diff --git a/config/alfresco/repository.properties b/config/alfresco/repository.properties
index 27e7b381dd..8a3b6054b7 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/repository.properties
+++ b/config/alfresco/repository.properties
@@ -554,15 +554,14 @@ swf.languagedir=.
 # Thumbnail Service
 system.thumbnail.generate=true
 
-# Generate doclib icons
-# When creating a doclib icon, only use the first pageLimit pages (currently only understood by pdfbox
-# TextToPdfContentTransformer)
-system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.timeoutMs=-1
-system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.readLimitTimeMs=-1
-system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.maxSourceSizeKBytes=-1
-system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.readLimitKBytes=-1
-system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.pageLimit=1
-system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.maxPages=-1
+# Default thumbnail limits
+# When creating thumbnails, only use the first pageLimit pages
+system.thumbnail.definition.default.timeoutMs=-1
+system.thumbnail.definition.default.readLimitTimeMs=-1
+system.thumbnail.definition.default.maxSourceSizeKBytes=-1
+system.thumbnail.definition.default.readLimitKBytes=-1
+system.thumbnail.definition.default.pageLimit=1
+system.thumbnail.definition.default.maxPages=-1
 
 # Max mimetype sizes to create thumbnail icons
 system.thumbnail.mimetype.maxSourceSizeKBytes.pdf=-1
diff --git a/config/alfresco/thumbnail-service-context.xml b/config/alfresco/thumbnail-service-context.xml
index 52374bd5a3..e8bcc6f4b7 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/thumbnail-service-context.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/thumbnail-service-context.xml
@@ -53,6 +53,152 @@
         <property name="renditionService" ref="renditionService" />
     </bean>
     
+    <bean id="baseThumbnailDefinition"
+        class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition"
+        abstract="true"
+        init-method="register">
+        <property name="thumbnailRegistry">
+            <ref bean="thumbnailRegistry" />
+        </property>
+    </bean>
+    
+    <bean id="defaultImageResizeOptions" 
+        class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageResizeOptions" 
+        abstract="true">
+        <property name="maintainAspectRatio" value="true"/>
+        <property name="resizeToThumbnail" value="true" />
+    </bean>
+    
+    <bean id="defaultImageTransformationOptions" 
+        class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageTransformationOptions"
+        abstract="true">
+        <property name="timeoutMs" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.default.timeoutMs}" />
+        <property name="readLimitTimeMs" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.default.readLimitTimeMs}" />
+        <property name="maxSourceSizeKBytes" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.default.maxSourceSizeKBytes}" />
+        <property name="readLimitKBytes" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.default.readLimitKBytes}" />
+        <property name="pageLimit" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.default.pageLimit}" />
+        <property name="maxPages" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.default.maxPages}" />
+    </bean>
+    
+    <!-- Small image thumbnail options -->
+    <!-- Note that this will auto-register with parent="baseThumbnailDefinition" in the future -->
+    <bean id="thumbnailDefinitionMedium" class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
+        <property name="name" value="medium" />
+        <property name="mimetype" value="image/jpeg"/>
+        <property name="transformationOptions">
+            <bean parent="defaultImageTransformationOptions">
+                <property name="resizeOptions">
+                    <bean parent="defaultImageResizeOptions">
+                        <property name="width" value="100"/>
+                        <property name="height" value="100"/>
+                    </bean> 
+                </property>
+            </bean>
+        </property>
+        <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_medium.jpg" />
+        <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
+        <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
+    </bean>
+    
+    <!-- Slingshot Document Library image thumbnail options -->
+    <!-- Note that this will auto-register with parent="baseThumbnailDefinition" in the future -->
+    <bean id="thumbnailDefinitionDoclib" class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
+        <property name="name" value="doclib" />
+        <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
+        <property name="transformationOptions">
+            <bean parent="defaultImageTransformationOptions">
+                <property name="resizeOptions">
+                    <bean parent="defaultImageResizeOptions">
+                        <property name="width" value="100"/>
+                        <property name="height" value="100"/>
+                        <property name="allowEnlargement" value="false" />
+                    </bean> 
+                </property>
+            </bean>
+        </property>
+        <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_doclib.png" />
+        <property name="mimeAwarePlaceHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_doclib{0}.png" />
+        <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
+        <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
+    </bean>
+    
+    <!-- Image preview thumbnail options -->
+    <!-- Note that this will auto-register with parent="baseThumbnailDefinition" in the future -->
+    <bean id="thumbnailDefinitionImgpreview" class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
+        <property name="name" value="imgpreview" />
+        <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
+        <property name="transformationOptions">
+            <bean parent="defaultImageTransformationOptions">
+                <property name="resizeOptions">
+                    <bean parent="defaultImageResizeOptions">
+                        <property name="width" value="960"/>
+                        <property name="height" value="960"/>
+                        <property name="allowEnlargement" value="false" />
+                    </bean> 
+                </property>
+            </bean>
+        </property>
+        <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_imgpreview.png" />
+        <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
+        <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
+    </bean>
+    
+    <!-- User avatar 64x64 image thumbnail options -->
+    <!-- Note that this will auto-register with parent="baseThumbnailDefinition" in the future -->
+    <bean id="thumbnailDefinitionAvatar" class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
+        <property name="name" value="avatar" />
+        <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
+        <property name="transformationOptions">
+            <bean parent="defaultImageTransformationOptions">
+                <property name="resizeOptions">
+                    <bean parent="defaultImageResizeOptions">
+                        <property name="width" value="64"/>
+                        <property name="height" value="64"/>
+                        <property name="allowEnlargement" value="false" />
+                    </bean> 
+                </property>
+            </bean>
+        </property>
+        <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_avatar.png" />
+        <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
+        <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
+    </bean>
+    
+    <!-- User avatar 32x32 image thumbnail options -->
+    <!-- Note that this will auto-register with parent="baseThumbnailDefinition" in the future -->
+    <bean id="thumbnailDefinitionAvatar32" class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
+        <property name="name" value="avatar32" />
+        <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
+        <property name="transformationOptions">
+            <bean parent="defaultImageTransformationOptions">
+                <property name="resizeOptions">
+                    <bean parent="defaultImageResizeOptions">
+                        <property name="width" value="32"/>
+                        <property name="height" value="32"/>
+                        <property name="allowEnlargement" value="false" />
+                    </bean> 
+                </property>
+            </bean>
+        </property>
+        <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_avatar32.png" />
+        <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
+        <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
+    </bean>
+    
+    <!-- Web Preview thumbnail options -->
+    <!-- Note that this will auto-register with parent="baseThumbnailDefinition" in the future -->
+    <bean id="thumbnailDefinitionWebpreview" class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
+        <property name="name" value="webpreview" />
+        <property name="mimetype" value="application/x-shockwave-flash"/>
+        <property name="transformationOptions">
+            <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.swf.SWFTransformationOptions">
+                <property name="flashVersion" value="9"/>
+            </bean>
+        </property>
+        <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
+        <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
+    </bean>
+    
     <!-- Thumbnail Register -->
     <bean id="thumbnailRegistry" class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailRegistry">
         <property name="contentService" ref="ContentService"/>
@@ -61,133 +207,12 @@
         <property name="tenantAdminService" ref="tenantAdminService" />
         <property name="thumbnailDefinitions">
             <list>
-               <!-- Small image thumbnail options -->
-                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
-                    <property name="name" value="medium" />
-                    <property name="mimetype" value="image/jpeg"/>
-                    <property name="transformationOptions">
-                        <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageTransformationOptions">
-                            <property name="resizeOptions">
-                                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageResizeOptions">
-                                    <property name="width" value="100"/>
-                                    <property name="height" value="100"/>
-                                    <property name="maintainAspectRatio" value="true"/>
-                                    <property name="resizeToThumbnail" value="true" />
-                                </bean> 
-                            </property>
-                        </bean>
-                    </property>
-                    <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_medium.jpg" />
-                    <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
-                    <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
-                </bean>
-
-                <!-- Slingshot Document Library image thumbnail options -->
-                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
-                    <property name="name" value="doclib" />
-                    <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
-                    <property name="transformationOptions">
-                        <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageTransformationOptions">
-                            <property name="resizeOptions">
-                                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageResizeOptions">
-                                    <property name="width" value="100"/>
-                                    <property name="height" value="100"/>
-                                    <property name="maintainAspectRatio" value="true"/>
-                                    <property name="resizeToThumbnail" value="true" />
-                                    <property name="allowEnlargement" value="false" />
-                                </bean> 
-                            </property>
-                            <property name="timeoutMs" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.timeoutMs}" />
-                            <property name="readLimitTimeMs" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.readLimitTimeMs}" />
-                            <property name="maxSourceSizeKBytes" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.maxSourceSizeKBytes}" />
-                            <property name="readLimitKBytes" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.readLimitKBytes}" />
-                            <property name="pageLimit" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.pageLimit}" />
-                            <property name="maxPages" value="${system.thumbnail.definition.doclib.maxPages}" />
-                        </bean>
-                    </property>
-                    <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_doclib.png" />
-                    <property name="mimeAwarePlaceHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_doclib{0}.png" />
-                    <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
-                    <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
-                </bean>
-                
-                <!-- Web Preview thumbnail options -->
-                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
-                   <property name="name" value="webpreview" />
-                    <property name="mimetype" value="application/x-shockwave-flash"/>
-                    <property name="transformationOptions">
-                        <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.swf.SWFTransformationOptions">
-                            <property name="flashVersion" value="9"/>
-                        </bean>
-                    </property>
-                    <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
-                    <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
-                </bean>
-            
-                <!-- Image preview thumbnail options -->
-                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
-                    <property name="name" value="imgpreview" />
-                    <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
-                    <property name="transformationOptions">
-                        <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageTransformationOptions">
-                            <property name="resizeOptions">
-                                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageResizeOptions">
-                                    <property name="width" value="960"/>
-                                    <property name="height" value="960"/>
-                                    <property name="maintainAspectRatio" value="true"/>
-                                    <property name="resizeToThumbnail" value="true" />
-                                    <property name="allowEnlargement" value="false" />
-                                </bean>
-                            </property>
-                        </bean>
-                    </property>
-                    <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_imgpreview.png" />
-                    <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
-                    <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
-                </bean>
-                
-
-                <!-- User avatar 64x64 image thumbnail options -->
-                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
-                    <property name="name" value="avatar" />
-                    <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
-                    <property name="transformationOptions">
-                        <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageTransformationOptions">
-                            <property name="resizeOptions">
-                                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageResizeOptions">
-                                    <property name="width" value="64"/>
-                                    <property name="height" value="64"/>
-                                    <property name="maintainAspectRatio" value="true"/>
-                                    <property name="resizeToThumbnail" value="true" />
-                                </bean> 
-                            </property>
-                        </bean>
-                    </property>
-                    <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_avatar.png" />
-                    <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
-                    <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
-                </bean>
-
-                <!-- User avatar 32x32 image thumbnail options -->
-                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail.ThumbnailDefinition">
-                    <property name="name" value="avatar32" />
-                    <property name="mimetype" value="image/png"/>
-                    <property name="transformationOptions">
-                        <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageTransformationOptions">
-                            <property name="resizeOptions">
-                                <bean class="org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.magick.ImageResizeOptions">
-                                    <property name="width" value="32"/>
-                                    <property name="height" value="32"/>
-                                    <property name="maintainAspectRatio" value="true"/>
-                                    <property name="resizeToThumbnail" value="true" />
-                                </bean> 
-                            </property>
-                        </bean>
-                    </property>
-                    <property name="placeHolderResourcePath" value="alfresco/thumbnail/thumbnail_placeholder_avatar32.png" />
-                    <property name="runAs" value="System"/>
-                    <property name="failureHandlingOptions" ref="standardFailureOptions"/>
-                </bean>
+                <ref bean="thumbnailDefinitionMedium" />
+                <ref bean="thumbnailDefinitionDoclib" />
+                <ref bean="thumbnailDefinitionImgpreview" />
+                <ref bean="thumbnailDefinitionAvatar" />
+                <ref bean="thumbnailDefinitionAvatar32" />
+                <ref bean="thumbnailDefinitionWebpreview" />
             </list>
         </property>
         <property name="thumbnailRenditionConvertor" ref="thumbnailRenditionConvertor" />
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/thumbnail/ThumbnailDefinition.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/thumbnail/ThumbnailDefinition.java
index 597a77c8a3..2248f3ad60 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/thumbnail/ThumbnailDefinition.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/thumbnail/ThumbnailDefinition.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2005-2011 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2012 Alfresco Software Limited.
  *
  * This file is part of Alfresco
  *
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@
  */
 package org.alfresco.repo.thumbnail;
 
+import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
+import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.TransformationOptions;
 
 /**
@@ -27,6 +30,9 @@ import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.TransformationOptions;
  */
 public class ThumbnailDefinition
 {
+
+    private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(ThumbnailDefinition.class);
+
     /** Name of the thumbnail */
     private String name;
     
@@ -50,6 +56,9 @@ public class ThumbnailDefinition
     /** Username to run the thumbnailrendition as */
     private String runAs;
     
+    /** The thumbnail registry */
+    private ThumbnailRegistry thumbnailRegistry;
+    
     /**
      * Default constructor
      */
@@ -225,4 +234,40 @@ public class ThumbnailDefinition
     {   
         return mimeAwarePlaceHolderResourcePath;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the thumbnail registry
+     * 
+     * @return the thumbnail registry
+     */
+    public ThumbnailRegistry getThumbnailRegistry()
+    {
+        return thumbnailRegistry;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the thumbnail registry
+     * 
+     * @param thumbnailRegistry
+     */
+    public void setThumbnailRegistry(ThumbnailRegistry thumbnailRegistry)
+    {
+        this.thumbnailRegistry = thumbnailRegistry;
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Registers the thumbnail definition with the thumbnail registry.
+     * 
+     * @see #setThumbnailRegistry(ThumbnailRegistry)
+     */
+    public void register()
+    {
+        if (thumbnailRegistry == null)
+        {
+            logger.warn("Property 'thumbnailRegistry' has not been set.  Ignoring auto-registration: \n" +
+                    "   extracter: " + this);
+            return;
+        }
+        thumbnailRegistry.addThumbnailDefinition(this);
+    }
 }