diff --git a/IPython/config/__init__.py b/IPython/config/__init__.py
index c7f2b59..0ae7d63 100644
--- a/IPython/config/__init__.py
+++ b/IPython/config/__init__.py
@@ -1,17 +1,7 @@
 # encoding: utf-8
 
-__docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
-
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#  Copyright (C) 2008  The IPython Development Team
-#
-#  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
-#  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Imports
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright (c) IPython Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 
 from .application import *
 from .configurable import *
diff --git a/IPython/config/application.py b/IPython/config/application.py
index 69a317f..ef97162 100644
--- a/IPython/config/application.py
+++ b/IPython/config/application.py
@@ -609,3 +609,13 @@ def boolean_flag(name, configurable, set_help='', unset_help=''):
     unsetter = {cls : {trait : False}}
     return {name : (setter, set_help), 'no-'+name : (unsetter, unset_help)}
 
+
+def get_config():
+    """Get the config object for the global Application instance, if there is one
+    
+    otherwise return an empty config object
+    """
+    if Application.initialized():
+        return Application.instance().config
+    else:
+        return Config()