diff --git a/lib/fittingTypes/user.js b/lib/fittingTypes/user.js
index 3b68179..dfff512 100644
--- a/lib/fittingTypes/user.js
+++ b/lib/fittingTypes/user.js
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ var assert = require('assert');
 module.exports = function createFitting(pipes, fittingDef) {
 
   assert(fittingDef.name, util.format('name is required on fitting: %j', fittingDef));
+
+  // If there is pre-initialized fittings modules available, return these
+  if (pipes.config.fittings && pipes.config.fittings[fittingDef.name]) {
+      debug('loaded user fitting %s from pre-initialized modules', fittingDef.name);
+      return pipes.config.fittings[fittingDef.name](fittingDef, pipes);
+  }
+
   if (!pipes.config.userFittingsDirs) { return null; }
 
   for (var i = 0; i < pipes.config.userFittingsDirs.length; i++) {
diff --git a/test/bagpipes.js b/test/bagpipes.js
index 4b627fc..8d1dd7b 100644
--- a/test/bagpipes.js
+++ b/test/bagpipes.js
@@ -45,6 +45,19 @@ describe('bagpipes', function() {
     done();
   });
 
+  it('should load pre-initialized fittings', function(done) {
+    var emitFitting = function create() {
+      return function (context, cb) {
+        cb(null, 'pre-initialized');
+    }};
+    var pipe = [ 'emit' ];
+    var bagpipes = Bagpipes.create({ pipe: pipe }, {fittings: { emit: emitFitting}});
+    var context = {};
+    bagpipes.play(bagpipes.getPipe('pipe'), context);
+    context.output.should.eql('pre-initialized');
+    done();
+  });  
+
   it('should allow user fittings to override system fittings', function(done) {
     var userFittingsDirs = [ path.resolve(__dirname, './fixtures/fittings') ];
     var pipe = [ 'test' ];