diff --git a/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js b/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js
index 17ce0c7..ba5467d 100644
--- a/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js
+++ b/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ function ClayConfig(settings, config, $rootContainer) {
       var _item = _.copyObj(item);
       _item.clayId = _items.length;
 
-      var clayItem = new ClayItem(_item).initialize();
+      var clayItem = new ClayItem(_item).initialize(self);
 
       if (_item.id) {
         _itemsById[_item.id] = clayItem;
diff --git a/src/scripts/lib/clay-item.js b/src/scripts/lib/clay-item.js
index 02a0ca3..168288d 100644
--- a/src/scripts/lib/clay-item.js
+++ b/src/scripts/lib/clay-item.js
@@ -48,11 +48,12 @@ function ClayItem(config) {
   /**
    * Run the initializer if it exists and attaches the css to the head.
    * Passes minified as the first param
+   * @param {ClayConfig} clay
    * @returns {ClayItem}
    */
-  self.initialize = function() {
+  self.initialize = function(clay) {
     if (typeof _component.initialize === 'function') {
-      _component.initialize.call(self, minified);
+      _component.initialize.call(self, minified, clay);
     }
     return self;
   };
diff --git a/test/spec/lib/clay-item.js b/test/spec/lib/clay-item.js
index afd5995..3744212 100644
--- a/test/spec/lib/clay-item.js
+++ b/test/spec/lib/clay-item.js
@@ -96,9 +96,9 @@ describe('ClayItem', function() {
   describe('.initialize()', function() {
     it('calls component initializer  with the ClayItem as context', function() {
       var initializeSpy = sinon.spy(componentRegistry.select, 'initialize');
-      var clayItem = fixture.clayItem('select').initialize();
-      assert(initializeSpy.alwaysCalledOn(clayItem));
-      assert(initializeSpy.alwaysCalledWith(minified));
+      var clayConfig = fixture.clayConfig(['select']);
+      assert(initializeSpy.alwaysCalledOn(clayConfig.getItemsByType('select')[0]));
+      assert(initializeSpy.alwaysCalledWith(minified, clayConfig));
       initializeSpy.restore();
     });