diff --git a/tailbone/api/customers.py b/tailbone/api/customers.py
index 75f1b438..625154c8 100644
--- a/tailbone/api/customers.py
+++ b/tailbone/api/customers.py
@@ -28,9 +28,12 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals, absolute_import
 
 from rattail.db import model
 
+from cornice.resource import resource
+
 from tailbone.api import APIMasterView
 
 
+@resource(collection_path='/api/customers', path='/api/customer/{uuid}')
 class CustomerView(APIMasterView):
 
     model_class = model.Customer
@@ -43,4 +46,4 @@ class CustomerView(APIMasterView):
 
 
 def includeme(config):
-    CustomerView.defaults(config)
+    config.scan(__name__)
diff --git a/tailbone/api/master.py b/tailbone/api/master.py
index c4ffb2b6..68bdb016 100644
--- a/tailbone/api/master.py
+++ b/tailbone/api/master.py
@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ from tailbone.db import Session
 
 
 class APIMasterView(APIView):
+    """
+    Base class for data model REST API views.
+    """
+    allow_get = True
+    allow_collection_get = True
+
+    @property
+    def Session(self):
+        return Session
 
     @classmethod
     def get_model_class(cls):
@@ -41,48 +50,34 @@ class APIMasterView(APIView):
         raise NotImplementedError("must set `model_class` for {}".format(cls.__name__))
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_model_key(cls):
-        if hasattr(cls, 'model_key'):
-            return cls.model_name
+    def get_normalized_model_name(cls):
+        if hasattr(cls, 'normalized_model_name'):
+            return cls.normalized_model_name
         return cls.get_model_class().__name__.lower()
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_model_key_plural(cls):
-        if hasattr(cls, 'model_key_plural'):
-            return cls.model_key_plural
-        return '{}s'.format(cls.get_model_key())
+    def get_object_key(cls):
+        if hasattr(cls, 'object_key'):
+            return cls.object_key
+        return cls.get_normalized_model_name()
+        # raise NotImplementedError("must set `object_key` for {}".format(cls.__name__))
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_route_prefix(cls):
-        if hasattr(cls, 'route_prefix'):
-            return cls.route_prefix
-        return 'api.{}'.format(cls.get_model_key_plural())
+    def get_collection_key(cls):
+        if hasattr(cls, 'collection_key'):
+            return cls.collection_key
+        return '{}s'.format(cls.get_object_key())
+        # raise NotImplementedError("must set `collection_key` for {}".format(cls.__name__))
 
-    @classmethod
-    def get_permission_prefix(cls):
-        if hasattr(cls, 'permission_prefix'):
-            return cls.permission_prefix
-        return cls.get_model_key_plural()
-
-    @classmethod
-    def get_url_prefix(cls):
-        if hasattr(cls, 'url_prefix'):
-            return cls.url_prefix
-        return '/api/{}'.format(cls.get_model_key_plural())
-
-    @property
-    def Session(self):
-        return Session
-
-    @api
-    def index(self):
-        objects = self.Session.query(self.model_class)
+    def collection_get(self):
+        cls = self.get_model_class()
+        objects = self.Session.query(cls)
 
         sort = self.request.params.get('sort')
         if sort:
             # TODO: this is fragile, but what to do if bad params?
             sortkey, sortdir = sort.split('|')
-            sortkey = getattr(self.model_class, sortkey)
+            sortkey = getattr(cls, sortkey)
             objects = objects.order_by(getattr(sortkey, sortdir)())
 
             # NOTE: we only page results if sorting is in effect, otherwise
@@ -94,19 +89,12 @@ class APIMasterView(APIView):
                 per_page = int(per_page)
                 objects = SqlalchemyOrmPage(objects, items_per_page=per_page, page=page)
 
-        data = [self.normalize(obj) for obj in objects]
-        return data
+        objects = [self.normalize(obj) for obj in objects]
+        return {self.get_collection_key(): objects}
 
-    def normalize(self, obj):
-        raise NotImplementedError("must implement `normalize()` method for: {}".format(self.__class__.__name__))
-
-    @classmethod
-    def defaults(cls, config):
-        route_prefix = cls.get_route_prefix()
-        url_prefix = cls.get_url_prefix()
-        permission_prefix = cls.get_permission_prefix()
-
-        # index
-        config.add_route(route_prefix, '{}/'.format(url_prefix), request_method='GET')
-        config.add_view(cls, attr='index', route_name=route_prefix,
-                        renderer='json', permission='{}.list'.format(permission_prefix))
+    def get(self):
+        uuid = self.request.matchdict['uuid']
+        obj = self.Session.query(self.get_model_class()).get(uuid)
+        if not obj:
+            raise self.notfound()
+        return {self.get_object_key(): self.normalize(obj)}
diff --git a/tailbone/api/upgrades.py b/tailbone/api/upgrades.py
index 87eda224..e2a12a0b 100644
--- a/tailbone/api/upgrades.py
+++ b/tailbone/api/upgrades.py
@@ -30,11 +30,16 @@ import six
 
 from rattail.db import model
 
+from cornice.resource import resource
+
 from tailbone.api import APIMasterView
 
 
-class UpgradeView(APIMasterView):
-
+@resource(collection_path='/api/upgrades', path='/api/upgrades/{uuid}')
+class UpgradeAPIView(APIMasterView):
+    """
+    REST API views for Upgrade model.
+    """
     model_class = model.Upgrade
 
     def normalize(self, upgrade):
@@ -54,4 +59,4 @@ class UpgradeView(APIMasterView):
 
 
 def includeme(config):
-    UpgradeView.defaults(config)
+    config.scan(__name__)
diff --git a/tailbone/api/users.py b/tailbone/api/users.py
index 56cf17fd..5b6786dc 100644
--- a/tailbone/api/users.py
+++ b/tailbone/api/users.py
@@ -30,9 +30,12 @@ import six
 
 from rattail.db import model
 
+from cornice.resource import resource
+
 from tailbone.api import APIMasterView
 
 
+@resource(collection_path='/api/users', path='/api/users/{uuid}')
 class UserView(APIMasterView):
 
     model_class = model.User
@@ -45,4 +48,4 @@ class UserView(APIMasterView):
 
 
 def includeme(config):
-    UserView.defaults(config)
+    config.scan(__name__)
diff --git a/tailbone/views/core.py b/tailbone/views/core.py
index daa6fc59..a3ec7e2c 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/core.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/core.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class View(object):
     Base class for all class-based views.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, request):
+    def __init__(self, request, context=None):
         self.request = request
 
         # if user becomes inactive while logged in, log them out