diff --git a/.changeset/chatty-cars-kick.md b/.changeset/chatty-cars-kick.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fcda65d0f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/chatty-cars-kick.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog-node': patch
+---
+
+Adds experimental `catalogServiceRef` for obtaining a `CatalogClient` in the new backend system.
diff --git a/.changeset/purple-jeans-bathe.md b/.changeset/purple-jeans-bathe.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39706db2c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/purple-jeans-bathe.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-app-api': patch
+---
+
+Updated `ServiceRegistry` to not initialize factories more than once.
diff --git a/.changeset/stupid-pigs-appear.md b/.changeset/stupid-pigs-appear.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd34f984d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/stupid-pigs-appear.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend': patch
+---
+
+Added alpha `scaffolderPlugin` to be used with experimental backend system.
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.test.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.test.ts
index acdd2a4c41..d5b688c0de 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import {
   createServiceRef,
   createServiceFactory,
+  ServiceRef,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { ServiceRegistry } from './ServiceRegistry';
 
@@ -170,4 +171,53 @@ describe('ServiceRegistry', () => {
     expect(await factoryB('catalog')).toBe(await factoryB('catalog'));
     expect(await factoryA('catalog')).not.toBe(await factoryB('catalog'));
   });
+
+  it('should only call each default factory loader once', async () => {
+    const factoryLoader = jest.fn(async (service: ServiceRef<void>) =>
+      createServiceFactory({
+        service,
+        deps: {},
+        factory: async () => async () => {},
+      }),
+    );
+    const ref = createServiceRef<void>({
+      id: '1',
+      defaultFactory: factoryLoader,
+    });
+
+    const registry = new ServiceRegistry([]);
+    const factory = registry.get(ref)!;
+    await Promise.all([
+      expect(factory('catalog')).resolves.toBeUndefined(),
+      expect(factory('catalog')).resolves.toBeUndefined(),
+    ]);
+    expect(factoryLoader).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('should not call factory functions more than once', async () => {
+    const innerFactory = jest.fn(async (pluginId: string) => {
+      return { x: 1, pluginId };
+    });
+    const factory = jest.fn(async () => innerFactory);
+    const myFactory = createServiceFactory({
+      service: ref1,
+      deps: {},
+      factory,
+    });
+
+    const registry = new ServiceRegistry([myFactory]);
+
+    await Promise.all([
+      registry.get(ref1)!('catalog')!,
+      registry.get(ref1)!('catalog')!,
+      registry.get(ref1)!('catalog')!,
+      registry.get(ref1)!('scaffolder')!,
+      registry.get(ref1)!('scaffolder')!,
+    ]);
+
+    expect(factory).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(innerFactory).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(innerFactory).toHaveBeenCalledWith('catalog');
+    expect(innerFactory).toHaveBeenCalledWith('scaffolder');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts
index b471cd67ca..9df092db42 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts
@@ -21,8 +21,14 @@ import {
 
 export class ServiceRegistry {
   readonly #providedFactories: Map<string, ServiceFactory>;
-  readonly #loadedDefaultFactories: Map<Function, ServiceFactory>;
-  readonly #implementations: Map<ServiceFactory, Map<string, unknown>>;
+  readonly #loadedDefaultFactories: Map<Function, Promise<ServiceFactory>>;
+  readonly #implementations: Map<
+    ServiceFactory,
+    {
+      factoryFunc: Promise<FactoryFunc<unknown>>;
+      byPlugin: Map<string, Promise<unknown>>;
+    }
+  >;
 
   constructor(factories: ServiceFactory<any>[]) {
     this.#providedFactories = new Map(factories.map(f => [f.service.id, f]));
@@ -41,35 +47,38 @@ export class ServiceRegistry {
       if (!factory) {
         let loadedFactory = this.#loadedDefaultFactories.get(defaultFactory!);
         if (!loadedFactory) {
-          loadedFactory = (await defaultFactory!(ref)) as ServiceFactory;
+          loadedFactory = defaultFactory!(ref) as Promise<ServiceFactory>;
           this.#loadedDefaultFactories.set(defaultFactory!, loadedFactory);
         }
-        factory = loadedFactory;
+        // NOTE: This await is safe as long as #providedFactories is not mutated.
+        factory = await loadedFactory;
       }
 
-      let implementations = this.#implementations.get(factory);
-      if (implementations) {
-        if (implementations.has(pluginId)) {
-          return implementations.get(pluginId) as T;
-        }
-      } else {
-        implementations = new Map();
-        this.#implementations.set(factory, implementations);
+      let implementation = this.#implementations.get(factory);
+      if (!implementation) {
+        const factoryDeps = Object.fromEntries(
+          Object.entries(factory.deps).map(([name, serviceRef]) => [
+            name,
+            this.get(serviceRef)!, // TODO: throw
+          ]),
+        );
+
+        implementation = {
+          factoryFunc: factory.factory(factoryDeps),
+          byPlugin: new Map(),
+        };
+
+        this.#implementations.set(factory, implementation);
       }
 
-      const factoryDeps = Object.fromEntries(
-        Object.entries(factory.deps).map(([name, serviceRef]) => [
-          name,
-          this.get(serviceRef)!, // TODO: throw
-        ]),
-      );
+      let result = implementation.byPlugin.get(pluginId) as Promise<any>;
+      if (!result) {
+        result = implementation.factoryFunc.then(func => func(pluginId));
 
-      const factoryFunc = await factory.factory(factoryDeps);
-      const implementation = await factoryFunc(pluginId);
+        implementation.byPlugin.set(pluginId, result);
+      }
 
-      implementations.set(pluginId, implementation);
-
-      return implementation as T;
+      return result;
     };
   }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-node/api-report.md b/plugins/catalog-node/api-report.md
index 26617910b9..7d12c2e065 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-node/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/catalog-node/api-report.md
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@
 ```ts
 /// <reference types="node" />
 
+import { CatalogApi } from '@backstage/catalog-client';
 import { CompoundEntityRef } from '@backstage/catalog-model';
 import { Entity } from '@backstage/catalog-model';
 import { ExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { JsonValue } from '@backstage/types';
+import { ServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 
 // @alpha (undocumented)
 export interface CatalogProcessingExtensionPoint {
@@ -106,6 +108,9 @@ export type CatalogProcessorResult =
   | CatalogProcessorErrorResult
   | CatalogProcessorRefreshKeysResult;
 
+// @alpha
+export const catalogServiceRef: ServiceRef<CatalogApi>;
+
 // @public
 export type DeferredEntity = {
   entity: Entity;
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-node/package.json b/plugins/catalog-node/package.json
index 10d1d9d2dd..1e4095b7d4 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-node/package.json
+++ b/plugins/catalog-node/package.json
@@ -26,13 +26,15 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "^0.1.2-next.0",
+    "@backstage/catalog-client": "^1.0.5-next.0",
     "@backstage/catalog-model": "^1.1.0",
     "@backstage/errors": "1.1.0",
     "@backstage/types": "^1.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@backstage/backend-common": "^0.15.1-next.1",
-    "@backstage/cli": "^0.19.0-next.1"
+    "@backstage/cli": "^0.19.0-next.1",
+    "@backstage/backend-test-utils": "^0.1.28-next.1"
   },
   "files": [
     "dist",
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-node/src/catalogService.test.ts b/plugins/catalog-node/src/catalogService.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6e9426d48b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/catalog-node/src/catalogService.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2022 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * 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 { PluginEndpointDiscovery } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import {
+  createBackendModule,
+  createServiceFactory,
+  discoveryServiceRef,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { startTestBackend } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import { CatalogClient } from '@backstage/catalog-client';
+import { catalogServiceRef } from './catalogService';
+
+describe('catalogServiceRef', () => {
+  it('should return a catalogClient', async () => {
+    expect.assertions(1);
+
+    const mockDiscoveryFactory = createServiceFactory({
+      service: discoveryServiceRef,
+      deps: {},
+      factory: async ({}) => {
+        return async () => jest.fn() as unknown as PluginEndpointDiscovery;
+      },
+    });
+
+    const testModule = createBackendModule({
+      moduleId: 'test.module',
+      pluginId: 'test',
+      register(env) {
+        env.registerInit({
+          deps: {
+            catalog: catalogServiceRef,
+          },
+          async init({ catalog }) {
+            expect(catalog).toBeInstanceOf(CatalogClient);
+          },
+        });
+      },
+    });
+
+    await startTestBackend({
+      services: [mockDiscoveryFactory],
+      features: [testModule({})],
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-node/src/catalogService.ts b/plugins/catalog-node/src/catalogService.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ddfff75462
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/catalog-node/src/catalogService.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2022 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * 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 {
+  createServiceFactory,
+  createServiceRef,
+  discoveryServiceRef,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { CatalogApi, CatalogClient } from '@backstage/catalog-client';
+
+/**
+ * The catalogService provides the catalog API.
+ * @alpha
+ */
+export const catalogServiceRef = createServiceRef<CatalogApi>({
+  id: 'catalog-client',
+  defaultFactory: async service =>
+    createServiceFactory({
+      service,
+      deps: {
+        discoveryFactory: discoveryServiceRef,
+      },
+      factory: async ({ discoveryFactory }) => {
+        const discoveryApi = await discoveryFactory('root');
+        const catalogClient = new CatalogClient({ discoveryApi });
+        return async _pluginId => {
+          return catalogClient;
+        };
+      },
+    }),
+});
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-node/src/index.ts b/plugins/catalog-node/src/index.ts
index 02ae325a9a..6393c55f31 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-node/src/index.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-node/src/index.ts
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@
 
 export type { CatalogProcessingExtensionPoint } from './extensions';
 export { catalogProcessingExtensionPoint } from './extensions';
+export { catalogServiceRef } from './catalogService';
 export * from './api';
 export * from './processing';
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md
index da8782667e..066b201918 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md
@@ -569,6 +569,19 @@ export class ScaffolderEntitiesProcessor implements CatalogProcessor {
   validateEntityKind(entity: Entity): Promise<boolean>;
 }
 
+// @alpha
+export const scaffolderPlugin: (
+  options: ScaffolderPluginOptions,
+) => BackendFeature;
+
+// @alpha
+export type ScaffolderPluginOptions = {
+  actions?: TemplateAction<any>[];
+  taskWorkers?: number;
+  taskBroker?: TaskBroker;
+  additionalTemplateFilters?: Record<string, TemplateFilter>;
+};
+
 // @public
 export type SerializedTask = {
   id: string;
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/ScaffolderPlugin.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/ScaffolderPlugin.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b884802a1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/ScaffolderPlugin.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2022 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * 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 {
+  configServiceRef,
+  createBackendPlugin,
+  databaseServiceRef,
+  loggerServiceRef,
+  loggerToWinstonLogger,
+  permissionsServiceRef,
+  urlReaderServiceRef,
+  httpRouterServiceRef,
+  createExtensionPoint,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { ScmIntegrations } from '@backstage/integration';
+import { catalogServiceRef } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog-node';
+import { TemplateFilter } from './lib';
+import { createBuiltinActions, TaskBroker, TemplateAction } from './scaffolder';
+import { createRouter } from './service/router';
+
+/**
+ * Catalog plugin options
+ * @alpha
+ */
+export type ScaffolderPluginOptions = {
+  actions?: TemplateAction<any>[];
+  taskWorkers?: number;
+  taskBroker?: TaskBroker;
+  additionalTemplateFilters?: Record<string, TemplateFilter>;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @alpha
+ * TODO: MOVE to scaffolder-node.
+ */
+interface ScaffolderActionsExtensionPoint {
+  addActions(...actions: TemplateAction<any>[]): void;
+}
+
+class ScaffolderActionsExtensionPointImpl
+  implements ScaffolderActionsExtensionPoint
+{
+  #actions = new Array<TemplateAction<any>>();
+  addActions(...actions: TemplateAction<any>[]): void {
+    this.#actions.push(...actions);
+  }
+  get actions() {
+    return this.#actions;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * @alpha
+ * TODO: MOVE to scaffolder-node.
+ */
+export const scaffolderActionsExtensionPoint =
+  createExtensionPoint<ScaffolderActionsExtensionPoint>({
+    id: 'scaffolder.actions',
+  });
+
+/**
+ * Catalog plugin
+ * @alpha
+ */
+export const scaffolderPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
+  id: 'scaffolder',
+  register(env, options: ScaffolderPluginOptions) {
+    const actionsExtensions = new ScaffolderActionsExtensionPointImpl();
+    env.registerExtensionPoint(
+      scaffolderActionsExtensionPoint,
+      actionsExtensions,
+    );
+
+    env.registerInit({
+      deps: {
+        logger: loggerServiceRef,
+        config: configServiceRef,
+        reader: urlReaderServiceRef,
+        permissions: permissionsServiceRef,
+        database: databaseServiceRef,
+        httpRouter: httpRouterServiceRef,
+        catalogClient: catalogServiceRef,
+      },
+      async init({
+        logger,
+        config,
+        reader,
+        database,
+        httpRouter,
+        catalogClient,
+      }) {
+        const { additionalTemplateFilters, taskBroker, taskWorkers } = options;
+        const log = loggerToWinstonLogger(logger);
+
+        const actions = options.actions || [
+          ...actionsExtensions.actions,
+          ...createBuiltinActions({
+            integrations: ScmIntegrations.fromConfig(config),
+            catalogClient,
+            reader,
+            config,
+            additionalTemplateFilters,
+          }),
+        ];
+
+        const actionIds = actions.map(action => action.id).join(', ');
+        log.info(
+          `Starting scaffolder with the following actions enabled ${actionIds}`,
+        );
+
+        const router = await createRouter({
+          logger: log,
+          config,
+          database,
+          catalogClient,
+          reader,
+          actions,
+          taskBroker,
+          taskWorkers,
+          additionalTemplateFilters,
+        });
+        httpRouter.use(router);
+      },
+    });
+  },
+});
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/index.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/index.ts
index a1032449d5..985ada405e 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/index.ts
@@ -25,3 +25,5 @@ export * from './service/router';
 export * from './lib';
 export * from './processor';
 export * from './extension';
+export { scaffolderPlugin } from './ScaffolderPlugin';
+export type { ScaffolderPluginOptions } from './ScaffolderPlugin';