylet
     public class Bootstrapper<TRootViewModel> : BootstrapperBase<TRootViewModel> where TRootViewModel : class
     {
         /// <summary>
-        /// Create a new Bootstrapper, which automatically starts and launches on application startup
+        /// Create a new Bootstrapper
         /// </summary>
         public Bootstrapper() : base() { }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Create a new Bootstrapper, and specify whether to auto-start and auto-launch
-        /// </summary>
-        /// <param name="autoStart">True to call this.Start() on Application.Startup. If false, call this.Start() in your OnStartup override</param>
-        public Bootstrapper(bool autoStart) : base(autoStart) { }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// IoC container. This is created after ConfigureIoC has been run.
         /// </summary>
-        protected IContainer container;
+        protected IContainer Container { get; private set; }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Overridden from BootstrapperBase, this sets up the IoC container
@@ -38,7 +32,7 @@ namespace Stylet
             this.DefaultConfigureIoC(builder);
             this.ConfigureIoC(builder);
 
-            this.container = builder.BuildContainer();
+            this.Container = builder.BuildContainer();
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -67,7 +61,7 @@ namespace Stylet
         /// </summary>
         protected override object GetInstance(Type service, string key = null)
         {
-            return this.container.Get(service, key);
+            return this.Container.Get(service, key);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -75,7 +69,7 @@ namespace Stylet
         /// </summary>
         protected override IEnumerable<object> GetAllInstances(Type service)
         {
-            return this.container.GetAll(service);
+            return this.Container.GetAll(service);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -83,7 +77,7 @@ namespace Stylet
         /// </summary>
         protected override void BuildUp(object instance)
         {
-            this.container.BuildUp(instance);
+            this.Container.BuildUp(instance);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Stylet/BootstrapperBase.cs b/Stylet/BootstrapperBase.cs
index 06af41b..ee0244c 100644
--- a/Stylet/BootstrapperBase.cs
+++ b/Stylet/BootstrapperBase.cs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace Stylet
     /// Bootstrapper to be extended by applications which don't want to use StyletIoC as the IoC container.
     /// </summary>
     /// <typeparam name="TRootViewModel">Type of the root ViewModel. This will be instantiated and displayed</typeparam>
-    public abstract class BootstrapperBase<TRootViewModel> where TRootViewModel : class
+    public abstract class BootstrapperBase<TRootViewModel> : IBootstrapper where TRootViewModel : class
     {
         /// <summary>
         /// Reference to the current application
@@ -21,18 +21,12 @@ namespace Stylet
         protected Application Application { get; private set; }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Create a new BootstrapperBase, which automatically starts on application startup
+        /// Called by the ApplicationLoader when this bootstrapper is loaded
         /// </summary>
-        public BootstrapperBase() : this(true) { }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Create a new BootstrapperBase, and specify whether to auto-start
-        /// </summary>
-        /// <param name="autoStart">True to call this.Start() at the end of this constructor</param>
-        [SuppressMessage("Microsoft.Usage", "CA2214:DoNotCallOverridableMethodsInConstructors", Justification = "We give the user the option to not call the virtual method, and call it themselves, if they want/need to")]
-        public BootstrapperBase(bool autoStart)
+        /// <param name="application"></param>
+        public void Setup(Application application)
         {
-            this.Application = Application.Current;
+            this.Application = application;
 
             // Allows for unit testing
             if (this.Application != null)
@@ -40,8 +34,7 @@ namespace Stylet
                 this.Application.Startup += (o, e) =>
                 {
                     this.OnApplicationStartup(o, e);
-                    if (autoStart)
-                        this.Start();
+                    this.Start();
                 };
 
                 // Make life nice for the app - they can handle these by overriding Bootstrapper methods, rather than adding event handlers
@@ -56,8 +49,7 @@ namespace Stylet
         /// <summary>
         /// Called from the constructor, this does everything necessary to start the application
         /// </summary>
-        /// <param name="autoLaunch">True to automatically launch the main window</param>
-        protected virtual void Start(bool autoLaunch = true)
+        protected virtual void Start()
         {
             // Stitch the IoC shell to us
             IoC.GetInstance = this.GetInstance;
@@ -72,14 +64,11 @@ namespace Stylet
             AssemblySource.Assemblies.Clear();
             AssemblySource.Assemblies.AddRange(this.SelectAssemblies());
 
-            this.ConfigureResources();
             this.Configure();
 
-            this.OnStart();
-
             View.ViewManager = IoC.Get<IViewManager>();
 
-            if (autoLaunch && !Execute.InDesignMode)
+            if (!Execute.InDesignMode)
                 this.Launch();
         }
 
@@ -91,18 +80,6 @@ namespace Stylet
             IoC.Get<IWindowManager>().ShowWindow(IoC.Get<TRootViewModel>());
         }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Add any application resources to the application. Override to add your own, or to avoid Stylet's default resources from being added
-        /// </summary>
-        protected virtual void ConfigureResources()
-        {
-            if (this.Application == null)
-                return;
-
-            var rc = new ResourceDictionary() { Source = new Uri("pack://application:,,,/Stylet;component/Xaml/StyletResourceDictionary.xaml", UriKind.Absolute) };
-            this.Application.Resources.MergedDictionaries.Add(rc);
-        }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Override to configure your IoC container, and anything else
         /// </summary>
@@ -143,11 +120,6 @@ namespace Stylet
         /// </summary>
         protected virtual void OnApplicationStartup(object sender, StartupEventArgs e) { }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Hook called when the application has started, and Stylet is fully initialised
-        /// </summary>
-        protected virtual void OnStart() { }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Hook called on application exit
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/Stylet/IBootstrapper.cs b/Stylet/IBootstrapper.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3d12fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Stylet/IBootstrapper.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using System.Windows;
+
+namespace Stylet
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Interface specifying a bootstrapper, as loaded by the ApplicationLoader
+    /// </summary>
+    public interface IBootstrapper
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Called during application setup, allowing the bootstrapper to configure itself.
+        /// Should hook into Application.Startup
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="application">Reference to the current application</param>
+        void Setup(Application application);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Stylet/Stylet.csproj b/Stylet/Stylet.csproj
index 38f8142..8902c63 100644
--- a/Stylet/Stylet.csproj
+++ b/Stylet/Stylet.csproj
@@ -47,8 +47,10 @@
     <Reference Include="WindowsBase" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
+    <Compile Include="Xaml\ApplicationLoader.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ConductorNavigating.cs" />
     <Compile Include="GlobalSuppressions.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="IBootstrapper.cs" />
     <Compile Include="IValidationAdapter.cs" />
     <Compile Include="LabelledValue.cs" />
     <Compile Include="INotifyPropertyChangedDispatcher.cs" />
diff --git a/Stylet/Xaml/ApplicationLoader.cs b/Stylet/Xaml/ApplicationLoader.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d730842
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Stylet/Xaml/ApplicationLoader.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using System.Windows;
+
+namespace Stylet.Xaml
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Added to your App.xaml, this is responsible for loading the Boostrapper you specify, and Stylet's other resources
+    /// </summary>
+    public class ApplicationLoader : ResourceDictionary
+    {
+        private ResourceDictionary styletResourceDictionary;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Create a new ApplicationLoader instance
+        /// </summary>
+        public ApplicationLoader()
+        {
+            this.styletResourceDictionary = new ResourceDictionary() { Source = new Uri("pack://application:,,,/Stylet;component/Xaml/StyletResourceDictionary.xaml", UriKind.Absolute) };
+            this.LoadStyletResources = true;
+        }
+
+        private IBootstrapper _bootstrapper;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Bootstrapper instance to use to start your application. This must be set.
+        /// </summary>
+        public IBootstrapper Bootstrapper
+        {
+            get { return _bootstrapper; }
+            set
+            {
+                this._bootstrapper = value;
+                this._bootstrapper.Setup(Application.Current);
+            }
+        }
+
+        private bool _loadStyletResources;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Control whether to load Stylet's own resources (e.g. StyletConductorTabControl). Defaults to true.
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool LoadStyletResources
+        {
+            get { return this._loadStyletResources; }
+            set
+            {
+                this._loadStyletResources = value;
+                if (this._loadStyletResources)
+                    this.MergedDictionaries.Add(this.styletResourceDictionary);
+                else
+                    this.MergedDictionaries.Remove(this.styletResourceDictionary);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}