diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
index b59ca63fa3..71e4d50f6f 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
       "plugins/*"
     ]
   },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@backstage/plugin-catalog": "^{{version}}",
+    "@backstage/plugin-scaffolder": "^{{version}}"
+  },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@backstage/cli": "^{{version}}",
     "@spotify/prettier-config": "^7.0.0",
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
index 8a0aedca2e..724b83d41b 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import { createApp } from '@backstage/core';
 import React, { FC } from 'react';
+import { apis } from './apis';
 import * as plugins from './plugins';
 
 const app = createApp({
+  apis,
   plugins: Object.values(plugins),
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/apis.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/apis.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e881c128af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/apis.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+ * 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 { ApiRegistry, ConfigApi } from '@backstage/core';
+
+import { catalogApiRef, CatalogClient } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog';
+
+import { scaffolderApiRef, ScaffolderApi } from '@backstage/plugin-scaffolder';
+
+export const apis = (config: ConfigApi) => {
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+  console.log(`Creating APIs for ${config.getString('app.title')}`);
+
+  const backendUrl = config.getString('backend.baseUrl');
+
+  const builder = ApiRegistry.builder();
+
+  builder.add(
+    catalogApiRef,
+    new CatalogClient({
+      apiOrigin: backendUrl,
+      basePath: '/catalog',
+    }),
+  );
+
+  builder.add(
+    scaffolderApiRef,
+    new ScaffolderApi({
+      apiOrigin: backendUrl,
+      basePath: '/scaffolder/v1',
+    }),
+  );
+
+  return builder.build();
+};
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts
index 000bd79f3e..b6c8ad083e 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 export { plugin as WelcomePlugin } from 'plugin-welcome';
+export { plugin as CatalogPlugin } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog';
+export { plugin as ScaffolderPlugin } from '@backstage/plugin-scaffolder';