diff --git a/pywb/webapp/handlers.py b/pywb/webapp/handlers.py
index 4a8466d7..5c227b9f 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/handlers.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/handlers.py
@@ -8,13 +8,15 @@ from pywb.utils.loaders import BlockLoader
 from pywb.framework.basehandlers import BaseHandler, WbUrlHandler
 from pywb.framework.wbrequestresponse import WbResponse
 
+import logging
+
 
 #=================================================================
 # Standard WB Handler
 #=================================================================
 class WBHandler(WbUrlHandler):
     def __init__(self, index_reader, replay,
-                 search_view=None, config=None, handler_dict=None):
+                 search_view=None, config=None):
 
         self.index_reader = index_reader
 
@@ -23,11 +25,11 @@ class WBHandler(WbUrlHandler):
         self.search_view = search_view
 
         self.fallback_handler = None
+        self.fallback_name = config.get('fallback')
 
-        if handler_dict:
-            fallback = config.get('fallback')
-            if fallback:
-                self.fallback_handler = handler_dict.get(fallback)
+    def resolve_refs(self, handler_dict):
+        if self.fallback_name:
+            self.fallback_handler = handler_dict.get(self.fallback_name)
 
     def __call__(self, wbrequest):
         if wbrequest.wb_url_str == '/':
@@ -58,8 +60,6 @@ class WBHandler(WbUrlHandler):
             raise
 
         return self.fallback_handler(wbrequest)
-        #new_url = (self.redir_fallback + wbrequest.wb_url.to_str(timestamp=''))
-        #return WbResponse.redir_response(new_url)
 
     def render_search_page(self, wbrequest, **kwargs):
         if self.search_view:
diff --git a/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py b/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py
index ffa2101b..fb77d211 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class DictChain:
 
 
 #=================================================================
-def create_wb_handler(query_handler, config, handler_dict={}):
+def create_wb_handler(query_handler, config):
 
     cookie_maker = config.get('cookie_maker')
     record_loader = ArcWarcRecordLoader(cookie_maker=cookie_maker)
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ def create_wb_handler(query_handler, config, handler_dict={}):
         replayer,
         search_view=search_view,
         config=config,
-        handler_dict=handler_dict,
     )
 
     return wb_handler
@@ -207,7 +206,6 @@ def create_wb_router(passed_config={}):
         wb_handler = create_wb_handler(
             query_handler=query_handler,
             config=route_config,
-            handler_dict=handler_dict,
         )
 
         handler_dict[name] = wb_handler
@@ -237,6 +235,12 @@ def create_wb_router(passed_config={}):
     for static_name, static_path in static_routes.iteritems():
         routes.append(Route(static_name, StaticHandler(static_path)))
 
+    # resolve any cross handler references
+    for route in routes:
+        if hasattr(route.handler, 'resolve_refs'):
+            route.handler.resolve_refs(handler_dict)
+
+
     # Check for new proxy mode!
     if config.get('enable_http_proxy', False):
         router = ProxyArchivalRouter