diff --git a/lib/core/params.js b/lib/core/params.js
index 675076fa..39c271d9 100644
--- a/lib/core/params.js
+++ b/lib/core/params.js
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ module.exports = function(Ravel) {
     Object.assign(defaults, this[symbols.params]);
     // now defaults contains what we want, so make it this[symbols.params]
     this[symbols.params] = defaults;
+    // done!
+    this[symbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
   };
 
   /**
@@ -91,7 +93,9 @@ module.exports = function(Ravel) {
    * @return {Object} the parameter value, or undefined if it is not required and not set
    */
   Ravel.prototype.get = function(key) {
-    if (!this[symbols.knownParameters][key]) {
+    if (!this[symbols.parametersLoaded]) {
+      throw new this.ApplicationError.General('Cannot get() parameters until after app.init()');
+    } else if (!this[symbols.knownParameters][key]) {
       throw new this.ApplicationError.NotFound(`Parameter ${key} was requested, but is unknown.`);
     } else if (this[symbols.knownParameters][key].required && this[symbols.params][key] === undefined) {
       throw new this.ApplicationError.NotFound(
diff --git a/lib/core/symbols.js b/lib/core/symbols.js
index 1b003d04..47bc5d94 100644
--- a/lib/core/symbols.js
+++ b/lib/core/symbols.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
   // methods
   loadParameters: Symbol.for('_loadParameters()'),
+  parametersLoaded: Symbol.for('_parametersLoaded()'),
   moduleInit:  Symbol.for('_moduleInit'),
   resourceInit:  Symbol.for('_resourceInit'),
   routesInit:  Symbol.for('_routesInit'),
diff --git a/lib/ravel.js b/lib/ravel.js
index 2838f7c0..278a765d 100644
--- a/lib/ravel.js
+++ b/lib/ravel.js
@@ -157,7 +157,9 @@ class Ravel extends EventEmitter {
     });
 
     // load parameters from .ravelrc file, if any
+    this.emit('pre load parameters');
     this[coreSymbols.loadParameters]();
+    this.emit('post load parameters');
 
     this[sInitialized] = true;
 
diff --git a/lib/util/log.js b/lib/util/log.js
index ae86030c..bdc9ef0a 100644
--- a/lib/util/log.js
+++ b/lib/util/log.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class Log extends Logger {
     ravelInstance.registerParameter('log level', true);
     ravelInstance.set('log level', this.DEBUG); //default log level
 
-    ravelInstance.once('pre init', function() {
+    ravelInstance.once('post load parameters', function() {
       intel.setLevel(logLevels[ravelInstance.get('log level')]);
     });
   }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 00176111..733bbeea 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ravel",
-  "version": "0.17.12",
+  "version": "0.17.13",
   "author": "Sean McIntyre <s.mcintyre@xverba.ca>",
   "description": "Ravel Rapid Application Development Framework",
   "engines": {
diff --git a/test/auth/test-authenticate-request.js b/test/auth/test-authenticate-request.js
index 20f200e2..5226bf3e 100644
--- a/test/auth/test-authenticate-request.js
+++ b/test/auth/test-authenticate-request.js
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ describe('util/authenticate_request', function() {
     Ravel.log.setLevel('NONE');
     app = koa();
     Ravel.kvstore = {}; // mock Ravel.kvstore, since we're not actually starting Ravel.
+    Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
     done();
   });
 
diff --git a/test/auth/test-authenticate-token.js b/test/auth/test-authenticate-token.js
index 1da3cd64..6a1a1c8a 100644
--- a/test/auth/test-authenticate-token.js
+++ b/test/auth/test-authenticate-token.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ chai.use(require('sinon-chai'));
 const mockery = require('mockery');
 const sinon = require('sinon');
 
-let Ravel, tokenAuth, profile, testProvider;
+let Ravel, tokenAuth, profile, testProvider, coreSymbols;
 
 describe('auth/authenticate_token', function() {
   beforeEach((done) => {
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@ describe('auth/authenticate_token', function() {
     mockery.registerMock('redis', redisMock);
 
     Ravel = new (require('../../lib/ravel'))();
+    coreSymbols = require('../../lib/core/symbols');
     Ravel.log.setLevel(Ravel.log.NONE);
     Ravel.set('redis port', 0);
     Ravel.set('redis host', 'localhost');
     Ravel.set('redis password', 'password');
+    Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
     Ravel.kvstore = require('../../lib/util/kvstore')(Ravel);
 
     tokenAuth = new (require('../../lib/auth/authenticate_token'))(Ravel);
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ describe('auth/authenticate_token', function() {
 
   afterEach((done) => {
     Ravel = undefined;
+    coreSymbols = undefined;
     tokenAuth = undefined;
     mockery.deregisterAll();
     mockery.disable();
diff --git a/test/core/test-params.js b/test/core/test-params.js
index 6fecea1e..23c321f0 100644
--- a/test/core/test-params.js
+++ b/test/core/test-params.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
     it('should allow clients to set the value of a parameter', (done) => {
       Ravel.registerParameter('test param', false);
       Ravel.set('test param', 'test value');
+      Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
       expect(Ravel.get('test param')).to.equal('test value');
       done();
     });
@@ -59,12 +60,14 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
     it('should allow clients to retrieve the value of a set optional parameter', (done) => {
       Ravel.registerParameter('test param', false);
       Ravel.set('test param', 'test value');
+      Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
       expect(Ravel.get('test param')).to.equal('test value');
       done();
     });
 
     it('should return undefined when clients attempt to retrieve the value of an unset optional parameter', (done) => {
       Ravel.registerParameter('test param', false);
+      Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
       expect(Ravel.get('test param')).to.equal(undefined);
       done();
     });
@@ -72,12 +75,25 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
     it('should allow clients to retrieve the value of a set required parameter', (done) => {
       Ravel.registerParameter('test param', true);
       Ravel.set('test param', 'test value');
+      Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
       expect(Ravel.get('test param')).to.equal('test value');
       done();
     });
 
+    it('should throw a Ravel.ApplicationError.General error when clients attempt to retrieve a parameter before loading', (done) => {
+      try {
+        Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = false;
+        Ravel.get('test param');
+        done(new Error('Should never reach this line.'));
+      } catch (err) {
+        expect(err).to.be.instanceof(Ravel.ApplicationError.General);
+        done();
+      }
+    });
+
     it('should throw a Ravel.ApplicationError.NotFound error when clients attempt to retrieve an unregistered parameter', (done) => {
       try {
+        Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
         Ravel.get('test param');
         done(new Error('Should never reach this line.'));
       } catch (err) {
@@ -89,6 +105,7 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
     it('should throw a Ravel.ApplicationError.NotFound error when clients attempt to retrieve the value of an unset required parameter', (done) => {
       try {
         Ravel.registerParameter('test param', true);
+        Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
         Ravel.get('test param');
         done(new Error('Should never reach this line.'));
       } catch (err) {
diff --git a/test/util/test-kvstore.js b/test/util/test-kvstore.js
index 6c6dc809..54310922 100644
--- a/test/util/test-kvstore.js
+++ b/test/util/test-kvstore.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const expect = chai.expect;
 chai.use(require('chai-things'));
 const mockery = require('mockery');
 
-let Ravel, redisClientStub, redisMock;
+let Ravel, redisClientStub, redisMock, coreSymbols;
 
 describe('Ravel', function() {
 
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
     };
     mockery.registerMock('redis', redisMock);
     Ravel = new (require('../../lib/ravel'))();
+    coreSymbols = require('../../lib/core/symbols');
     Ravel.log.setLevel(Ravel.log.NONE);
     Ravel.set('redis port', 0);
     Ravel.set('redis host', 'localhost');
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
 
   afterEach((done) => {
     Ravel = undefined;
+    coreSymbols = undefined;
     mockery.deregisterAll();mockery.disable();
     done();
   });
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
         const retryStrategy = require('../../lib/util/kvstore').retryStrategy(Ravel);
         expect(retryStrategy).to.be.a('function');
         Ravel.set('redis max retries', 10);
+        Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
         const options = {
           error:{code:'something'},
           attempt: Ravel.get('redis max retries') + 1
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@ describe('Ravel', function() {
         const retryStrategy = require('../../lib/util/kvstore').retryStrategy(Ravel);
         expect(retryStrategy).to.be.a('function');
         Ravel.set('redis max retries', 10);
+        Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
         const options = {
           error:{code:'something'},
           attempt: 1
diff --git a/test/util/test-log.js b/test/util/test-log.js
index af92fc8f..3309d102 100644
--- a/test/util/test-log.js
+++ b/test/util/test-log.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ chai.use(require('sinon-chai'));
 const sinon = require('sinon');
 const mockery = require('mockery');
 
-let Ravel, intel, intelLogger;
+let Ravel, intel, intelLogger, coreSymbols;
 
 describe('Ravel.Log', function() {
   beforeEach((done) => {
@@ -55,11 +55,13 @@ describe('Ravel.Log', function() {
     };
     mockery.registerMock('intel', intel);
     Ravel = new (require('../../lib/ravel'))();
+    coreSymbols = require('../../lib/core/symbols');
     done();
   });
 
   afterEach((done) => {
     Ravel = undefined;
+    coreSymbols = undefined;
     mockery.deregisterAll();mockery.disable();
     done();
   });
@@ -210,6 +212,9 @@ describe('Ravel.Log', function() {
     it('should set the default log level on \'start\' if none was specified via Ravel.set(\'log level\')', (done) => {
       const stub = sinon.stub(intel, 'setLevel');
       Ravel.emit('pre init');
+      Ravel.emit('pre load parameters');
+      Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
+      Ravel.emit('post load parameters');
       expect(stub).to.have.been.calledOnce;
       expect(stub).to.have.been.calledWith(intel.DEBUG);
       done();
@@ -219,6 +224,9 @@ describe('Ravel.Log', function() {
       const stub = sinon.stub(intel, 'setLevel');
       Ravel.set('log level', Ravel.log.ERROR);
       Ravel.emit('pre init');
+      Ravel.emit('pre load parameters');
+      Ravel[coreSymbols.parametersLoaded] = true;
+      Ravel.emit('post load parameters');
       expect(stub).to.have.been.calledOnce;
       expect(stub).to.have.been.calledWith(intel.ERROR);
       done();