diff --git a/examples/custom-layout/layouts/error.vue b/examples/custom-layout/layouts/error.vue
index 522cd13f4b..0a6bb332e3 100644
--- a/examples/custom-layout/layouts/error.vue
+++ b/examples/custom-layout/layouts/error.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 <template>
-  <h1>Custom error page</h1>
+  <div class="container">
+    <h1>Sorry, page not found</h1>
+    <nuxt-link to="/">Home page</nuxt-link>
+  </div>
 </template>
 
 <script>
@@ -7,3 +10,14 @@ export default {
   props: ['error']
 }
 </script>
+
+<style scoped>
+.container {
+  font-family: sans-serif;
+  padding-top: 10%;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+h1 {
+  font-size: 20px;
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/examples/custom-layout/static/logo.png b/examples/custom-layout/static/logo.png
index 9d716abf22..7f238b598c 100644
Binary files a/examples/custom-layout/static/logo.png and b/examples/custom-layout/static/logo.png differ
diff --git a/lib/app/App.vue b/lib/app/App.vue
index b3ecb7b7af..c69572212e 100644
--- a/lib/app/App.vue
+++ b/lib/app/App.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <template>
   <nuxt-container>
-    <component :is="layout"></component>
+    <component v-if="layout" :is="layout"></component>
   </nuxt-container>
 </template>
 
@@ -9,19 +9,37 @@ let layouts = {
 <%
 var layoutsKeys = Object.keys(layouts);
 layoutsKeys.forEach(function (key, i) { %>
-  _<%= key %>: require('<%= layouts[key] %>')<%= (i + 1) < layoutsKeys.length ? ',' : '' %>
+  _<%= key %>: process.BROWSER_BUILD ? () => System.import('<%= layouts[key] %>') : require('<%= layouts[key] %>')<%= (i + 1) < layoutsKeys.length ? ',' : '' %>
 <% }) %>
 }
 
 export default {
   data () {
-    return { layout: layouts._default }
+    return { layout: null }
   },
   methods: {
     setLayout (layout) {
       if (!layout || !layouts['_' + layout]) layout = 'default'
-      this.layout = layouts['_' + layout]
-      return layout
+      let _layout = '_' + layout
+      if (typeof layouts[_layout] === 'function') {
+        return this.loadLayout(_layout)
+      }
+      this.layout = layouts[_layout]
+      return Promise.resolve(this.layout)
+    },
+    loadLayout (_layout) {
+      return layouts[_layout]()
+      .then((Component) => {
+        layouts[_layout] = Component
+        this.layout = layouts[_layout]
+        return this.layout
+      })
+      .catch((e) => {
+        if (this.$nuxt) {
+          return this.$nuxt.error({ statusCode: 500, message: e.message })
+        }
+        console.error(e)
+      })
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/app/client.js b/lib/app/client.js
index 7e1c226ad1..6dfd426abd 100644
--- a/lib/app/client.js
+++ b/lib/app/client.js
@@ -58,8 +58,13 @@ function loadAsyncComponents (to, ___, next) {
 function render (to, from, next) {
   let Components = getMatchedComponents(to)
   if (!Components.length) {
-    this.error({ statusCode: 404, message: 'This page could not be found.', url: to.path })
-    return next()
+    // Default layout
+    this.setLayout()
+    .then(() => {
+      this.error({ statusCode: 404, message: 'This page could not be found.', url: to.path })
+      return next()
+    })
+    return
   }
   // Update ._data and other properties if hot reloaded
   Components.forEach(function (Component) {
@@ -79,57 +84,61 @@ function render (to, from, next) {
       }
     }
   })
-  this.setLayout(Components[0].options.layout)
   this.setTransitions(mapTransitions(Components, to, from))
   this.error()
   let nextCalled = false
-  let isValid = true
-  Components.forEach((Component) => {
-    if (!isValid) return
-    if (typeof Component.options.validate !== 'function') return
-    isValid = Component.options.validate({
-      params: to.params || {},
-      query: to.query || {}
-    })
-  })
-  if (!isValid) {
-    this.error({ statusCode: 404, message: 'This page could not be found.', url: to.path })
-    return next()
-  }
-  Promise.all(Components.map((Component, i) => {
-    // Check if only children route changed
-    Component._path = compile(to.matched[i].path)(to.params)
-    if (Component._path === _lastPaths[i] && (i + 1) !== Components.length) {
-      return Promise.resolve()
-    }
-    let promises = []
-    const _next = function (path) {
-      <%= (loading ? 'this.$loading.finish && this.$loading.finish()' : '') %>
-      nextCalled = true
-      next(path)
-    }
-    const context = getContext({ to<%= (store ? ', store' : '') %>, isClient: true, next: _next.bind(this), error: this.error.bind(this) })
-    // Validate method
-    if (Component._data && typeof Component._data === 'function') {
-      var promise = promisify(Component._data, context)
-      promise.then((data) => {
-        Component.options.data = () => data || {}
-        Component._dataFn = Component.options.data.toString().replace(/\s/g, '')
-        if (Component._Ctor && Component._Ctor.options) {
-          Component._Ctor.options.data = Component.options.data
-        }
-        <%= (loading ? 'this.$loading.increase && this.$loading.increase(30)' : '') %>
+  // Set layout
+  this.setLayout(Components[0].options.layout)
+  .then(() => {
+    // Pass validation?
+    let isValid = true
+    Components.forEach((Component) => {
+      if (!isValid) return
+      if (typeof Component.options.validate !== 'function') return
+      isValid = Component.options.validate({
+        params: to.params || {},
+        query: to.query || {}
       })
-      promises.push(promise)
+    })
+    if (!isValid) {
+      this.error({ statusCode: 404, message: 'This page could not be found.', url: to.path })
+      return next()
     }
-    if (Component.options.fetch) {
-      var p = Component.options.fetch(context)
-      if (!(p instanceof Promise)) { p = Promise.resolve(p) }
-      <%= (loading ? 'p.then(() => this.$loading.increase && this.$loading.increase(30))' : '') %>
-      promises.push(p)
-    }
-    return Promise.all(promises)
-  }))
+    return Promise.all(Components.map((Component, i) => {
+      // Check if only children route changed
+      Component._path = compile(to.matched[i].path)(to.params)
+      if (Component._path === _lastPaths[i] && (i + 1) !== Components.length) {
+        return Promise.resolve()
+      }
+      let promises = []
+      const _next = function (path) {
+        <%= (loading ? 'this.$loading.finish && this.$loading.finish()' : '') %>
+        nextCalled = true
+        next(path)
+      }
+      const context = getContext({ to<%= (store ? ', store' : '') %>, isClient: true, next: _next.bind(this), error: this.error.bind(this) })
+      // Validate method
+      if (Component._data && typeof Component._data === 'function') {
+        var promise = promisify(Component._data, context)
+        promise.then((data) => {
+          Component.options.data = () => data || {}
+          Component._dataFn = Component.options.data.toString().replace(/\s/g, '')
+          if (Component._Ctor && Component._Ctor.options) {
+            Component._Ctor.options.data = Component.options.data
+          }
+          <%= (loading ? 'this.$loading.increase && this.$loading.increase(30)' : '') %>
+        })
+        promises.push(promise)
+      }
+      if (Component.options.fetch) {
+        var p = Component.options.fetch(context)
+        if (!(p instanceof Promise)) { p = Promise.resolve(p) }
+        <%= (loading ? 'p.then(() => this.$loading.increase && this.$loading.increase(30))' : '') %>
+        promises.push(p)
+      }
+      return Promise.all(promises)
+    }))
+  })
   .then(() => {
     _lastPaths = Components.map((Component, i) => compile(to.matched[i].path)(to.params))
     <%= (loading ? 'this.$loading.finish && this.$loading.finish()' : '') %>
@@ -175,8 +184,8 @@ function hotReloadAPI (_app) {
       Component = Vue.extend(Component)
       Component._Ctor = Component
     }
-    _app.setLayout(Component.options.layout)
     let promises = []
+    promises.push(_app.setLayout(Component.options.layout))
     const next = function (path) {
       <%= (loading ? 'this.$loading.finish && this.$loading.finish()' : '') %>
       router.push(path)
@@ -268,6 +277,13 @@ function nuxtReady (app) {
 Promise.all(resolveComponents)
 .then((Components) => {
   const _app = new Vue(app)
+
+  return _app.setLayout(Components.length ? Components[0].options.layout : '')
+  .then(() => {
+    return { _app, Components }
+  })
+})
+.then(({ _app, Components }) => {
   const mountApp = () => {
     _app.$mount('#__nuxt')
     <% if (loading) { %>
@@ -285,9 +301,6 @@ Promise.all(resolveComponents)
     store.replaceState(NUXT.state)
   }
   <% } %>
-  if (Components.length) {
-    _app.setLayout(Components[0].options.layout)
-  }
   _app.setTransitions = _app.$options._nuxt.setTransitions.bind(_app)
   if (Components.length) {
     _app.setTransitions(mapTransitions(Components, router.currentRoute))
diff --git a/lib/app/server.js b/lib/app/server.js
index 2846e56716..0a6704de44 100644
--- a/lib/app/server.js
+++ b/lib/app/server.js
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ export default context => {
       return Component
     })
     // Set layout
-    if (Components.length && Components[0].options.layout) {
-      _app.setLayout(Components[0].options.layout)
-    }
+    return _app.setLayout(Components.length ? Components[0].options.layout : '')
+  })
+  .then(() => {
     // Call .validate()
     let isValid = true
     Components.forEach((Component) => {