diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aace39c..55164b0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ function third (instance, opts, cb) {
   * <a href="#use"><code>instance.<b>use()</b></code></a>
   * <a href="#after"><code>instance.<b>after()</b></code></a>
   * <a href="#ready"><code>instance.<b>ready()</b></code></a>
+  * <a href="#override"><code>instance.<b>override()</b></code></a>
   * <a href="#express"><code>boot.<b>express()</b></code></a>
 
 -------------------------------------------------------
@@ -200,6 +201,47 @@ boot(app, {
 })
 ```
 
+-------------------------------------------------------
+<a name="override"></a>
+
+### app.override(server)
+
+Allows to override the instance of the server for each loading
+plugin. It allows the creation of an inheritance chain for the
+server instances.
+
+```js
+const boot = require('avvio')
+const assert = require('assert')
+const server = { count: 0 }
+const app = boot(server)
+
+console.log(app !== server, 'override must be set on the Avvio instance')
+
+app.override = function (s) {
+  // create a new instance with the
+  // server as the prototype
+  const res = Object.create(s)
+  res.count = res.count + 1
+
+  return res
+}
+
+app.use(function first (s1, opts, cb) {
+  assert(s1 !== server)
+  assert(server.isPrototypeOf(s1))
+  assert(s1.count === 1)
+  s1.use(second, cb)
+
+  function second (s2, opts, cb) {
+    assert(s2 !== s1)
+    assert(s1.isPrototypeOf(s2))
+    assert(s2.count === 2)
+    cb()
+  }
+})
+```
+
 -------------------------------------------------------
 
 ## Acknowledgements
diff --git a/boot.js b/boot.js
index 06ff961..5e18b40 100644
--- a/boot.js
+++ b/boot.js
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ Boot.prototype._init = function () {
   }
 }
 
+// allows to override the instance of a server, given a plugin
+Boot.prototype.override = function (server) {
+  return server
+}
+
 // load a plugin
 Boot.prototype.use = function (plugin, opts, callback) {
   if (typeof opts === 'function') {
@@ -181,7 +186,8 @@ function Plugin (parent, func, opts, callback) {
 
 Plugin.prototype.exec = function (server, cb) {
   const func = this.func
-  func(server, this.opts, cb)
+  this.server = this.parent.override(server)
+  func(this.server, this.opts, cb)
 }
 
 Plugin.prototype.finish = function (err, cb) {
@@ -192,9 +198,10 @@ Plugin.prototype.finish = function (err, cb) {
 
 // loads a plugin
 function loadPlugin (toLoad, cb) {
+  const last = this._current[0]
   // place the plugin at the top of _current
   this._current.unshift(toLoad)
-  toLoad.exec(this._server, (err) => {
+  toLoad.exec(last && last.server || this._server, (err) => {
     if (err || !(toLoad.q.length() > 0 || toLoad.q.running() > 0)) {
       // finish now, because there is nothing left to do
       this._current.shift()
diff --git a/test/override.js b/test/override.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..933c739
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/override.js
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const test = require('tap').test
+const boot = require('..')
+
+test('custom inheritance', (t) => {
+  t.plan(3)
+
+  const server = { my: 'server' }
+  const app = boot(server)
+
+  app.override = function (s) {
+    t.equal(s, server)
+
+    const res = Object.create(s)
+    res.b = 42
+
+    return res
+  }
+
+  app.use(function first (s, opts, cb) {
+    t.notEqual(s, server)
+    t.ok(server.isPrototypeOf(s))
+    cb()
+  })
+})
+
+test('custom inheritance multiple levels', (t) => {
+  t.plan(6)
+
+  const server = { count: 0 }
+  const app = boot(server)
+
+  app.override = function (s) {
+    const res = Object.create(s)
+    res.count = res.count + 1
+
+    return res
+  }
+
+  app.use(function first (s1, opts, cb) {
+    t.notEqual(s1, server)
+    t.ok(server.isPrototypeOf(s1))
+    t.equal(s1.count, 1)
+    s1.use(second, cb)
+
+    function second (s2, opts, cb) {
+      t.notEqual(s2, s1)
+      t.ok(s1.isPrototypeOf(s2))
+      t.equal(s2.count, 2)
+      cb()
+    }
+  })
+})
+
+test('custom inheritance multiple levels with multiple heads', (t) => {
+  t.plan(13)
+
+  const server = { count: 0 }
+  const app = boot(server)
+
+  app.override = function (s) {
+    const res = Object.create(s)
+    res.count = res.count + 1
+
+    return res
+  }
+
+  app.use(function first (s1, opts, cb) {
+    t.notEqual(s1, server)
+    t.ok(server.isPrototypeOf(s1))
+    t.equal(s1.count, 1)
+    s1.use(second, cb)
+
+    function second (s2, opts, cb) {
+      t.notEqual(s2, s1)
+      t.ok(s1.isPrototypeOf(s2))
+      t.equal(s2.count, 2)
+      cb()
+    }
+  })
+
+  app.use(function third (s1, opts, cb) {
+    t.notEqual(s1, server)
+    t.ok(server.isPrototypeOf(s1))
+    t.equal(s1.count, 1)
+    s1.use(fourth, cb)
+
+    function fourth (s2, opts, cb) {
+      t.notEqual(s2, s1)
+      t.ok(s1.isPrototypeOf(s2))
+      t.equal(s2.count, 2)
+      cb()
+    }
+  })
+
+  app.ready(function () {
+    t.equal(server.count, 0)
+  })
+})