diff --git a/src/backend/exports.js b/src/backend/exports.js
index 1766f7f16..e9a4fa3b1 100644
--- a/src/backend/exports.js
+++ b/src/backend/exports.js
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ const { EntityStoreModule } = require("./src/modules/entitystore/EntityStoreModu
 const { KVStoreModule } = require("./src/modules/kvstore/KVStoreModule.js");
 const { DomainModule } = require("./src/modules/domain/DomainModule.js");
 const { DNSModule } = require("./src/modules/dns/DNSModule.js");
+const { TestConfigModule } = require("./src/modules/test-config/TestConfigModule.js");
 
 module.exports = {
     helloworld: () => {
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ module.exports = {
     MemoryStorageModule,
     SelfHostedModule,
     TestDriversModule,
+    TestConfigModule,
     PuterAIModule,
     BroadcastModule,
     InternetModule,
diff --git a/src/backend/src/config.js b/src/backend/src/config.js
index 9eba02951..3bf55bfc7 100644
--- a/src/backend/src/config.js
+++ b/src/backend/src/config.js
@@ -219,8 +219,26 @@ const config_pointer = {};
     const config_runtime_values = {
         $: 'runtime-values'
     };
+    let initialPrototype = config_to_export;
     Object.setPrototypeOf(config_runtime_values, config_to_export);
     config_to_export = config_runtime_values
+    
+    config_to_export.__set_config_object__ = (object, options = {}) => {
+        // options for this method
+        const replacePrototype = options.replacePrototype ?? true;
+        const useInitialPrototype = options.useInitialPrototype ?? true;
+        
+        // maybe replace prototype
+        if ( replacePrototype ) {
+            const newProto = useInitialPrototype
+                ? initialPrototype
+                : Object.getPrototypeOf(config_runtime_values);
+            Object.setPrototypeOf(object, newProto);
+        }
+        
+        // use this object as the prototype
+        Object.setPrototypeOf(config_runtime_values, object);
+    };
 
     // These can be difficult to find and cause painful
     // confusing issues, so we log any time this happens
diff --git a/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigModule.js b/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigModule.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..be6d0dab8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigModule.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+const { AdvancedBase } = require("@heyputer/putility");
+
+class TestConfigModule extends AdvancedBase {
+    async install (context) {
+        const services = context.get('services');
+        const TestConfigUpdateService = require('./TestConfigUpdateService');
+        services.registerService('__test-config-update', TestConfigUpdateService);
+        const TestConfigReadService = require('./TestConfigReadService');
+        services.registerService('__test-config-read', TestConfigReadService);
+    }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    TestConfigModule,
+};
diff --git a/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigReadService.js b/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigReadService.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d0d3c9bfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigReadService.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+const BaseService = require("../../services/BaseService");
+
+class TestConfigReadService extends BaseService {
+    async _init () {
+        this.log.noticeme('test config value (should be abcdefg) is: ' +
+            this.global_config.testConfigValue,
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+module.exports = TestConfigReadService;
diff --git a/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigUpdateService.js b/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigUpdateService.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b3a34d57a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/src/modules/test-config/TestConfigUpdateService.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+const BaseService = require("../../services/BaseService");
+
+class TestConfigUpdateService extends BaseService {
+    async _run_as_early_as_possible () {
+        const config = this.global_config;
+        config.__set_config_object__({
+            testConfigValue: 'abcdefg'
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+module.exports = TestConfigUpdateService;
diff --git a/src/backend/src/services/BaseService.js b/src/backend/src/services/BaseService.js
index d48dc8030..475e3356b 100644
--- a/src/backend/src/services/BaseService.js
+++ b/src/backend/src/services/BaseService.js
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ class BaseService extends concepts.Service {
             this.global_config.server_id = 'local';
         }
     }
-
+    
+    async run_as_early_as_possible () {
+        await (this._run_as_early_as_possible || NOOP).call(this, this.args);
+    }
 
     /**
     * Creates the service's data structures and initial values.
diff --git a/src/backend/src/services/Container.js b/src/backend/src/services/Container.js
index 023fb891d..27af1f52a 100644
--- a/src/backend/src/services/Container.js
+++ b/src/backend/src/services/Container.js
@@ -173,6 +173,11 @@ class Container {
     * initialized or rejects if any service initialization fails.
     */
     async init () {
+        for ( const k in this.instances_ ) {
+            if ( ! this.instances_[k]._run_as_early_as_possible ) continue;
+            this.logger.info(`very early hooks for ${k}`);
+            await this.instances_[k].run_as_early_as_possible();
+        }
         for ( const k in this.instances_ ) {
             this.logger.info(`constructing ${k}`);
             await this.instances_[k].construct();
diff --git a/tools/run-selfhosted.js b/tools/run-selfhosted.js
index 5db748d7b..d27f98523 100644
--- a/tools/run-selfhosted.js
+++ b/tools/run-selfhosted.js
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ const main = async () => {
         SelfHostedModule,
         BroadcastModule,
         TestDriversModule,
+        TestConfigModule,
         PuterAIModule,
         InternetModule,
         DevelopmentModule,
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ const main = async () => {
     k.add_module(new SelfHostedModule());
     k.add_module(new BroadcastModule());
     k.add_module(new TestDriversModule());
+    k.add_module(new TestConfigModule());
     k.add_module(new PuterAIModule());
     k.add_module(new InternetModule());
     k.add_module(new DNSModule());