diff --git a/lib/builder.js b/lib/builder.js
index 1748c07..cb674eb 100644
--- a/lib/builder.js
+++ b/lib/builder.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module.exports = Builder;
  * @api private
  */
 
-function Builder(dir, parent) {
+function Builder(dir, parent, config) {
   var self = this;
   this._cache = {};
   this._hooks = {};
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function Builder(dir, parent) {
   };
 
   // load config
-  this.config = this.json();
+  this.config = config || this.json();
   this.config.paths = this.config.paths || [];
 
   this.basename = this.root
diff --git a/test/builder.js b/test/builder.js
index 310af49..362f33c 100644
--- a/test/builder.js
+++ b/test/builder.js
@@ -103,6 +103,19 @@ describe('Builder', function(){
       })
     })
 
+    it('should build js with config injected', function(done){
+      var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/hello-no-json', null, require('./fixtures/hello-no-json/no-component.json'));
+      builder.addLookup('test/fixtures');
+      builder.build(function(err, res){
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        var out = read('test/fixtures/hello.js', 'utf8');
+        res.js.trim().should.equal(out.trim());
+        done();
+      })
+    })
+
+
+
     it('should build css', function(done){
       var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/hello');
       builder.addLookup('test/fixtures');
@@ -114,6 +127,18 @@ describe('Builder', function(){
       })
     })
 
+    it('should build css with config injected', function(done){
+      var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/hello', null, require('./fixtures/hello-no-json/no-component.json'));
+      builder.addLookup('test/fixtures');
+      builder.build(function(err, res){
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        var out = read('test/fixtures/hello.css', 'utf8');
+        res.css.should.equal(out);
+        done();
+      })
+    })
+
+
     it('should load the require.js script', function(done){
       var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/hello');
       builder.addLookup('test/fixtures');
@@ -167,6 +192,25 @@ describe('Builder', function(){
       });
     })
 
+    it('should symlink .images with config injected', function(done){
+      var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/assets-no-json', null, require('./fixtures/assets-no-json/no-component.json'));
+      builder.addLookup('test/fixtures');
+      builder.copyAssetsTo('/tmp/build');
+      builder.build(function(err, res){
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        assert(3 == res.images.length);
+        assert('/tmp/build/assets/images/logo.png' == res.images[0]);
+        assert('/tmp/build/assets/images/maru.jpeg' == res.images[1]);
+        assert('/tmp/build/assets/images/npm.png' == res.images[2]);
+        assert(exists('/tmp/build/assets/images/maru.jpeg'));
+        assert(exists('/tmp/build/assets/images/logo.png'));
+        assert(exists('/tmp/build/assets/images/npm.png'));
+        done();
+      });
+    })
+
+
+
     it('should symlink .files', function(done){
       var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/assets-parent');
       builder.addLookup('test/fixtures');
@@ -205,6 +249,29 @@ describe('Builder', function(){
       });
     })
 
+    it('should copy .images in copyFiles mode when config injected', function(done){
+      var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/assets', null, require('./fixtures/assets-no-json/no-component.json'));
+      builder.copyFiles();
+      builder.addLookup('test/fixtures');
+      builder.copyAssetsTo('/tmp/build');
+      builder.build(function(err, res){
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        assert(3 == res.images.length);
+        assert('/tmp/build/assets/images/logo.png' == res.images[0]);
+        assert('/tmp/build/assets/images/maru.jpeg' == res.images[1]);
+        assert('/tmp/build/assets/images/npm.png' == res.images[2]);
+        assert(exists('/tmp/build/assets/images/maru.jpeg'));
+        assert(exists('/tmp/build/assets/images/logo.png'));
+        assert(exists('/tmp/build/assets/images/npm.png'));
+        // images aren't symlinks
+        fs.lstat('/tmp/build/assets/images/npm.png', function(err, stats) {
+          assert(stats.isSymbolicLink() == false);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+    })
+
+
     it('should copy .files in copyFiles mode', function(done){
       var builder = new Builder('test/fixtures/assets-parent');
       builder.copyFiles();
diff --git a/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/css/sub.css b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/css/sub.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cf3810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/css/sub.css
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+body {
+  background-image: url(../images/npm.png);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/logo.png b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/logo.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9f4373
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/logo.png differ
diff --git a/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/maru.jpeg b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/maru.jpeg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af77a62
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/maru.jpeg differ
diff --git a/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/npm.png b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/npm.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57fca76
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/images/npm.png differ
diff --git a/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/no-component.json b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/no-component.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d17902b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/no-component.json
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+  "name": "assets",
+  "description": "a bunch of assets",
+  "images": [
+    "images/logo.png",
+    "images/maru.jpeg",
+    "images/npm.png"
+  ],
+  "files": [
+    "some.txt"
+  ],
+  "styles": [
+    "style.css",
+    "css/sub.css"
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/some.txt b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/some.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dbfeee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/some.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Some text
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/style.css b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/style.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58e86dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/assets-no-json/style.css
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+.logo {
+  background: url(images/logo.png);
+}
+
+#maru {
+  width: 500px;
+  height: 500px;
+  background: url("images/maru.jpeg") no-repeat;
+}
+
+#manny {
+  background: url(http://example.com/images/manny.png);
+}
+
+#bob {
+  background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,PNG DATA HERE)
+}
+
+#bar {
+  background-image: url(/public/images/foo.png)
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/bar.css b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/bar.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec38515
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/bar.css
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+bar {
+  baz: 'raz';
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/bar.js b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/bar.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..770188a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/bar.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = 'bar';
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/foo.css b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/foo.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..84f5ffd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/foo.css
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+foo {
+  bar: 'baz';
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/foo.js b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/foo.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d00e0a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/foo.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = 'foo';
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/no-component.json b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/no-component.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..455c874
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/hello-no-json/no-component.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "name": "hello",
+  "description": "hello world component",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "component/emitter": "*"
+  },
+  "scripts": ["foo.js", "bar.js"],
+  "styles": ["foo.css", "bar.css"]
+}
\ No newline at end of file