diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/README.md.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/README.md.hbs
index d6f2d65134..5c34b40360 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/README.md.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/README.md.hbs
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 # {{id}}
 
-Welcome to the {{id}} plugin!
+Welcome to the {{id}} backend plugin!
 
 _This plugin was created through the Backstage CLI_
 
 ## Getting started
 
-Your plugin has been added to the example app in this repository, meaning you'll be able to access it by running `yarn start` in the root directory, and then navigating to [/{{id}}](http://localhost:3000/{{id}}).
+Your plugin has been added to the example app in this repository, meaning you'll be able to access it by running `yarn
+start` in the root directory, and then navigating to [/{{id}}](http://localhost:3000/{{id}}).
 
 You can also serve the plugin in isolation by running `yarn start` in the plugin directory.
 This method of serving the plugin provides quicker iteration speed and a faster startup and hot reloads.
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs
index 51be95a3ba..4d347107de 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs
@@ -24,12 +24,15 @@
     "@backstage/backend-common": "^{{version}}",
     "@types/express": "^4.17.6",
     "express": "^4.17.1",
-    "express-promise-router": "^3.0.3"
+    "express-promise-router": "^3.0.3",
+    "yn": "^4.0.0",
+    "whatwg-fetch": "^3.2.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@backstage/cli": "^{{version}}",
     "@types/supertest": "^2.0.8",
-    "supertest": "^4.0.2"
+    "supertest": "^4.0.2",
+    "msw": "^0.19.5"
   },
   "files": [
     "dist"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/index.ts b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7612c392a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+export * from './service/router';
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/run.ts.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/run.ts.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b96989e4b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/run.ts.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { getRootLogger } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import yn from 'yn';
+import { startStandaloneServer } from './service/standaloneServer';
+
+const port = process.env.PLUGIN_PORT ? Number(process.env.PLUGIN_PORT) : 7000;
+const enableCors = yn(process.env.PLUGIN_CORS, { default: false });
+const logger = getRootLogger();
+
+startStandaloneServer({ port, enableCors, logger }).catch(err => {
+  logger.error(err);
+  process.exit(1);
+});
+
+process.on('SIGINT', () => {
+  logger.info('CTRL+C pressed; exiting.');
+  process.exit(0);
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/router.test.ts b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/router.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fba6b0ccdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/router.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { getVoidLogger } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import express from 'express';
+import request from 'supertest';
+
+import { createRouter } from './router';
+
+describe('createRouter', () => {
+  let app: express.Express;
+
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    const router = await createRouter({
+      logger: getVoidLogger(),
+    });
+    app = express().use(router);
+  });
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.resetAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  describe('GET /ping', () => {
+    it('returns ok', async () => {
+      const response = await request(app).get('/ping');
+
+      expect(response.status).toEqual(200);
+      expect(response.body).toEqual({ status: 'ok' });
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/router.ts b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/router.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3ea8219365
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/router.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { errorHandler } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import express from 'express';
+import Router from 'express-promise-router';
+import { Logger } from 'winston';
+
+export interface RouterOptions {
+  logger: Logger;
+}
+
+export async function createRouter(
+  options: RouterOptions,
+): Promise<express.Router> {
+  const { logger } = options;
+
+  const router = Router();
+  router.use(express.json());
+
+  router.get('/health', (_, response) => {
+    logger.info('PONG!');
+    response.send({ status: 'ok' });
+  });
+  router.use(errorHandler());
+  return router;
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/standaloneServer.ts.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/standaloneServer.ts.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6e38965246
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/src/service/standaloneServer.ts.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { createServiceBuilder } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import { Server } from 'http';
+import { Logger } from 'winston';
+import { createRouter } from './router';
+
+export interface ServerOptions {
+  port: number;
+  enableCors: boolean;
+  logger: Logger;
+}
+
+export async function startStandaloneServer(
+  options: ServerOptions,
+): Promise<Server> {
+  const logger = options.logger.child({ service: '{{id}}-backend' });
+  logger.debug('Starting application server...');
+  const router = await createRouter({
+    logger,
+  });
+
+  const service = createServiceBuilder(module)
+    .enableCors({ origin: 'http://localhost:3000' })
+    .addRouter('/{{id}}', router);
+
+  return await service.start().catch(err => {
+    logger.error(err);
+    process.exit(1);
+  });
+}
+
+module.hot?.accept();