diff --git a/src/extensions/example-extension/package.json b/src/extensions/example-extension/package.json
index 0311c7e71f..d57a78aab5 100644
--- a/src/extensions/example-extension/package.json
+++ b/src/extensions/example-extension/package.json
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
   "version": "1.0.0",
   "description": "Example extension",
   "main": "example-extension.ts",
+  "lens": {
+    "metadata": {}
+  },
   "dependencies": {
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/extensions/extension-api.ts b/src/extensions/extension-api.ts
index 8f23d6c825..e61aea08fe 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension-api.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/extension-api.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Lens-extensions api developer's kit
-export type { LensRendererRuntimeEnv } from "./extension-api.runtime";
+export type { LensRuntimeRendererEnv } from "./lens-runtime";
 
 // APIs
 export * from "./extension"
diff --git a/src/extensions/extension-store.ts b/src/extensions/extension-store.ts
index 3cd965654f..43da0103d7 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension-store.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/extension-store.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+import type { LensRuntimeRendererEnv } from "./lens-runtime";
 import path from "path";
 import fs from "fs-extra";
-import { action, comparer, observable, toJS } from "mobx";
+import { action, observable, reaction, toJS } from "mobx";
 import { BaseStore } from "../common/base-store";
 import { ExtensionId, ExtensionManifest, ExtensionVersion, LensExtension } from "./extension";
 import { isDevelopment } from "../common/vars";
+import logger from "../main/logger";
 
 export interface ExtensionStoreModel {
   version: ExtensionVersion;
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ export interface ExtensionStoreModel {
 }
 
 export interface ExtensionModel {
-  id: ExtensionId;
+  id?: ExtensionId; // available in lens-extension instance
   version: ExtensionVersion;
   name: string;
   manifestPath: string;
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ export class ExtensionStore extends BaseStore<ExtensionStoreModel> {
   @observable version: ExtensionVersion = "0.0.0";
   @observable extensions = observable.map<ExtensionId, LensExtension>();
   @observable removed = observable.map<ExtensionId, LensExtension>();
-  @observable installed = observable.map<string, InstalledExtension>([], { equals: comparer.shallow });
+  @observable.shallow installed = observable.map<string, InstalledExtension>([]);
 
   get folderPath(): string {
     if (isDevelopment) {
@@ -49,10 +51,28 @@ export class ExtensionStore extends BaseStore<ExtensionStoreModel> {
   }
 
   async load() {
-    await this.loadInstalledExtensions();
+    await this.loadExtensions();
     return super.load();
   }
 
+  enableAutoInitOnLoad(getLensRuntimeEnv: () => LensRuntimeRendererEnv, { delay = 0 } = {}) {
+    logger.info('[EXTENSIONS-STORE]: enabled: auto-init loaded extensions');
+    return reaction(() => Array.from(this.installed.values()), installedExtensions => {
+      installedExtensions.forEach(({ extensionModule, manifest, manifestPath }) => {
+        let instance = this.getById(manifestPath);
+        if (!instance) {
+          const LensExtension = extensionModule.default;
+          instance = new LensExtension({ ...manifest }, manifest);
+          this.extensions.set(manifestPath, instance); // fixme: mobx error
+          instance.enable(getLensRuntimeEnv());
+        }
+      })
+    }, {
+      fireImmediately: true,
+      delay: delay,
+    })
+  }
+
   getExtensionByManifest(manifestPath: string): InstalledExtension {
     let manifestJson: ExtensionManifest;
     let mainJs: string;
@@ -72,21 +92,13 @@ export class ExtensionStore extends BaseStore<ExtensionStoreModel> {
   }
 
   @action
-  async loadInstalledExtensions() {
-    const extensions = await this.loadExtensions(this.folderPath);
-    this.installed.replace(extensions.map(ext => [ext.manifestPath, ext]));
-
-    // todo: remove
-    if (process.isMainFrame) {
-      extensions.forEach(({ extensionModule, manifest }) => {
-        const LensExtension = extensionModule.default;
-        const instance = new LensExtension({ ...manifest }, manifest);
-        instance.activate();
-      })
-    }
+  async loadExtensions() {
+    const extensions = await this.loadFromFolder(this.folderPath);
+    const extManifestMap = new Map(extensions.map(ext => [ext.manifestPath, ext]));
+    this.installed.replace(extManifestMap);
   }
 
-  async loadExtensions(folderPath: string): Promise<InstalledExtension[]> {
+  async loadFromFolder(folderPath: string): Promise<InstalledExtension[]> {
     const paths = await fs.readdir(folderPath);
     const manifestsLoading = paths.map(fileName => {
       const absPath = path.resolve(folderPath, fileName);
diff --git a/src/extensions/extension.ts b/src/extensions/extension.ts
index bc9b3d4aab..3300c96c60 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/extension.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import type { ExtensionModel } from "./extension-store";
-import type { LensRendererRuntimeEnv } from "./extension-api.runtime";
+import type { LensRuntimeRendererEnv } from "./lens-runtime";
 import { readJsonSync } from "fs-extra";
 import { action, observable } from "mobx";
 import extensionManifest from "./example-extension/package.json"
 import logger from "../main/logger";
 
-export type ExtensionId = string;
+export type ExtensionId = string; // id or path to "%lens-extension/manifest.json"
 export type ExtensionVersion = string | number;
 export type ExtensionManifest = typeof extensionManifest & ExtensionModel;
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export class LensExtension implements ExtensionModel {
   @observable manifest: ExtensionManifest;
   @observable manifestPath: string;
   @observable isEnabled = false;
-  @observable.ref runtime: LensRendererRuntimeEnv;
+  @observable.ref runtime: Partial<LensRuntimeRendererEnv> = {};
 
   constructor(model: ExtensionModel, manifest: ExtensionManifest) {
     this.importModel(model, manifest);
@@ -38,38 +38,30 @@ export class LensExtension implements ExtensionModel {
     }
   }
 
-  async activate() {
-    logger.info(`[EXTENSION]: activate ${this.name}@${this.version}`, this.getMeta());
-  }
-
-  async deactivate() {
-    logger.info(`[EXTENSION]: deactivate ${this.name}@${this.version}`, this.getMeta());
-  }
-
-  async enable() {
-    logger.info(`[EXTENSION]: enable ${this.name}@${this.version}`, this.getMeta());
+  async enable(runtime: LensRuntimeRendererEnv) {
     this.isEnabled = true;
+    this.runtime = runtime;
+    logger.info(`[EXTENSION]: enable ${this.name}@${this.version}`, this.getMeta());
   }
 
   async disable() {
-    logger.info(`[EXTENSION]: disable ${this.name}@${this.version}`, this.getMeta());
     this.isEnabled = false;
+    this.runtime = {};
+    logger.info(`[EXTENSION]: disable ${this.name}@${this.version}`, this.getMeta());
   }
 
-  async install() {
-    // todo
+  // todo
+  async install(downloadUrl?: string) {
+    return;
   }
 
+  // todo
   async uninstall() {
-    // todo
+    return;
   }
 
-  async upgrade() {
-    // todo
-  }
-
-  async checkNewVersion() {
-    // todo
+  async hasNewVersion(): Promise<Partial<ExtensionModel>> {
+    return;
   }
 
   getMeta() {
@@ -78,6 +70,7 @@ export class LensExtension implements ExtensionModel {
       manifest: this.manifest,
       manifestPath: this.manifestPath,
       enabled: this.isEnabled,
+      runtime: Object.keys(this.runtime),
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/extensions/extension-api.runtime.ts b/src/extensions/lens-runtime.ts
similarity index 54%
rename from src/extensions/extension-api.runtime.ts
rename to src/extensions/lens-runtime.ts
index 02792a4f66..d78fc61d9f 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension-api.runtime.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/lens-runtime.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-// Lens runtime params provider to hook up into extensions
+// Lens runtime for injecting to extension on activation
 import { apiManager, ApiManager } from "../renderer/api/api-manager";
 
-export interface LensRendererRuntimeEnv {
+export interface LensRuntimeRendererEnv {
   apiManager: ApiManager;
 }
 
 // todo: expose more public runtime apis: stores, managers, etc.
-export function getExtensionRuntime(): LensRendererRuntimeEnv {
+export function getLensRuntime(): LensRuntimeRendererEnv {
   return {
     apiManager,
   }
diff --git a/src/renderer/lens-app.tsx b/src/renderer/lens-app.tsx
index 9b4fffc6a1..1034c7be99 100644
--- a/src/renderer/lens-app.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/lens-app.tsx
@@ -11,9 +11,15 @@ import { ErrorBoundary } from "./components/error-boundary";
 import { WhatsNew, whatsNewRoute } from "./components/+whats-new";
 import { Notifications } from "./components/notifications";
 import { ConfirmDialog } from "./components/confirm-dialog";
+import { extensionStore } from "../extensions/extension-store";
+import { getLensRuntime } from "../extensions/lens-runtime";
 
 @observer
 export class LensApp extends React.Component {
+  componentDidMount() {
+    extensionStore.enableAutoInitOnLoad(getLensRuntime);
+  }
+
   render() {
     return (
       <I18nProvider i18n={_i18n}>