diff --git a/lib/registry.js b/lib/registry.js
index f940abfc..cf39879a 100644
--- a/lib/registry.js
+++ b/lib/registry.js
@@ -145,6 +145,25 @@ function buildModelOptionsFromConfig(config) {
   return options;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Add the acl entry to the acls
+ * @param {Object[]} acls
+ * @param {Object} acl
+ */
+function addACL(acls, acl) {
+  for (var i = 0, n = acls.length; i < n; i++) {
+    // Check if there is a matching acl to be overriden
+    if (acls[i].property === acl.property &&
+      acls[i].accessType === acl.accessType &&
+      acls[i].principalType === acl.principalType &&
+      acls[i].principalId === acl.principalId) {
+      acls[i] = acl;
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  acls.push(acl);
+}
+
 /**
  * Alter an existing Model class.
  * @param {Model} ModelCtor The model constructor to alter.
@@ -157,12 +176,51 @@ function buildModelOptionsFromConfig(config) {
 
 registry.configureModel = function(ModelCtor, config) {
   var settings = ModelCtor.settings;
+  var modelName = ModelCtor.modelName;
 
-  if (config.relations) {
+  // Relations
+  if (typeof config.relations === 'object' && config.relations !== null) {
     var relations = settings.relations = settings.relations || {};
     Object.keys(config.relations).forEach(function(key) {
+      // FIXME: [rfeng] We probably should check if the relation exists
       relations[key] = extend(relations[key] || {}, config.relations[key]);
     });
+  } else if (config.relations != null) {
+    console.warn('The relations property of `%s` configuration ' +
+      'must be an object', modelName);
+  }
+
+  // ACLs
+  if (Array.isArray(config.acls)) {
+    var acls = settings.acls = settings.acls || [];
+    config.acls.forEach(function(acl) {
+      addACL(acls, acl);
+    });
+  } else if (config.acls != null) {
+    console.warn('The acls property of `%s` configuration ' +
+      'must be an array of objects', modelName);
+  }
+
+  // Settings
+  var excludedProperties = {
+    base: true,
+    'super': true,
+    relations: true,
+    acls: true,
+    dataSource: true
+  };
+  if (typeof config.options === 'object' && config.options !== null) {
+    for (var p in config.options) {
+      if (!(p in excludedProperties)) {
+        settings[p] = config.options[p];
+      } else {
+        console.warn('Property `%s` cannot be reconfigured for `%s`',
+          p, modelName);
+      }
+    }
+  } else if (config.options != null) {
+    console.warn('The options property of `%s` configuration ' +
+      'must be an object', modelName);
   }
 
   // It's important to attach the datasource after we have updated
@@ -173,17 +231,17 @@ registry.configureModel = function(ModelCtor, config) {
         ': config.dataSource must be an instance of DataSource');
     ModelCtor.attachTo(config.dataSource);
     debug('Attached model `%s` to dataSource `%s`',
-      ModelCtor.definition.name, config.dataSource.name);
+      modelName, config.dataSource.name);
   } else if (config.dataSource === null) {
     debug('Model `%s` is not attached to any DataSource by configuration.',
-      ModelCtor.definition.name);
+      modelName);
   } else {
     debug('Model `%s` is not attached to any DataSource, possibly by a mistake.',
-      ModelCtor.definition.name);
+      modelName);
     console.warn(
       'The configuration of `%s` is missing `dataSource` property.\n' +
       'Use `null` or `false` to mark models not attached to any data source.',
-      ModelCtor.definition.name);
+      modelName);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/test/loopback.test.js b/test/loopback.test.js
index 3fc4cc45..426dcc3a 100644
--- a/test/loopback.test.js
+++ b/test/loopback.test.js
@@ -249,6 +249,109 @@ describe('loopback', function() {
       expect(owner, 'model.prototype.owner').to.be.a('function');
       expect(owner._targetClass).to.equal('User');
     });
+
+    it('adds new acls', function() {
+      var model = loopback.Model.extend(uniqueModelName, {}, {
+        acls: [
+          {
+            property: 'find',
+            accessType: 'EXECUTE',
+            principalType: 'ROLE',
+            principalId: '$everyone',
+            permission: 'DENY'
+          }
+        ]
+      });
+
+      loopback.configureModel(model, {
+        dataSource: null,
+        acls: [
+          {
+            property: 'find',
+            accessType: 'EXECUTE',
+            principalType: 'ROLE',
+            principalId: 'admin',
+            permission: 'ALLOW'
+          }
+        ]
+      });
+
+      expect(model.settings.acls).eql([
+        {
+          property: 'find',
+          accessType: 'EXECUTE',
+          principalType: 'ROLE',
+          principalId: '$everyone',
+          permission: 'DENY'
+        },
+        {
+          property: 'find',
+          accessType: 'EXECUTE',
+          principalType: 'ROLE',
+          principalId: 'admin',
+          permission: 'ALLOW'
+        }
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it('updates existing acls', function() {
+      var model = loopback.Model.extend(uniqueModelName, {}, {
+        acls: [
+          {
+            property: 'find',
+            accessType: 'EXECUTE',
+            principalType: 'ROLE',
+            principalId: '$everyone',
+            permission: 'DENY'
+          }
+        ]
+      });
+
+      loopback.configureModel(model, {
+        dataSource: null,
+        acls: [
+          {
+            property: 'find',
+            accessType: 'EXECUTE',
+            principalType: 'ROLE',
+            principalId: '$everyone',
+            permission: 'ALLOW'
+          }
+        ]
+      });
+
+      expect(model.settings.acls).eql([
+        {
+          property: 'find',
+          accessType: 'EXECUTE',
+          principalType: 'ROLE',
+          principalId: '$everyone',
+          permission: 'ALLOW'
+        }
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it('updates existing settings', function() {
+      var model = loopback.Model.extend(uniqueModelName, {}, {
+        ttl: 10,
+        emailVerificationRequired: false
+      });
+
+      loopback.configureModel(model, {
+        dataSource: null,
+        options: {
+          ttl: 20,
+          realmRequired: true,
+          base: 'X'
+        }
+      });
+
+      expect(model.settings).to.have.property('ttl', 20);
+      expect(model.settings).to.have.property('emailVerificationRequired',
+        false);
+      expect(model.settings).to.have.property('realmRequired', true);
+      expect(model.settings).to.not.have.property('base');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('loopback object', function() {