diff --git a/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/files/angular-cli.json b/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/files/angular-cli.json
index 5b96ba0ba88c..518f71e2de1e 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/files/angular-cli.json
+++ b/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/files/angular-cli.json
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     "sourceDir": "<%= sourceDir %>",
     "styleExt": "<%= styleExt %>",
     "prefixInterfaces": false,
-    "lazyRoutePrefix": "+"
+    "lazyRoutePrefix": "+",    
+    "outputPath": "<%= outputPath %>"
   }
 }
diff --git a/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/index.js b/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/index.js
index 827a95b443e0..eb9e868e452a 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/index.js
+++ b/addon/ng2/blueprints/ng2/index.js
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ module.exports = {
       styleExt: this.styleExt,
       refToTypings: refToTypings,
       isMobile: options.mobile,
-      stylePackage: stylePackage
+      stylePackage: stylePackage,
+      outputPath: options.outputPath
     };
   },
 
diff --git a/addon/ng2/commands/build.ts b/addon/ng2/commands/build.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c5ba83e709ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addon/ng2/commands/build.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import * as CommandHelper from '../utilities/command-helper';
+import * as BuildCommand from 'ember-cli/lib/commands/build';
+
+module.exports = BuildCommand.extend({
+
+  beforeRun: function() {      
+    CommandHelper.loadDefaults(this);
+  },
+
+});
+
+module.exports.overrideCore = true;
diff --git a/addon/ng2/commands/github-pages-deploy.ts b/addon/ng2/commands/github-pages-deploy.ts
index 8ac1478c1e6f..47bee3168862 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/commands/github-pages-deploy.ts
+++ b/addon/ng2/commands/github-pages-deploy.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 import * as BuildTask from 'ember-cli/lib/tasks/build';
 import * as win from 'ember-cli/lib/utilities/windows-admin';
 import * as CreateGithubRepo from '../tasks/create-github-repo';
+import * as CommandHelper from '../utilities/command-helper';
 
 const fsReadFile = Promise.denodeify(fs.readFile);
 const fsWriteFile = Promise.denodeify(fs.writeFile);
@@ -54,6 +55,10 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
       description: 'Github username'
     }],
 
+  beforeRun: function() {
+    CommandHelper.loadDefaults(this);
+  },
+
   run: function(options, rawArgs) {
     var ui = this.ui;
     var root = this.project.root;
@@ -77,7 +82,7 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
 
     var buildOptions = {
       environment: options.environment,
-      outputPath: 'dist/'
+      outputPath: options.outputPath
     };
 
     var createGithubRepoTask = new CreateGithubRepo({
@@ -97,7 +102,7 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
       .then(saveStartingBranchName)
       .then(createGitHubRepoIfNeeded)
       .then(checkoutGhPages)
-      .then(copyFiles)
+      .then(() => copyFiles(options.outputPath))
       .then(updateBaseHref)
       .then(addAndCommit)
       .then(returnStartingBranch)
@@ -156,14 +161,14 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
         .then(() => execPromise(`git commit -m \"initial ${ghPagesBranch} commit\"`));
     }
 
-    function copyFiles() {
-      return fsReadDir('dist')
+    function copyFiles(outputPath) {
+      return fsReadDir(outputPath)
         .then((files) => Promise.all(files.map((file) => {
           if (file === '.gitignore'){
             // don't overwrite the .gitignore file
             return Promise.resolve();
           }
-          return fsCopy(path.join('dist', file), path.join('.', file))
+          return fsCopy(path.join(outputPath, file), path.join('.', file))
         })));
     }
 
diff --git a/addon/ng2/commands/init.js b/addon/ng2/commands/init.js
index f77a1c2852b7..116d57536af7 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/commands/init.js
+++ b/addon/ng2/commands/init.js
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
     { name: 'source-dir', type: String, default: 'src', aliases: ['sd'] },
     { name: 'style', type: String, default: 'css' },
     { name: 'prefix', type: String, default: 'app', aliases: ['p'] },
-    { name: 'mobile', type: Boolean, default: false }
+    { name: 'mobile', type: Boolean, default: false },
+    { name: 'output-path', type: String, default: 'dist/', aliases: ['o'] }
   ],
 
   anonymousOptions: ['<glob-pattern>'],
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
 
       return Promise.reject(new SilentError(message));
     }
-    
+
     var blueprintOpts = {
       dryRun: commandOptions.dryRun,
       blueprint: commandOptions.blueprint || this._defaultBlueprint(),
@@ -103,7 +104,8 @@ module.exports = Command.extend({
       sourceDir: commandOptions.sourceDir,
       style: commandOptions.style,
       prefix: commandOptions.prefix,
-      mobile: commandOptions.mobile
+      mobile: commandOptions.mobile,
+      outputPath: commandOptions.outputPath
     };
 
     if (!validProjectName(packageName)) {
diff --git a/addon/ng2/commands/new.ts b/addon/ng2/commands/new.ts
index 685e4e3e1124..bd95cd329e1d 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/commands/new.ts
+++ b/addon/ng2/commands/new.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ const NewCommand = Command.extend({
     { name: 'style', type: String, default: 'css' },
     { name: 'prefix', type: String, default: 'app', aliases: ['p'] },
     { name: 'mobile', type: Boolean, default: false }
+    { name: 'output-path', type: String, default: 'dist/', aliases: ['o'] },
   ],
 
   run: function (commandOptions, rawArgs) {
diff --git a/addon/ng2/commands/serve.ts b/addon/ng2/commands/serve.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ac575eb1fb56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addon/ng2/commands/serve.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import * as CommandHelper from '../utilities/command-helper';
+import * as ServeCommand from 'ember-cli/lib/commands/serve';
+
+module.exports = ServeCommand.extend({
+
+  beforeRun: function() {
+    CommandHelper.loadDefaults(this);
+  },
+
+});
+
+module.exports.overrideCore = true;
diff --git a/addon/ng2/commands/test.js b/addon/ng2/commands/test.js
index a171d0399722..bbe84fe2ac96 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/commands/test.js
+++ b/addon/ng2/commands/test.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ var BuildTask = require('ember-cli/lib/tasks/build');
 var BuildWatchTask = require('ember-cli/lib/tasks/build-watch');
 const config = require('../models/config');
 var TestTask = require('../tasks/test');
-
+var CommandHelper = require('../utilities/command-helper');
 
 module.exports = TestCommand.extend({
   availableOptions: [
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ module.exports = TestCommand.extend({
     { name: 'build', type: Boolean, default: true }
   ],
 
+  beforeRun: function() {
+    CommandHelper.loadDefaults(this);
+  },
+
   run: function (commandOptions) {
     this.project.ngConfig = this.project.ngConfig || config.CliConfig.fromProject();
 
@@ -42,9 +46,9 @@ module.exports = TestCommand.extend({
 
     var buildOptions = {
       environment: 'development',
-      outputPath: 'dist/'
+      outputPath: commandOptions.outputPath
     };
-    
+
     // If not building, mock/suppress build tasks.
     if (!commandOptions.build) {
       buildTask = {
@@ -54,7 +58,7 @@ module.exports = TestCommand.extend({
       };
       buildWatchTask = buildTask;
     }
-    
+
     if (commandOptions.watch) {
       return win.checkWindowsElevation(this.ui)
         .then(
diff --git a/addon/ng2/index.js b/addon/ng2/index.js
index cb5a3b548acc..fa70606a30a3 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/index.js
+++ b/addon/ng2/index.js
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ module.exports = {
       'completion': require('./commands/completion'),
       'doc': require('./commands/doc'),
       'github-pages-deploy': require('./commands/github-pages-deploy'),
+      'build': require('./commands/build'),
+      'serve': require('./commands/serve'),
 
       // Easter eggs.
       'make-this-awesome': require('./commands/easter-egg')('make-this-awesome'),
diff --git a/addon/ng2/utilities/command-helper.ts b/addon/ng2/utilities/command-helper.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..da03167de2a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addon/ng2/utilities/command-helper.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import * as config from '../models/config';
+
+export function loadDefaults(command) {
+    command.project.ngConfig = command.project.ngConfig || config.CliConfig.fromProject();
+
+    let defaultSettings = command.project.ngConfig.defaults || {};
+
+    // output path should always have a default value
+    // some commands use it but its not an available flag
+    let outputPathKey = 'outputPath';
+    if (!command.settings[outputPathKey]) {
+        command.settings[outputPathKey] = defaultSettings[outputPathKey] || 'dist/';
+    }
+
+    let commandOptions = command.availableOptions.map(option => option.key);
+
+    commandOptions.forEach(key => {
+        // only load defaults that are relevant to the command
+        if (defaultSettings[key]) {
+            command.settings[key] = defaultSettings[key];
+        }
+    });
+}
diff --git a/addon/ng2/utilities/completion.sh b/addon/ng2/utilities/completion.sh
index ebb5227cd06b..457839bebea7 100644
--- a/addon/ng2/utilities/completion.sh
+++ b/addon/ng2/utilities/completion.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-###-begin-ng-completion### 
+###-begin-ng-completion###
 #
 # ng command completion script
 #
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 #
 
 ng_opts='new init build serve generate autocomplete e2e lint test version'
-init_opts='--dry-run --verbose --blueprint --skip-npm --skip-bower --name'
-new_opts='--dry-run --verbose --blueprint --skip-npm --skip-bower --skip-git --directory'
+init_opts='--dry-run --verbose --blueprint --skip-npm --skip-bower --name --output-path'
+new_opts='--dry-run --verbose --blueprint --skip-npm --skip-bower --skip-git --directory --output-path'
 build_opts='--environment --output-path --watch --watcher'
 serve_opts='--port --host --proxy --insecure-proxy --watcher --live-reload --live-reload-host
             --live-reload-port --environment --output-path --ssl --ssl-key --ssl-cert'
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ elif type compctl &>/dev/null; then
       g|generate) opts=$generate_opts ;;
       test) opts=$test_opts ;;
     esac
-    
+
     setopt shwordsplit
     reply=($opts)
     unset shwordsplit
diff --git a/lib/config/schema.json b/lib/config/schema.json
index d8598052dd14..c924bc0de5dc 100644
--- a/lib/config/schema.json
+++ b/lib/config/schema.json
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@
         },
         "lazyRoutePrefix": {
           "type": "string"
+        },
+        "outputPath": {
+          "type": "string"
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/init.spec.js b/tests/acceptance/init.spec.js
index f6d7f07f4801..5a8d749ceac0 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/init.spec.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/init.spec.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ var unique = require('lodash/uniq');
 var forEach = require('lodash/forEach');
 var any = require('lodash/some');
 var EOL = require('os').EOL;
+var fs = require('fs');
 
 var defaultIgnoredFiles = Blueprint.ignoredFiles;
 
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: ng init', function () {
       expected[index] = expected[index].replace(/__styleext__/g, 'css');
       expected[index] = expected[index].replace(/__path__/g, 'src');
     });
-    
+
     if (isMobile) {
       expected = expected.filter(p => p.indexOf('tmp.component.html') < 0);
       expected = expected.filter(p => p.indexOf('tmp.component.css') < 0);
@@ -108,7 +109,10 @@ describe('Acceptance: ng init', function () {
       'init',
       '--skip-npm',
       '--skip-bower'
-    ]).then(confirmBlueprinted);
+    ]).then(confirmBlueprinted).then(() => {
+      const settings = fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'angular-cli.json'), 'utf-8');
+      expect(settings).to.include('"outputPath": "dist/"');
+    });
   });
 
   it('ng init --mobile', () => {
@@ -200,4 +204,19 @@ describe('Acceptance: ng init', function () {
       })
       .then(confirmBlueprinted);
   });
+
+  it('ng init --output-path not-dist/', function () {
+    var customOutputPath = 'not-dist/'
+    return ng([
+      'init',
+      '--skip-npm',
+      '--skip-bower',
+      '--output-path',
+      customOutputPath
+    ]).then(confirmBlueprinted)
+      .then(() => {
+        const settings = fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'angular-cli.json'), 'utf-8');
+        expect(settings).to.include('"outputPath": "'+customOutputPath+'"');
+      });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/tests/e2e/e2e_workflow.spec.js b/tests/e2e/e2e_workflow.spec.js
index 3c90073b84fe..2b12840cebc2 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/e2e_workflow.spec.js
+++ b/tests/e2e/e2e_workflow.spec.js
@@ -282,6 +282,60 @@ describe('Basic end-to-end Workflow', function () {
       });
   });
 
+  it('Can set the default output path', function () {
+    this.timeout(10000);
+
+    const customOutputPath = 'not-dist/';
+
+    var setArgs = [
+      'set',
+      'defaults.outputPath',
+      customOutputPath
+    ];
+
+    return ng(setArgs).then(() => {
+      const settings = fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'angular-cli.json'), 'utf-8');
+      expect(settings).to.include('"outputPath": "'+customOutputPath+'"');
+    })
+    .catch(err => {
+      throw new Error(err)
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('`ng test` will build files in outputPath when default is set', function () {
+    this.timeout(420000);
+
+    const tmpFileLocation = path.join(process.cwd(), 'not-dist/', 'test.abc');
+
+    return ng(testArgs).then(result => {
+      const exitCode = typeof result === 'object' ? result.exitCode : result;
+      expect(exitCode).to.be.equal(0);
+    }).then(() => {
+      expect(existsSync(tmpFileLocation)).to.be.equal(true);
+    })
+    .catch(err => {
+      throw new Error(err)
+    })
+  });
+
+  it('Can remove the default output path', function () {
+    this.timeout(10000);
+
+    var setArgs = [
+      'set',
+      'defaults.outputPath',
+      '--remove'
+    ];
+
+    return ng(setArgs).then(() => {
+      const settings = fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'angular-cli.json'), 'utf-8');
+      expect(settings).to.not.include('"outputPath":');
+    })
+    .catch(err => {
+      throw new Error(err)
+    });
+  });
+
   it.skip('Installs sass support successfully', function() {
     this.timeout(420000);