diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/resolve-config.js b/packages/cli/bin/resolve-config.js
index f34c5e083..e68a1afaa 100644
--- a/packages/cli/bin/resolve-config.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/resolve-config.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function resolveConfig(configPath) {
      */
     try {
       const absoluteConfigPath = path.resolve(configPath); // 1
-      return yield readJsonAsync(absoluteConfigPath); // 2
+      return yield require(absoluteConfigPath);
     } catch (err) {
       error(
         'resolveConfig: Got an error during parsing your Pattern Lab config. Please make sure your config file exists.'
diff --git a/packages/core/package.json b/packages/core/package.json
index 38ea422ac..5819bbd02 100644
--- a/packages/core/package.json
+++ b/packages/core/package.json
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     "update-notifier": "2.2.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "resolve-pkg": "^1.0.0",
     "eslint": "4.18.2",
     "eslint-config-prettier": "2.9.0",
     "eslint-plugin-prettier": "2.6.0",
diff --git a/packages/core/patternlab-config.js b/packages/core/patternlab-config.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a82d5c5b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/patternlab-config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+const resolvePkg = require('resolve-pkg');
+
+module.exports = {
+  engines: {
+    twig: {
+      namespaces: [
+        {
+          id: 'uikit',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: [resolvePkg(`@pattern-lab/uikit-workshop/views-twig`)],
+        },
+        {
+          id: 'atoms',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: ['source/_patterns/00-atoms'],
+        },
+        {
+          id: 'molecules',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: ['source/_patterns/01-molecules'],
+        },
+      ],
+      alterTwigEnv: [
+        {
+          file: 'alter-twig.php',
+          functions: ['addCustomExtension'],
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  },
+  cacheBust: true,
+  cleanPublic: true,
+  defaultPattern: 'all',
+  defaultShowPatternInfo: false,
+  ishControlsHide: {
+    s: false,
+    m: false,
+    l: false,
+    full: false,
+    random: false,
+    disco: false,
+    hay: true,
+    mqs: false,
+    find: false,
+    'views-all': false,
+    'views-annotations': false,
+    'views-code': false,
+    'views-new': false,
+    'tools-all': false,
+    'tools-docs': false,
+  },
+  ishViewportRange: {
+    s: [240, 500],
+    m: [500, 800],
+    l: [800, 2600],
+  },
+  logLevel: 'info',
+  outputFileSuffixes: {
+    rendered: '.rendered',
+    rawTemplate: '',
+    markupOnly: '.markup-only',
+  },
+  paths: {
+    source: {
+      root: './source/',
+      patterns: './source/_patterns/',
+      data: './source/_data/',
+      meta: './source/_meta/',
+      annotations: './source/_annotations/',
+      styleguide: 'dist/',
+      patternlabFiles: {
+        'general-header':
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-header.mustache',
+        'general-footer':
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-footer.mustache',
+        patternSection:
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSection.mustache',
+        patternSectionSubtype:
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSectionSubtype.mustache',
+        viewall: '../uikit-workshop/views/viewall.mustache',
+      },
+      js: './source/js',
+      images: './source/images',
+      fonts: './source/fonts',
+      css: './source/css',
+    },
+    public: {
+      root: 'public/',
+      patterns: 'public/patterns/',
+      data: 'public/styleguide/data/',
+      annotations: 'public/annotations/',
+      styleguide: 'public/styleguide/',
+      js: 'public/js',
+      images: 'public/images',
+      fonts: 'public/fonts',
+      css: 'public/css',
+    },
+  },
+  patternExtension: 'twig',
+  patternStateCascade: ['inprogress', 'inreview', 'complete'],
+  patternExportDirectory: './pattern_exports/',
+  patternExportPatternPartials: [],
+  serverOptions: {
+    wait: 1000,
+  },
+  starterkitSubDir: 'dist',
+  styleGuideExcludes: [],
+  theme: {
+    color: 'light',
+    density: 'compact',
+    layout: 'horizontal',
+  },
+  uikits: [
+    {
+      name: 'uikit-workshop',
+      outputDir: '',
+      enabled: true,
+      excludedPatternStates: [],
+      excludedTags: [],
+    },
+  ],
+};
diff --git a/packages/core/patternlab-config.json b/packages/core/patternlab-config.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 80669ea5f..000000000
--- a/packages/core/patternlab-config.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,95 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "cacheBust": true,
-  "cleanPublic" : true,
-  "defaultPattern": "all",
-  "defaultShowPatternInfo": false,
-  "ishControlsHide": {
-    "s": false,
-    "m": false,
-    "l": false,
-    "full": false,
-    "random": false,
-    "disco": false,
-    "hay": true,
-    "mqs": false,
-    "find": false,
-    "views-all": false,
-    "views-annotations": false,
-    "views-code": false,
-    "views-new": false,
-    "tools-all": false,
-    "tools-docs": false
-  },
-  "ishViewportRange": {
-    "s": [240, 500],
-    "m": [500, 800],
-    "l": [800, 2600]
-  },
-  "logLevel": "info",
-  "outputFileSuffixes": {
-    "rendered": ".rendered",
-    "rawTemplate": "",
-    "markupOnly": ".markup-only"
-  },
-  "paths" : {
-    "source": {
-      "root": "./source/",
-      "patterns": "./source/_patterns/",
-      "data": "./source/_data/",
-      "meta": "./source/_meta/",
-      "annotations": "./source/_annotations/",
-      "styleguide": "dist/",
-      "patternlabFiles": {
-        "general-header":
-          "views/partials/general-header.mustache",
-        "general-footer":
-          "views/partials/general-footer.mustache",
-        "patternSection":
-          "views/partials/patternSection.mustache",
-        "patternSectionSubtype":
-          "views/partials/patternSectionSubtype.mustache",
-        "viewall":
-          "views/viewall.mustache"
-      },
-      "js": "./source/js",
-      "images": "./source/images",
-      "fonts": "./source/fonts",
-      "css": "./source/css"
-    },
-    "public": {
-      "root": "public/",
-      "patterns": "public/patterns/",
-      "data": "public/styleguide/data/",
-      "annotations": "public/annotations/",
-      "styleguide": "public/styleguide/",
-      "js": "public/js",
-      "images": "public/images",
-      "fonts": "public/fonts",
-      "css": "public/css"
-    }
-  },
-  "patternExtension": "mustache",
-  "patternStateCascade": ["inprogress", "inreview", "complete"],
-  "patternExportDirectory": "./pattern_exports/",
-  "patternExportPatternPartials": [],
-  "serverOptions": {
-    "wait": 1000
-  },
-  "starterkitSubDir": "dist",
-  "styleGuideExcludes": [
-  ],
-  "theme": {
-    "color": "dark",
-    "density": "compact",
-    "layout": "horizontal"
-  },
-  "uikits": [
-    {
-      "name": "uikit-workshop",
-      "outputDir": "",
-      "enabled": true,
-      "excludedPatternStates": [],
-      "excludedTags": []
-    }
-  ]
-}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/index.js b/packages/core/src/index.js
index 653a9f731..615ff5c29 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/index.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const events = require('./lib/events');
 const pe = require('./lib/pattern_exporter');
 const pm = require('./lib/plugin_manager');
 
-const defaultConfig = require('../patternlab-config.json');
+const defaultConfig = require('../patternlab-config.js');
 
 let buildPatterns = require('./lib/buildPatterns'); // eslint-disable-line
 let logger = require('./lib/log'); // eslint-disable-line
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/loaduikits.js b/packages/core/src/lib/loaduikits.js
index 1f97564a2..7ac215118 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/loaduikits.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/loaduikits.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ const readModuleFile = (kit, subPath) => {
 /**
  * Loads uikits, connecting configuration and installed modules
  * [1] Looks in node_modules for uikits.
- * [2] Only continue if uikit is enabled in patternlab-config.json
+ * [2] Only continue if uikit is enabled in patternlab-config.js
  * [3] Reads files from uikit that apply to every template
  * @param {object} patternlab
  */
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ module.exports = patternlab => {
       logger.warning(
         `Could not find uikit with name uikit-${
           kit.name
-        } defined within patternlab-config.json, or it is not enabled.`
+        } defined within a patternlab-config.js file, or it is not enabled.`
       );
       return;
     }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/patternlab.js b/packages/core/src/lib/patternlab.js
index 2b8cc3d43..50dbda15f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/patternlab.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/patternlab.js
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@ module.exports = class PatternLab {
   constructor(config) {
     // Either use the config we were passed, or load one up from the config file ourselves
     this.config =
-      config ||
-      fs.readJSONSync(path.resolve(__dirname, '../../patternlab-config.json'));
+      config || require(path.resolve(__dirname, '../../patternlab-config.js'));
 
     //register our log events
     this.registerLogger(config.logLevel);
diff --git a/packages/edition-twig/package.json b/packages/edition-twig/package.json
index 43c23c1f0..010c6a96c 100644
--- a/packages/edition-twig/package.json
+++ b/packages/edition-twig/package.json
@@ -13,14 +13,15 @@
   ],
   "main": "patternlab-config.json",
   "scripts": {
-    "build": "patternlab build --config ./patternlab-config.json",
+    "build": "patternlab build --config ./patternlab-config.js",
     "help": "patternlab --help",
-    "install": "patternlab install --config ./patternlab-config.json",
-    "serve": "patternlab serve --config ./patternlab-config.json",
+    "install": "patternlab install --config ./patternlab-config.js",
+    "serve": "patternlab serve --config ./patternlab-config.js",
     "start": "npm run serve",
     "version": "patternlab --version"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "resolve-pkg": "^1.0.0",
     "@pattern-lab/cli": "^0.0.2-alpha.0",
     "@pattern-lab/core": "^3.0.1-alpha.0",
     "@pattern-lab/engine-twig-php": "^3.0.0",
diff --git a/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.default.js b/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.default.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a82d5c5b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.default.js
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+const resolvePkg = require('resolve-pkg');
+
+module.exports = {
+  engines: {
+    twig: {
+      namespaces: [
+        {
+          id: 'uikit',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: [resolvePkg(`@pattern-lab/uikit-workshop/views-twig`)],
+        },
+        {
+          id: 'atoms',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: ['source/_patterns/00-atoms'],
+        },
+        {
+          id: 'molecules',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: ['source/_patterns/01-molecules'],
+        },
+      ],
+      alterTwigEnv: [
+        {
+          file: 'alter-twig.php',
+          functions: ['addCustomExtension'],
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  },
+  cacheBust: true,
+  cleanPublic: true,
+  defaultPattern: 'all',
+  defaultShowPatternInfo: false,
+  ishControlsHide: {
+    s: false,
+    m: false,
+    l: false,
+    full: false,
+    random: false,
+    disco: false,
+    hay: true,
+    mqs: false,
+    find: false,
+    'views-all': false,
+    'views-annotations': false,
+    'views-code': false,
+    'views-new': false,
+    'tools-all': false,
+    'tools-docs': false,
+  },
+  ishViewportRange: {
+    s: [240, 500],
+    m: [500, 800],
+    l: [800, 2600],
+  },
+  logLevel: 'info',
+  outputFileSuffixes: {
+    rendered: '.rendered',
+    rawTemplate: '',
+    markupOnly: '.markup-only',
+  },
+  paths: {
+    source: {
+      root: './source/',
+      patterns: './source/_patterns/',
+      data: './source/_data/',
+      meta: './source/_meta/',
+      annotations: './source/_annotations/',
+      styleguide: 'dist/',
+      patternlabFiles: {
+        'general-header':
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-header.mustache',
+        'general-footer':
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-footer.mustache',
+        patternSection:
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSection.mustache',
+        patternSectionSubtype:
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSectionSubtype.mustache',
+        viewall: '../uikit-workshop/views/viewall.mustache',
+      },
+      js: './source/js',
+      images: './source/images',
+      fonts: './source/fonts',
+      css: './source/css',
+    },
+    public: {
+      root: 'public/',
+      patterns: 'public/patterns/',
+      data: 'public/styleguide/data/',
+      annotations: 'public/annotations/',
+      styleguide: 'public/styleguide/',
+      js: 'public/js',
+      images: 'public/images',
+      fonts: 'public/fonts',
+      css: 'public/css',
+    },
+  },
+  patternExtension: 'twig',
+  patternStateCascade: ['inprogress', 'inreview', 'complete'],
+  patternExportDirectory: './pattern_exports/',
+  patternExportPatternPartials: [],
+  serverOptions: {
+    wait: 1000,
+  },
+  starterkitSubDir: 'dist',
+  styleGuideExcludes: [],
+  theme: {
+    color: 'light',
+    density: 'compact',
+    layout: 'horizontal',
+  },
+  uikits: [
+    {
+      name: 'uikit-workshop',
+      outputDir: '',
+      enabled: true,
+      excludedPatternStates: [],
+      excludedTags: [],
+    },
+  ],
+};
diff --git a/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.js b/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a82d5c5b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+const resolvePkg = require('resolve-pkg');
+
+module.exports = {
+  engines: {
+    twig: {
+      namespaces: [
+        {
+          id: 'uikit',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: [resolvePkg(`@pattern-lab/uikit-workshop/views-twig`)],
+        },
+        {
+          id: 'atoms',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: ['source/_patterns/00-atoms'],
+        },
+        {
+          id: 'molecules',
+          recursive: true,
+          paths: ['source/_patterns/01-molecules'],
+        },
+      ],
+      alterTwigEnv: [
+        {
+          file: 'alter-twig.php',
+          functions: ['addCustomExtension'],
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  },
+  cacheBust: true,
+  cleanPublic: true,
+  defaultPattern: 'all',
+  defaultShowPatternInfo: false,
+  ishControlsHide: {
+    s: false,
+    m: false,
+    l: false,
+    full: false,
+    random: false,
+    disco: false,
+    hay: true,
+    mqs: false,
+    find: false,
+    'views-all': false,
+    'views-annotations': false,
+    'views-code': false,
+    'views-new': false,
+    'tools-all': false,
+    'tools-docs': false,
+  },
+  ishViewportRange: {
+    s: [240, 500],
+    m: [500, 800],
+    l: [800, 2600],
+  },
+  logLevel: 'info',
+  outputFileSuffixes: {
+    rendered: '.rendered',
+    rawTemplate: '',
+    markupOnly: '.markup-only',
+  },
+  paths: {
+    source: {
+      root: './source/',
+      patterns: './source/_patterns/',
+      data: './source/_data/',
+      meta: './source/_meta/',
+      annotations: './source/_annotations/',
+      styleguide: 'dist/',
+      patternlabFiles: {
+        'general-header':
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-header.mustache',
+        'general-footer':
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-footer.mustache',
+        patternSection:
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSection.mustache',
+        patternSectionSubtype:
+          '../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSectionSubtype.mustache',
+        viewall: '../uikit-workshop/views/viewall.mustache',
+      },
+      js: './source/js',
+      images: './source/images',
+      fonts: './source/fonts',
+      css: './source/css',
+    },
+    public: {
+      root: 'public/',
+      patterns: 'public/patterns/',
+      data: 'public/styleguide/data/',
+      annotations: 'public/annotations/',
+      styleguide: 'public/styleguide/',
+      js: 'public/js',
+      images: 'public/images',
+      fonts: 'public/fonts',
+      css: 'public/css',
+    },
+  },
+  patternExtension: 'twig',
+  patternStateCascade: ['inprogress', 'inreview', 'complete'],
+  patternExportDirectory: './pattern_exports/',
+  patternExportPatternPartials: [],
+  serverOptions: {
+    wait: 1000,
+  },
+  starterkitSubDir: 'dist',
+  styleGuideExcludes: [],
+  theme: {
+    color: 'light',
+    density: 'compact',
+    layout: 'horizontal',
+  },
+  uikits: [
+    {
+      name: 'uikit-workshop',
+      outputDir: '',
+      enabled: true,
+      excludedPatternStates: [],
+      excludedTags: [],
+    },
+  ],
+};
diff --git a/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.json b/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 8612b1633..000000000
--- a/packages/edition-twig/patternlab-config.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,137 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "engines": {
-    "twig": {
-      "namespaces": [
-        {
-          "id": "uikit",
-          "recursive": true,
-          "paths": [
-            "../uikit-workshop/views-twig"
-          ]
-        },
-        {
-          "id": "atoms",
-          "recursive": true,
-          "paths": [
-            "source/_patterns/00-atoms"
-          ]
-        },
-        {
-          "id": "molecules",
-          "recursive": true,
-          "paths": [
-            "source/_patterns/01-molecules"
-          ]
-        }
-      ],
-      "alterTwigEnv": [
-        {
-          "file": "alter-twig.php",
-          "functions": [
-            "addCustomExtension"
-          ]
-        }
-      ]
-    }
-  },
-  "cacheBust": true,
-  "cleanPublic": true,
-  "defaultPattern": "all",
-  "defaultShowPatternInfo": false,
-  "ishControlsHide": {
-    "s": false,
-    "m": false,
-    "l": false,
-    "full": false,
-    "random": false,
-    "disco": false,
-    "hay": true,
-    "mqs": false,
-    "find": false,
-    "views-all": false,
-    "views-annotations": false,
-    "views-code": false,
-    "views-new": false,
-    "tools-all": false,
-    "tools-docs": false
-  },
-  "ishViewportRange": {
-    "s": [
-      240,
-      500
-    ],
-    "m": [
-      500,
-      800
-    ],
-    "l": [
-      800,
-      2600
-    ]
-  },
-  "logLevel": "info",
-  "outputFileSuffixes": {
-    "rendered": ".rendered",
-    "rawTemplate": "",
-    "markupOnly": ".markup-only"
-  },
-  "paths": {
-    "source": {
-      "root": "./source/",
-      "patterns": "./source/_patterns/",
-      "data": "./source/_data/",
-      "meta": "./source/_meta/",
-      "annotations": "./source/_annotations/",
-      "styleguide": "dist/",
-      "patternlabFiles": {
-        "general-header": "../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-header.mustache",
-        "general-footer": "../uikit-workshop/views/partials/general-footer.mustache",
-        "patternSection": "../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSection.mustache",
-        "patternSectionSubtype": "../uikit-workshop/views/partials/patternSectionSubtype.mustache",
-        "viewall": "../uikit-workshop/views/viewall.mustache"
-      },
-      "js": "./source/js",
-      "images": "./source/images",
-      "fonts": "./source/fonts",
-      "css": "./source/css"
-    },
-    "public": {
-      "root": "public/",
-      "patterns": "public/patterns/",
-      "data": "public/styleguide/data/",
-      "annotations": "public/annotations/",
-      "styleguide": "public/styleguide/",
-      "js": "public/js",
-      "images": "public/images",
-      "fonts": "public/fonts",
-      "css": "public/css"
-    }
-  },
-  "patternExtension": "twig",
-  "patternStateCascade": [
-    "inprogress",
-    "inreview",
-    "complete"
-  ],
-  "patternExportDirectory": "./pattern_exports/",
-  "patternExportPatternPartials": [],
-  "serverOptions": {
-    "wait": 1000
-  },
-  "starterkitSubDir": "dist",
-  "styleGuideExcludes": [],
-  "theme": {
-    "color": "light",
-    "density": "compact",
-    "layout": "horizontal"
-  },
-  "uikits": [
-    {
-      "name": "uikit-workshop",
-      "outputDir": "",
-      "enabled": true,
-      "excludedPatternStates": [],
-      "excludedTags": []
-    }
-  ]
-}