diff --git a/src/cli/plugin/plugin.js b/src/cli/plugin/plugin.js
index 1b5763640352..ac5a7996784b 100644
--- a/src/cli/plugin/plugin.js
+++ b/src/cli/plugin/plugin.js
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ module.exports = function (program) {
     .option('-q, --quiet', 'Disable all process messaging except errors')
     .option('-s, --silent', 'Disable all process messaging')
     .option('-u, --url <url>', 'Specify download url')
+    .option(
+      '-c, --config <path>',
+      'Path to the config file',
+      fromRoot('config/kibana.yml')
+    )
     .option(
       '-t, --timeout <duration>',
       'Length of time before failing; 0 for never fail',
diff --git a/src/cli/plugin/pluginInstaller.js b/src/cli/plugin/pluginInstaller.js
index 59052045ce7b..f92ade8446a3 100644
--- a/src/cli/plugin/pluginInstaller.js
+++ b/src/cli/plugin/pluginInstaller.js
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
+let _ = require('lodash');
+var utils = require('requirefrom')('src/utils');
+var fromRoot = utils('fromRoot');
 var pluginDownloader = require('./pluginDownloader');
 var pluginCleaner = require('./pluginCleaner');
+var KbnServer = require('../../server/KbnServer');
+var readYamlConfig = require('../serve/readYamlConfig');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
 module.exports = {
@@ -25,7 +30,36 @@ function install(settings, logger) {
   .then(function () {
     return downloader.download();
   })
-  .then(function (curious) {
+  .then(async function() {
+    logger.log('Optimizing and caching browser bundles...');
+    let serverConfig = _.merge(
+      readYamlConfig(settings.config),
+      {
+        env: 'production',
+        logging: {
+          silent: settings.silent,
+          quiet: !settings.silent,
+          verbose: false
+        },
+        optimize: {
+          useBundleCache: false
+        },
+        server: {
+          autoListen: false
+        },
+        plugins: {
+          initialize: false,
+          scanDirs: [settings.pluginDir, fromRoot('src/plugins')],
+          paths: [settings.workingPath]
+        }
+      }
+    );
+
+    let kbnServer = new KbnServer(serverConfig);
+    await kbnServer.ready();
+    await kbnServer.close();
+  })
+  .then(function () {
     fs.renameSync(settings.workingPath, settings.pluginPath);
     logger.log('Plugin installation complete');
   })
diff --git a/src/cli/plugin/settingParser.js b/src/cli/plugin/settingParser.js
index acd16b24434b..8272b2ea126b 100644
--- a/src/cli/plugin/settingParser.js
+++ b/src/cli/plugin/settingParser.js
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ module.exports = function (options) {
       settings.urls.push(options.url);
     }
 
+    if (options.config) {
+      settings.config = options.config;
+    }
+
     if (options.install) {
       settings.action = 'install';
       parts = options.install.split('/');
diff --git a/src/cli/serve/serve.js b/src/cli/serve/serve.js
index fc9fb3c47271..f8bcffd8adaf 100644
--- a/src/cli/serve/serve.js
+++ b/src/cli/serve/serve.js
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ module.exports = function (program) {
   .description('Run the kibana server')
   .collectUnknownOptions()
   .option('-e, --elasticsearch <uri>', 'Elasticsearch instance')
-  .option('-c, --config <path>', 'Path to the config file')
+  .option(
+    '-c, --config <path>',
+    'Path to the config file',
+    fromRoot('config/kibana.yml'))
   .option('-p, --port <port>', 'The port to bind to', parseInt)
   .option('-q, --quiet', 'Prevent all logging except errors')
   .option('-Q, --silent', 'Prevent all logging')
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ module.exports = function (program) {
     let readYamlConfig = require('./readYamlConfig');
     let KbnServer = src('server/KbnServer');
 
-    let settings = readYamlConfig(opts.config || fromRoot('config/kibana.yml'));
+    let settings = readYamlConfig(opts.config);
 
     if (opts.dev) {
       try { _.merge(settings, readYamlConfig(fromRoot('config/kibana.dev.yml'))); }
diff --git a/src/optimize/index.js b/src/optimize/index.js
index c55eef3fb47f..1b2cf69e92e4 100644
--- a/src/optimize/index.js
+++ b/src/optimize/index.js
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ module.exports = async (kbnServer, server, config) => {
   await bundles.writeEntryFiles();
 
   // in prod, only bundle what looks invalid or missing
-  if (config.get('env.prod')) bundles = await kbnServer.bundles.getInvalidBundles();
+  if (config.get('optimize.useBundleCache')) {
+    bundles = await bundles.getInvalidBundles();
+  }
 
   // we might not have any work to do
   if (!bundles.getIds().length) {
diff --git a/src/server/config/schema.js b/src/server/config/schema.js
index 0121e7d92228..dc960c684189 100644
--- a/src/server/config/schema.js
+++ b/src/server/config/schema.js
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ module.exports = Joi.object({
     lazyHost: Joi.string().hostname().default('localhost'),
     lazyPrebuild: Joi.boolean().default(false),
     lazyProxyTimeout: Joi.number().default(5 * 60000),
+    useBundleCache: Joi.boolean().default(Joi.ref('$prod')),
     unsafeCache: Joi
       .alternatives()
       .try(