diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/data.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/data.rb
index 8fac7911..29bf3261 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/data.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/data.rb
@@ -9,32 +9,32 @@ module Middleman
       # The regex which tells Middleman which files are for data
       MATCHER = /[\w-]+\.(yml|yaml|json)$/
 
+      attr_reader :data_store
+
       def initialize(app, options_hash={}, &block)
         super
-        app.config.define_setting :data_dir, 'data', 'The directory data files are stored in'
 
-        # Directly include the #data method instead of using helpers so that this is available immediately
-        app.send :include, InstanceMethods
+        @data_store = DataStore.new(app)
       end
 
       def before_configuration
+        app.config.define_setting :data_dir, 'data', 'The directory data files are stored in'
+        app.add_to_config_context :data, &method(:data_store)
+
         # Setup data files before anything else so they are available when
         # parsing config.rb
         app.files.changed MATCHER do |file|
-          data.touch_file(file) if file.start_with?("#{config[:data_dir]}/")
+          extensions[:data].data_store.touch_file(file) if file.start_with?("#{config[:data_dir]}/")
         end
 
         app.files.deleted MATCHER do |file|
-          data.remove_file(file) if file.start_with?("#{config[:data_dir]}/")
+          extensions[:data].data_store.remove_file(file) if file.start_with?("#{config[:data_dir]}/")
         end
       end
 
-      module InstanceMethods
-        # The data object
-        #
-        # @return [DataStore]
+      helpers do
         def data
-          @_data ||= DataStore.new(self)
+          extensions[:data].data_store
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/renderers/liquid.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/renderers/liquid.rb
index 2085d939..e3d51417 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/renderers/liquid.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/renderers/liquid.rb
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@ module Middleman
       end
 
       def manipulate_resource_list(resources)
+        return resources unless app.extensions[:data]
+
         resources.each do |resource|
           next unless resource.source_file =~ %r{\.liquid$}
 
           # Convert data object into a hash for liquid
-          resource.add_metadata locals: { data: app.data.to_h }
+          resource.add_metadata locals: { data: app.extensions[:data].data_store.to_h }
         end
       end
     end