diff --git a/nbconvert/api/python.py b/nbconvert/api/python.py
index eb3c45b8f..bebc8fa65 100644
--- a/nbconvert/api/python.py
+++ b/nbconvert/api/python.py
@@ -15,20 +15,26 @@
 
 # local import
 import exporter
+from IPython.utils.traitlets import Unicode
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 class PythonExporter(exporter.Exporter):
 
+    file_extension = Unicode(
+        'py', config=True, 
+        help="Extension of the file that should be written to disk")
+
+    template_file = Unicode(
+            'python', config=True,
+            help="Name of the template file to use")
+
     def __init__(self, preprocessors=None, jinja_filters=None, config=None, armor=False, **kw):
         
         #Call base class constructor.
         super(exporter.Exporter, self).__init__(preprocessors, jinja_filters, config, **kw)
 
         #Set defaults
-        self.file_extension = "py"  
-        if armor:
-            self.template_file = "python-armor"
-        else:
-            self.template_file = "python"
+        self.extract_figure_transformer.enabled = False
+