diff --git a/e107_handlers/e107_class.php b/e107_handlers/e107_class.php
index 7f89a9bc1..20d2479c2 100644
--- a/e107_handlers/e107_class.php
+++ b/e107_handlers/e107_class.php
@@ -745,12 +745,12 @@ class e107
 	 * @param string $name core|core_backup|emote|menu|search|notify|ipool
 	 * @return e_core_pref
 	 */
-	public static function getConfig($name = 'core')
+	public static function getConfig($name = 'core', $load = true)
 	{
 		if(!isset(self::$_core_config_arr[$name]))
 		{
 			e107_require_once(e_HANDLER.'pref_class.php');
-			self::$_core_config_arr[$name] = new e_core_pref($name, true);
+			self::$_core_config_arr[$name] = new e_core_pref($name, $load);
 		}
 
 		return self::$_core_config_arr[$name];
diff --git a/install_.php b/install_.php
index c6ea42c7c..3949e0fdc 100644
--- a/install_.php
+++ b/install_.php
@@ -1069,6 +1069,20 @@ class e_install
 	{
 		$this->logLine('Starting configuration import');
 
+		// PRE-CONFIG start - create and register blank config instances - do not load!
+		$config_aliases = array(
+			'core',
+			'core_backup',
+			'emote', 
+			'menu',
+			'search',
+			'notify',
+		);
+		foreach ($config_aliases as $alias) 
+		{
+			e107::getConfig($alias, false);
+		}
+		// PRE-CONFIG end		
 
 		// Basic stuff to get the handlers/classes to work.