diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptor.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptor.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9880a34570
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptor.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+using System;
+using Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core;
+
+namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Encapsulates information that describes an <see cref="OutputFormatter"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    public class OutputFormatterDescriptor
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Creates a new instance of <see cref="OutputFormatterDescriptor"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="outputFormatterType">A <see cref="OutputFormatter/> type that the descriptor represents.
+        /// </param>
+        public OutputFormatterDescriptor([NotNull] Type outputFormatterType)
+        {
+            var formatterType = typeof(OutputFormatter);
+            if (!formatterType.IsAssignableFrom(outputFormatterType))
+            {
+                var message = Resources.FormatTypeMustDeriveFromType(outputFormatterType,
+                                                                     formatterType.FullName);
+                throw new ArgumentException(message, "outputFormatterType");
+            }
+
+            OutputFormatterType = outputFormatterType;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Creates a new instance of <see cref="OutputFormatterDescriptor"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="outputFormatter">An instance of <see cref="OutputFormatter"/>
+        ///  that the descriptor represents.</param>
+        public OutputFormatterDescriptor([NotNull] OutputFormatter outputFormatter)
+        {
+            OutputFormatter = outputFormatter;
+            OutputFormatterType = outputFormatter.GetType();
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the type of the <see cref="OutputFormatter"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        public Type OutputFormatterType
+        {
+            get;
+            private set;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the instance of the <see cref="OutputFormatter"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        public OutputFormatter OutputFormatter
+        {
+            get;
+            private set;
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.kproj b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.kproj
index 34b61069f0..031afde33d 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.kproj
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.kproj
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
     <Compile Include="Formatters\OutputFormatterContext.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Formatters\JsonOutputFormatter.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Formatters\OutputFormatter.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Formatters\OutputFormatterDescriptor.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ReflectedActionDescriptor.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ReflectedActionDescriptorProvider.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ReflectedModelBuilder\IReflectedApplicationModelConvention.cs" />
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/MvcOptions.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/MvcOptions.cs
index af5515b082..c4ad9da725 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/MvcOptions.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/MvcOptions.cs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             ModelBinders = new List<ModelBinderDescriptor>();
             ViewEngines = new List<ViewEngineDescriptor>();
             ValueProviderFactories = new List<IValueProviderFactory>();
+            OutputFormatters = new List<OutputFormatterDescriptor>();
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -49,6 +50,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             }
         }
 
+        public List<OutputFormatterDescriptor> OutputFormatters { get; private set; }
+        
         /// <summary>
         /// Provides programmatic configuration for the default <see cref="IViewEngine" />.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensions.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensions.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0781587ca6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensions.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+
+namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Extension methods for adding output formatters to a collection.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static class OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensions
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Adds a type representing a <see cref="OutputFormatter"/> to a descriptor collection.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="descriptors">A list of OutputFormatterDescriptors</param>
+        /// <param name="outputFormatterType">Type representing an <see cref="OutputFormatter"/>.</param>
+        /// <returns>OutputFormatterDescriptor representing the added instance.</returns>
+        public static OutputFormatterDescriptor Add([NotNull] this IList<OutputFormatterDescriptor> descriptors,
+                                                [NotNull] Type outputFormatterType)
+        {
+            var descriptor = new OutputFormatterDescriptor(outputFormatterType);
+            descriptors.Add(descriptor);
+            return descriptor;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Inserts a type representing a <see cref="OutputFormatter"/> to a descriptor collection.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="descriptors">A list of OutputFormatterDescriptors</param>
+        /// <param name="outputFormatterType">Type representing an <see cref="OutputFormatter"/>.</param>
+        /// <returns>OutputFormatterDescriptor representing the inserted instance.</returns>
+        public static OutputFormatterDescriptor Insert([NotNull] this IList<OutputFormatterDescriptor> descriptors,
+                                                   int index,
+                                                   [NotNull] Type outputFormatterType)
+        {
+            if (index < 0 || index > descriptors.Count)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("index");
+            }
+
+            var descriptor = new OutputFormatterDescriptor(outputFormatterType);
+            descriptors.Insert(index, descriptor);
+            return descriptor;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Adds an <see cref="OutputFormatter"/> to a descriptor collection.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="descriptors">A list of OutputFormatterDescriptors</param>
+        /// <param name="outputFormatter">An <see cref="OutputFormatter"/> instance.</param>
+        /// <returns>OutputFormatterDescriptor representing the added instance.</returns>
+        public static OutputFormatterDescriptor Add([NotNull] this IList<OutputFormatterDescriptor> descriptors,
+                                                [NotNull] OutputFormatter outputFormatter)
+        {
+            var descriptor = new OutputFormatterDescriptor(outputFormatter);
+            descriptors.Add(descriptor);
+            return descriptor;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Insert an <see cref="OutputFormatter"/> to a descriptor collection.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="descriptors">A list of OutputFormatterDescriptors</param>
+        /// <param name="outputFormatter">An <see cref="OutputFormatter"/> instance.</param>
+        /// <returns>OutputFormatterDescriptor representing the added instance.</returns>
+        public static OutputFormatterDescriptor Insert([NotNull] this IList<OutputFormatterDescriptor> descriptors,
+                                                   int index,
+                                                   [NotNull] OutputFormatter outputFormatter)
+        {
+            if (index < 0 || index > descriptors.Count)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("index");
+            }
+
+            var descriptor = new OutputFormatterDescriptor(outputFormatter);
+            descriptors.Insert(index, descriptor);
+            return descriptor;
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc/MvcOptionsSetup.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc/MvcOptionsSetup.cs
index 9faba693da..014d3bc92b 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc/MvcOptionsSetup.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc/MvcOptionsSetup.cs
@@ -33,9 +33,13 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             options.ModelBinders.Add(new ComplexModelDtoModelBinder());
 
             // Set up ValueProviders
-            options.ValueProviderFactories.Add(new RouteValueValueProviderFactory());
+            options.ValueProviderFactories.Add(new RouteValueValueProviderFactory());            
             options.ValueProviderFactories.Add(new QueryStringValueProviderFactory());
             options.ValueProviderFactories.Add(new FormValueProviderFactory());
+
+            // Set up OutputFormatters
+            options.OutputFormatters.Add(new OutputFormatterDescriptor(
+                new JsonOutputFormatter(JsonOutputFormatter.CreateDefaultSettings(), indent: false)));
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensionTest.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensionTest.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..70987c82d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensionTest.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+#if NET45
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using Moq;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test
+{
+    public class OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensionTest
+    {
+        [Theory]
+        [InlineData(-1)]
+        [InlineData(5)]
+        public void Insert_WithType_ThrowsIfIndexIsOutOfBounds(int index)
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var collection = new List<OutputFormatterDescriptor>
+            {
+                new OutputFormatterDescriptor(Mock.Of<OutputFormatter>()),
+                new OutputFormatterDescriptor(Mock.Of<OutputFormatter>())
+            };
+
+            // Act & Assert
+            Assert.Throws<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>("index", 
+                                                       () => collection.Insert(index, typeof(OutputFormatter)));
+        }
+
+        [Theory]
+        [InlineData(-2)]
+        [InlineData(3)]
+        public void Insert_WithInstance_ThrowsIfIndexIsOutOfBounds(int index)
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var collection = new List<OutputFormatterDescriptor>
+            {
+                new OutputFormatterDescriptor(Mock.Of<OutputFormatter>()),
+                new OutputFormatterDescriptor(Mock.Of<OutputFormatter>())
+            };
+            var formatter = Mock.Of<OutputFormatter>();
+
+            // Act & Assert
+            Assert.Throws<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>("index", () => collection.Insert(index, formatter));
+        }
+
+        [InlineData]
+        public void OutputFormatterDescriptors_AddsTypesAndInstances()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var formatter1 = Mock.Of<OutputFormatter>();
+            var formatter2 = Mock.Of<OutputFormatter>();
+            var type1 = typeof(JsonOutputFormatter);
+            var type2 = typeof(OutputFormatter);
+            var collection = new List<OutputFormatterDescriptor>();
+
+            // Act
+            collection.Add(formatter1);
+            collection.Insert(1, formatter2);
+            collection.Add(type1);
+            collection.Insert(2, type2);
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.Equal(4, collection.Count);
+            Assert.Equal(formatter1, collection[0].OutputFormatter);
+            Assert.Equal(formatter2, collection[1].OutputFormatter);
+            Assert.Equal(type2, collection[2].OutputFormatterType);
+            Assert.Equal(type1, collection[3].OutputFormatterType);
+        }
+    }
+}
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptorTest.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptorTest.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2bfc9bf22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Formatters/OutputFormatterDescriptorTest.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+using Microsoft.AspNet.Testing;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test
+{
+    public class OutputFormatterDescriptorTest
+    {
+        [Fact]
+        public void ConstructorThrows_IfTypeIsNotOutputFormatter()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var expected = "The type 'System.String' must derive from " +
+                            "'Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.OutputFormatter'.";
+
+            var type = typeof(string);
+
+            // Act & Assert
+            ExceptionAssert.ThrowsArgument(() => new OutputFormatterDescriptor(type), "outputFormatterType", expected);
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test.kproj b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test.kproj
index 5490f9bc70..fd81abcdf4 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test.kproj
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test.kproj
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
     <Compile Include="ExpiringFileInfoCacheTest.cs" />
     <Compile Include="DefaultActionDiscoveryConventionsTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Extensions\ViewEngineDscriptorExtensionsTest.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Formatters\OutputFormatterDescriptorExtensionTest.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Formatters\OutputFormatterDescriptorTest.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Formatters\OutputFormatterTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ReflectedModelBuilder\ReflectedParameterModelTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ReflectedModelBuilder\ReflectedActionModelTests.cs" />
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Test/MvcOptionSetupTest.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Test/MvcOptionSetupTest.cs
index d256168a7a..9942e9670f 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Test/MvcOptionSetupTest.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Test/MvcOptionSetupTest.cs
@@ -60,5 +60,20 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             Assert.IsType<QueryStringValueProviderFactory>(valueProviders[1]);
             Assert.IsType<FormValueProviderFactory>(valueProviders[2]);
         }
+        
+        [Fact]
+        public void Setup_SetsUpOutputFormatters()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var mvcOptions = new MvcOptions();
+            var setup = new MvcOptionsSetup();
+
+            // Act
+            setup.Setup(mvcOptions);
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.Equal(1, mvcOptions.OutputFormatters.Count);
+            Assert.IsType<JsonOutputFormatter>(mvcOptions.OutputFormatters[0].OutputFormatter);
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file