diff --git a/IPython/core/pylabtools.py b/IPython/core/pylabtools.py
index 5f00e92..69e4872 100644
--- a/IPython/core/pylabtools.py
+++ b/IPython/core/pylabtools.py
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ backends = {'tk': 'TkAgg',
             'wx': 'WXAgg',
             'qt': 'Qt4Agg', # qt3 not supported
             'qt4': 'Qt4Agg',
+            'qt5': 'Qt5Agg',
             'osx': 'MacOSX',
+            'nbagg': 'nbAgg',
             'inline' : 'module://IPython.kernel.zmq.pylab.backend_inline'}
 
 # We also need a reverse backends2guis mapping that will properly choose which
diff --git a/IPython/kernel/zmq/eventloops.py b/IPython/kernel/zmq/eventloops.py
index 3e195a3..98ee7d2 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/zmq/eventloops.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/zmq/eventloops.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # Imports
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+import os
 import sys
 
 # System library imports
@@ -64,6 +65,11 @@ def loop_qt4(kernel):
     
     start_event_loop_qt4(kernel.app)
 
+def loop_qt5(kernel):
+    """Start a kernel with PyQt5 event loop integration"""
+    os.environ['QT_API'] = 'pyqt5'
+    return loop_qt4(kernel)
+
 
 def loop_wx(kernel):
     """Start a kernel with wx event loop support."""
@@ -228,7 +234,9 @@ def loop_cocoa(kernel):
 loop_map = {
     'qt' : loop_qt4,
     'qt4': loop_qt4,
+    'qt5': loop_qt5,
     'inline': None,
+    'nbagg': None,
     'osx': loop_cocoa,
     'wx' : loop_wx,
     'tk' : loop_tk,