diff --git a/karma.es5.conf.js b/karma.es5.conf.js
index f626426..4722ad9 100644
--- a/karma.es5.conf.js
+++ b/karma.es5.conf.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ module.exports = function(config) {
 
       buildDir + '/*.es5.js',
 
+      'test/*.es5.js',
       'test/*.es5.spec.js'
     ],
 
diff --git a/src/router-directive.es5.js b/src/router-directive.es5.js
index d1ced55..1083395 100644
--- a/src/router-directive.es5.js
+++ b/src/router-directive.es5.js
@@ -7,11 +7,21 @@ angular.module('ngNewRouter', [])
   .factory('$router', routerFactory)
   .value('$routeParams', {})
   .provider('$componentLoader', $componentLoaderProvider)
-  .factory('$$pipeline', pipelineFactory)
+  .provider('$pipeline', pipelineProvider)
+  .factory('$$pipeline', privatePipelineFactory)
+  .factory('$setupRoutersStep', setupRoutersStepFactory)
+  .factory('$initLocalsStep', initLocalsStepFactory)
+  .factory('$initControllersStep', initControllersStepFactory)
+  .factory('$runCanDeactivateHookStep', runCanDeactivateHookStepFactory)
+  .factory('$runCanActivateHookStep', runCanActivateHookStepFactory)
+  .factory('$loadTemplatesStep', loadTemplatesStepFactory)
+  .value('$activateStep', activateStepValue)
   .directive('ngViewport', ngViewportDirective)
   .directive('ngViewport', ngViewportFillContentDirective)
   .directive('ngLink', ngLinkDirective)
-  .directive('a', anchorLinkDirective);
+  .directive('a', anchorLinkDirective)
+
+
 
 
 /*
@@ -333,48 +343,17 @@ function anchorLinkDirective($router) {
   }
 }
 
-
-function pipelineFactory($controller, $componentLoader, $q, $injector, $templateRequest) {
-
-  function invoke(method, context, instruction) {
-    return $injector.invoke(method, context, {
-      $routeParams: instruction.params
-    });
-  }
-
-  var STEPS = [
-    setupRouters,
-    initLocals,
-    initControllers,
-    runCanDeactivateHook,
-    runCanActivateHook,
-    loadTemplates,
-    activate
-  ];
-
-  return {
-    process: function(instruction) {
-      // make a copy
-      var steps = STEPS.slice(0);
-
-      function processOne(result) {
-        if (steps.length === 0) {
-          return result;
-        }
-        var step = steps.shift();
-        return $q.when(step(instruction)).then(processOne);
-      }
-
-      return processOne();
-    }
-  }
-
-
-  function setupRouters(instruction) {
+function setupRoutersStepFactory() {
+  return function (instruction) {
     return instruction.router.makeDescendantRouters(instruction);
   }
+}
 
-  function initLocals(instruction) {
+/*
+ * $initLocalsStep
+ */
+function initLocalsStepFactory() {
+  return function initLocals(instruction) {
     return instruction.router.traverseInstruction(instruction, function(instruction) {
       return instruction.locals = {
         $router: instruction.router,
@@ -382,8 +361,13 @@ function pipelineFactory($controller, $componentLoader, $q, $injector, $template
       };
     });
   }
+}
 
-  function initControllers(instruction) {
+/*
+ * $initControllersStep
+ */
+function initControllersStepFactory($controller, $componentLoader) {
+  return function initControllers(instruction) {
     return instruction.router.traverseInstruction(instruction, function(instruction) {
       var controllerName = $componentLoader.controllerName(instruction.component);
       var locals = instruction.locals;
@@ -397,32 +381,90 @@ function pipelineFactory($controller, $componentLoader, $q, $injector, $template
       return instruction.controller = ctrl;
     });
   }
+}
 
-  function runCanDeactivateHook(instruction) {
+function runCanDeactivateHookStepFactory() {
+  return function runCanDeactivateHook(instruction) {
     return instruction.router.canDeactivatePorts(instruction);
+  };
+}
+
+function runCanActivateHookStepFactory($injector) {
+
+  function invoke(method, context, instruction) {
+    return $injector.invoke(method, context, {
+      $routeParams: instruction.params
+    });
   }
 
-  function runCanActivateHook(instruction) {
+  return function runCanActivateHook(instruction) {
     return instruction.router.traverseInstruction(instruction, function(instruction) {
       var controller = instruction.controller;
       return !controller.canActivate || invoke(controller.canActivate, controller, instruction);
     });
   }
+}
 
-  function loadTemplates(instruction) {
+function loadTemplatesStepFactory($componentLoader, $templateRequest) {
+  return function loadTemplates(instruction) {
     return instruction.router.traverseInstruction(instruction, function(instruction) {
       var componentTemplateUrl = $componentLoader.template(instruction.component);
       return $templateRequest(componentTemplateUrl).then(function (templateHtml) {
         return instruction.template = templateHtml;
       });
     });
-  }
+  };
+}
 
-  function activate(instruction) {
-    return instruction.router.activatePorts(instruction);
-  }
+
+function activateStepValue(instruction) {
+  return instruction.router.activatePorts(instruction);
 }
 
+
+function pipelineProvider() {
+  var stepConfiguration;
+
+  var protoStepConfiguration = [
+    '$setupRoutersStep',
+    '$initLocalsStep',
+    '$initControllersStep',
+    '$runCanDeactivateHookStep',
+    '$runCanActivateHookStep',
+    '$loadTemplatesStep',
+    '$activateStep'
+  ];
+
+  return {
+    steps: protoStepConfiguration.slice(0),
+    config: function (newConfig) {
+      protoStepConfiguration = newConfig;
+    },
+    $get: function ($injector, $q) {
+      stepConfiguration = protoStepConfiguration.map(function (step) {
+        return $injector.get(step);
+      });
+      return {
+        process: function(instruction) {
+          // make a copy
+          var steps = stepConfiguration.slice(0);
+
+          function processOne(result) {
+            if (steps.length === 0) {
+              return result;
+            }
+            var step = steps.shift();
+            return $q.when(step(instruction)).then(processOne);
+          }
+
+          return processOne();
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+
 /**
  * @name $componentLoaderProvider
  * @description
@@ -494,6 +536,12 @@ function $componentLoaderProvider() {
   };
 }
 
+// this is a hack as a result of the build system used to transpile
+function privatePipelineFactory($pipeline) {
+  return $pipeline;
+}
+
+
 function dashCase(str) {
   return str.replace(/([A-Z])/g, function ($1) {
     return '-' + $1.toLowerCase();
diff --git a/test/pipeline.es5.spec.js b/test/pipeline.es5.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3bbd0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pipeline.es5.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+describe('$pipeline', function () {
+
+  var elt,
+      $compile,
+      $rootScope,
+      $router,
+      $templateCache,
+      $controllerProvider;
+
+  beforeEach(function() {
+    module('ng');
+    module('ngNewRouter');
+    module(function(_$controllerProvider_) {
+      $controllerProvider = _$controllerProvider_;
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should allow reconfiguration', function () {
+    module(function($pipelineProvider, $provide) {
+      $pipelineProvider.config([
+        '$setupRoutersStep',
+        '$initLocalsStep',
+        'myCustomStep',
+        '$initControllersStep',
+        '$runCanDeactivateHookStep',
+        '$runCanActivateHookStep',
+        '$loadTemplatesStep',
+        '$activateStep'
+      ]);
+
+      $provide.value('myCustomStep', function (instruction) {
+        return instruction.router.traverseInstruction(instruction, function (instruction) {
+          return instruction.locals.custom = 'hello!'
+        });
+      });
+    });
+
+    inject(function(_$compile_, _$rootScope_, _$router_, _$templateCache_) {
+      $compile = _$compile_;
+      $rootScope = _$rootScope_;
+      $router = _$router_;
+      $templateCache = _$templateCache_;
+    });
+
+    put('one', '<div>{{one.custom}}</div>');
+    $controllerProvider.register('OneController', function (custom) {
+      this.custom = custom;
+    });
+
+    $router.config([
+      { path: '/', component: 'one' }
+    ]);
+
+    compile('<ng-viewport></ng-viewport>');
+
+    $router.navigate('/');
+    $rootScope.$digest();
+
+    expect(elt.text()).toBe('hello!');
+  });
+
+  function put (name, template) {
+    $templateCache.put(componentTemplatePath(name), [200, template, {}]);
+  }
+
+  function compile(template) {
+    elt = $compile('<div>' + template + '</div>')($rootScope);
+    $rootScope.$digest();
+    return elt;
+  }
+});
diff --git a/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js b/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js
index 8940898..22bb892 100644
--- a/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js
+++ b/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js
@@ -731,17 +731,3 @@ describe('ngViewport animations', function () {
     return elt;
   }
 });
-
-function componentTemplatePath(name) {
-  return './components/' + dashCase(name) + '/' + dashCase(name) + '.html';
-}
-
-function componentControllerName(name) {
-  return name[0].toUpperCase() + name.substr(1) + 'Controller';
-}
-
-function dashCase(str) {
-  return str.replace(/([A-Z])/g, function ($1) {
-    return '-' + $1.toLowerCase();
-  });
-}
diff --git a/test/util.es5.js b/test/util.es5.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c12ed8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/util.es5.js
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/*
+ * Helpers to keep tests DRY
+ */
+
+function componentTemplatePath(name) {
+  return './components/' + dashCase(name) + '/' + dashCase(name) + '.html';
+}
+
+function componentControllerName(name) {
+  return name[0].toUpperCase() + name.substr(1) + 'Controller';
+}
+
+function dashCase(str) {
+  return str.replace(/([A-Z])/g, function ($1) {
+    return '-' + $1.toLowerCase();
+  });
+}
+
+function boringController (model, value) {
+  return function () {
+    this[model] = value;
+  };
+}
+
+function provideHelpers(fn, preInject) {
+  return function () {
+    var elt,
+        $compile,
+        $rootScope,
+        $router,
+        $templateCache,
+        $controllerProvider;
+
+    module('ng');
+    module('ngNewRouter');
+    module(function(_$controllerProvider_) {
+      $controllerProvider = _$controllerProvider_;
+    });
+
+    inject(function(_$compile_, _$rootScope_, _$router_, _$templateCache_) {
+      $compile = _$compile_;
+      $rootScope = _$rootScope_;
+      $router = _$router_;
+      $templateCache = _$templateCache_;
+    });
+
+    function registerComponent(name, template, config) {
+      if (!template) {
+        template = '';
+      }
+      var ctrl;
+      if (!config) {
+        ctrl = function () {};
+      } else if (angular.isArray(config)) {
+        ctrl = function () {};
+        ctrl.$routeConfig = config;
+      } else if (typeof config === 'function') {
+        ctrl = config;
+      } else {
+        ctrl = function () {};
+        ctrl.prototype = config;
+      }
+      $controllerProvider.register(componentControllerName(name), ctrl);
+      put(name, template);
+    }
+
+
+    function put (name, template) {
+      $templateCache.put(componentTemplatePath(name), [200, template, {}]);
+    }
+
+    function compile(template) {
+      var elt = $compile('<div>' + template + '</div>')($rootScope);
+      $rootScope.$digest();
+      return elt;
+    }
+
+    fn({
+      registerComponent: registerComponent,
+      $router: $router,
+      put: put,
+      compile: compile
+    })
+  }
+}