diff --git a/binderhub/builder.py b/binderhub/builder.py
index baf68b382..2e1580111 100644
--- a/binderhub/builder.py
+++ b/binderhub/builder.py
@@ -521,11 +521,22 @@ async def launch(self, kube, provider):
                 username = launcher.unique_name_from_repo(self.repo_url)
                 server_name = ''
             try:
+                # get file/url path, it will be passed to user_options
+                # this is useful when one wants to re-generate same launch url
+                path = self.get_argument('filepath', '').lstrip('/')
+                path_type = "file" if path else ""
+                if not path:
+                    path = self.get_argument('urlpath', '').lstrip('/')
+                    path_type = "url" if path else ""
+                app_log.info("path: %s", path)
+                app_log.info("path_type: %s", path_type)
                 extra_args = {
                     'binder_ref_url': self.ref_url,
                     'binder_launch_host': self.binder_launch_host,
                     'binder_request': self.binder_request,
                     'binder_persistent_request': self.binder_persistent_request,
+                    'path_type': path_type,
+                    'path': path,
                 }
                 server_info = await launcher.launch(image=self.image_name,
                                                     username=username,
diff --git a/binderhub/launcher.py b/binderhub/launcher.py
index 63810a96a..5951ae0f6 100644
--- a/binderhub/launcher.py
+++ b/binderhub/launcher.py
@@ -240,5 +240,9 @@ async def launch(self, image, username, server_name='', repo_url='', extra_args=
                           format(_server_name, username, e, body))
             raise web.HTTPError(500, "Failed to launch image %s" % image)
 
-        data['url'] = self.hub_url + 'user/%s/%s' % (username, server_name)
-        return data
+        # return back only what is need to launch the user server
+        launch_data = {
+            "url": self.hub_url + 'user/%s/%s' % (username, server_name),
+            "token": data["token"],
+        }
+        return launch_data
diff --git a/binderhub/static/js/index.js b/binderhub/static/js/index.js
index 8f9878d17..990f6e13e 100755
--- a/binderhub/static/js/index.js
+++ b/binderhub/static/js/index.js
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ function build(providerSpec, log, path, pathType) {
 
   $('.on-build').removeClass('hidden');
 
-  var image = new BinderImage(providerSpec);
+  var image = new BinderImage(providerSpec, path, pathType);
 
   image.onStateChange('*', function(oldState, newState, data) {
     if (data.message !== undefined) {
diff --git a/binderhub/static/js/src/image.js b/binderhub/static/js/src/image.js
index f86f6a1ea..90be03d4c 100644
--- a/binderhub/static/js/src/image.js
+++ b/binderhub/static/js/src/image.js
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
 var BASE_URL = $("#base-url").data().url;
 
-export default function BinderImage(providerSpec) {
+export default function BinderImage(providerSpec, path, pathType) {
   this.providerSpec = providerSpec;
+  this.path = path;
+  this.pathType = pathType;
   this.callbacks = {};
   this.state = null;
 }
 
 BinderImage.prototype.fetch = function() {
   var apiUrl = BASE_URL + "build/" + this.providerSpec;
+  if (this.path && this.path.length > 0) {
+    apiUrl = apiUrl + '?' + this.pathType + 'path=' + encodeURIComponent(this.path);
+  }
+  console.log(apiUrl);
   this.eventSource = new EventSource(apiUrl);
   var that = this;
   this.eventSource.onerror = function(err) {