diff --git a/templates/api-server/component.js b/templates/api-server/component.js
index cfa2b7ad..e6198d0a 100644
--- a/templates/api-server/component.js
+++ b/templates/api-server/component.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ template.package = {
   "dependencies": {
     "compression": "^1.0.3",
     "errorhandler": "^1.1.1",
-    "loopback": "~2.0.0-beta3",
+    "loopback": "~2.0.0-beta5",
     "loopback-boot": "~2.0.0-beta1",
     "loopback-datasource-juggler": "~2.0.0-beta2"
   },
diff --git a/templates/api-server/template/server/boot/root.js b/templates/api-server/template/server/boot/root.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e1061423
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/api-server/template/server/boot/root.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+module.exports = function(server) {
+  // Install a `/` route that returns server status
+  var router = server.loopback.Router();
+  router.get('/', server.loopback.status());
+  server.use(router);
+};
diff --git a/templates/server/template/boot/explorer.js b/templates/server/template/boot/explorer.js
index 67e3ca73..7fec2169 100644
--- a/templates/server/template/boot/explorer.js
+++ b/templates/server/template/boot/explorer.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ module.exports = function mountLoopBackExplorer(server) {
 
   var explorerApp = explorer(restApp, { basePath: restApiRoot });
   server.use('/explorer', explorerApp);
-  server.once('started', function(baseUrl) {
+  server.once('started', function() {
+    var baseUrl = server.get('url').replace(/\/$/, '');
     // express 4.x (loopback 2.x) uses `mountpath`
     // express 3.x (loopback 1.x) uses `route`
     var explorerPath = explorerApp.mountpath || explorerApp.route;
diff --git a/templates/server/template/server.js b/templates/server/template/server.js
index 36147165..cbf6d4d0 100644
--- a/templates/server/template/server.js
+++ b/templates/server/template/server.js
@@ -28,10 +28,8 @@ app.use(loopback.errorHandler());
 app.start = function() {
   // start the web server
   return app.listen(function() {
-    var host = app.get('host') || '0.0.0.0';
-    var baseUrl = 'http://' + host + ':' + app.get('port');
-    app.emit('started', baseUrl);
-    console.log('Web server listening at: %s', baseUrl);
+    app.emit('started');
+    console.log('Web server listening at: %s', app.get('url'));
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/test/end-to-end.js b/test/end-to-end.js
index 3756d9b3..8194e4de 100644
--- a/test/end-to-end.js
+++ b/test/end-to-end.js
@@ -29,6 +29,16 @@ describe('end-to-end', function() {
       app = require(SANDBOX);
     });
 
+    it('provides status on the root url', function(done) {
+      request(app)
+        .get('/')
+        .expect(200, function(err, res) {
+          if (err) done(err);
+          expect(res.body).to.have.property('uptime');
+          done();
+        });
+    });
+
     it('has authentication enabled', function(done) {
       request(app)
         .get('/api/users')