diff --git a/lib/spree/core.rb b/lib/spree/core.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2ae848cf18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/spree/core.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+require 'rails/all'
+require 'active_merchant'
+require 'acts_as_list'
+require 'awesome_nested_set'
+require 'cancan'
+require 'kaminari'
+require 'mail'
+require 'paperclip'
+require 'paranoia'
+require 'ransack'
+require 'state_machine'
+
+module Spree
+
+  mattr_accessor :user_class
+
+  def self.user_class
+    if @@user_class.is_a?(Class)
+      raise "Spree.user_class MUST be a String object, not a Class object."
+    elsif @@user_class.is_a?(String)
+      @@user_class.constantize
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Used to configure Spree.
+  #
+  # Example:
+  #
+  #   Spree.config do |config|
+  #     config.site_name = "An awesome Spree site"
+  #   end
+  #
+  # This method is defined within the core gem on purpose.
+  # Some people may only wish to use the Core part of Spree.
+  def self.config(&block)
+    yield(Spree::Config)
+  end
+end
+
+require 'spree/core/version'
+require 'spree/core/engine'
+
+require 'spree/i18n'
+require 'spree/money'
+require 'spree/promo/coupon_applicator'
+
+require 'spree/core/delegate_belongs_to'
+require 'spree/core/ext/active_record'
+require 'spree/core/permalinks'
+require 'spree/core/token_resource'
+require 'spree/core/calculated_adjustments'
+require 'spree/core/product_duplicator'
+
+ActiveRecord::Base.class_eval do
+  include CollectiveIdea::Acts::NestedSet
+end