diff --git a/notebook/notebookapp.py b/notebook/notebookapp.py
index 4503eee60..fa09db7f4 100644
--- a/notebook/notebookapp.py
+++ b/notebook/notebookapp.py
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ class NotebookWebApplication(web.Application):
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('nbconvert.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('kernelspecs.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('edit.handlers'))
+        handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.api.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.config.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.kernels.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.contents.handlers'))
diff --git a/notebook/services/api/__init__.py b/notebook/services/api/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/notebook/services/api/handlers.py b/notebook/services/api/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4176f2e8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notebook/services/api/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+"""Tornado handlers for api specifications."""
+
+# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+
+from tornado import web
+from ...base.handlers import IPythonHandler
+
+class APIHandler(web.StaticFileHandler, IPythonHandler):
+
+    def initialize(self):
+        web.StaticFileHandler.initialize(self, path='')
+
+    @web.authenticated
+    def get(self):
+        self.log.debug("Serving api")
+        return web.StaticFileHandler.get(self, 'api.yaml')
+
+default_handlers = [
+    (r"/api", APIHandler),
+]