diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ffda29459..b1c256ca4 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ endif()
 
 add_library( appbase
              application.cpp
+             ${HEADERS}
            )
 
 target_link_libraries( appbase ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
diff --git a/application.cpp b/application.cpp
index 3931ad84b..0f5e6a76b 100644
--- a/application.cpp
+++ b/application.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ class application_impl {
       options_description     _app_options;
       options_description     _cfg_options;
 
-      bfs::path                _data_dir;
+      bfs::path               _data_dir;
+
+      string                  _version;
+      uint64_t                _version_int;
 };
 
 application::application()
@@ -32,6 +35,27 @@ application::application()
 
 application::~application() { }
 
+void application::set_version(string version) {
+  my->_version = version;
+}
+
+void application::set_version(uint64_t version) {
+  my->_version_int = version;
+}
+
+string application::version() const {
+  return my->_version;
+}
+
+uint64_t application::version_int() const {
+  return my->_version_int;
+}
+
+void application::startup() {
+   for (auto plugin : initialized_plugins)
+      plugin->startup();
+}
+
 application& application::instance() {
    static application _app;
    return _app;
@@ -69,16 +93,19 @@ void application::set_program_options()
    my->_app_options.add(app_cli_opts);
 }
 
-
-bool application::initialize( int argc, char** argv ) 
-{
+bool application::initialize_impl(int argc, char** argv, vector<abstract_plugin*> autostart_plugins) {
    set_program_options();
 
    bpo::variables_map options;
    bpo::store(bpo::parse_command_line(argc, argv, my->_app_options), options);
 
    if( options.count( "help" ) ) {
-      cout << my->_app_options << "\n";
+      cout << my->_app_options << std::endl;
+      return false;
+   }
+
+   if( options.count( "version" ) ) {
+      cout << my->_version << std::endl;
       return false;
    }
 
@@ -116,18 +143,15 @@ bool application::initialize( int argc, char** argv )
             get_plugin(name).initialize(options);
       }
    }
+   for (auto plugin : autostart_plugins)
+      if (plugin != nullptr && plugin->get_state() == abstract_plugin::registered)
+         plugin->initialize(options);
 
    bpo::notify(options);
 
    return true;
 }
 
-void application::startup()
-{
-   for(auto plug : initialized_plugins)
-      plug->startup();
-}
-
 void application::shutdown() {
    for(auto ritr = running_plugins.rbegin();
        ritr != running_plugins.rend(); ++ritr) {
diff --git a/include/appbase/application.hpp b/include/appbase/application.hpp
index 95bd5c33c..1d024f537 100644
--- a/include/appbase/application.hpp
+++ b/include/appbase/application.hpp
@@ -13,22 +13,48 @@ namespace appbase {
       public:
          ~application();
 
+         /** @brief Sets version string
+          *
+          * @param version Version string output verbatim with -v/--version
+          */
+         void set_version(string version);
+         /** @overload
+          *
+          * @param version Integer version independent of the string output with -v/--version
+          */
+         void set_version(uint64_t version);
+         /** @brief Gets version string
+          *
+          * @return Version string output with -v/--version
+          */
+         string version() const;
+         /** @brief Gets version integer
+          *
+          * @return Version integer independent of the string output with -v/--version
+          */
+         uint64_t version_int() const;
          /**
-          *  Looks for the --plugin commandline / config option and calls initialize on those plugins
+          * @brief Looks for the --plugin commandline / config option and calls initialize on those plugins
           *
-          *  @return true if the application and plugins were initialized, false or exception on error
+          * @tparam Plugin List of plugins to initalize even if not mentioned by configuration. For plugins started by
+          * configuration settings or dependency resolution, this template has no effect.
+          * @return true if the application and plugins were initialized, false or exception on error
           */
-         bool                initialize(int argc, char** argv);
-         void                startup();
-         void                shutdown();
+         template<typename... Plugin>
+         bool                 initialize(int argc, char** argv) {
+            return initialize_impl(argc, argv, {find_plugin<Plugin>()...});
+         }
+
+         void                  startup();
+         void                  shutdown();
 
          /**
           *  Wait until quit(), SIGINT or SIGTERM and then shutdown
           */
-         void                exec();
-         void                quit();
+         void                 exec();
+         void                 quit();
 
-         static application& instance();
+         static application&  instance();
 
          abstract_plugin* find_plugin(const string& name)const;
          abstract_plugin& get_plugin(const string& name)const;
@@ -65,6 +91,8 @@ namespace appbase {
          template<typename Impl>
          friend class plugin;
 
+         bool initialize_impl(int argc, char** argv, vector<abstract_plugin*> autostart_plugins);
+
          /** these notifications get called from the plugin when their state changes so that
           * the application can call shutdown in the reverse order.
           */