diff --git a/include/mbgl/ios/MGLMapView.h b/include/mbgl/ios/MGLMapView.h
index 8717b5e8a..eb9a770dc 100644
--- a/include/mbgl/ios/MGLMapView.h
+++ b/include/mbgl/ios/MGLMapView.h
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ IB_DESIGNABLE
 
 /** @name Initializing a Map View */
 
+/** Initialize a map view with the default style, given frame, and access token set in MapboxGL singleton.
+*   @param frame The frame with which to initialize the map view.
+*   @return An initialized map view, or `nil` if the map view was unable to be initialized. */
+- (instancetype)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame;
+
 /** Initialize a map view with the default style and a given frame and access token.
 *   @param frame The frame with which to initialize the map view.
 *   @param accessToken A Mapbox API access token.
diff --git a/include/mbgl/ios/MapboxGL.h b/include/mbgl/ios/MapboxGL.h
index 84c3f4542..4e5ff09b2 100644
--- a/include/mbgl/ios/MapboxGL.h
+++ b/include/mbgl/ios/MapboxGL.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 @interface MapboxGL : NSObject
 
-+ (void) sharedInstanceWithAccessToken:(NSString *)token;
++ (id) sharedInstanceWithAccessToken:(NSString *)token;
++ (NSString *) getAccessToken;
 
 @end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ios/app/MBXAppDelegate.m b/ios/app/MBXAppDelegate.m
index f2ef69ec6..4d314483a 100644
--- a/ios/app/MBXAppDelegate.m
+++ b/ios/app/MBXAppDelegate.m
@@ -1,11 +1,27 @@
 #import "MBXAppDelegate.h"
 #import "MBXViewController.h"
+#import <mbgl/ios/MapboxGL.h>
 #import <mbgl/ios/MGLMapboxEvents.h>
 
 @implementation MBXAppDelegate
 
 - (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions
 {
+    // Set Access Token
+    NSString *accessToken = [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] environment][@"MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN"];
+    if (accessToken) {
+        // Store to preferences so that we can launch the app later on without having to specify
+        // token.
+        [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setObject:accessToken forKey:@"access_token"];
+    } else {
+        // Try to retrieve from preferences, maybe we've stored them there previously and can reuse
+        // the token.
+        accessToken = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] objectForKey:@"access_token"];
+    }
+    if ( ! accessToken) NSLog(@"No access token set. Mapbox vector tiles won't work.");
+
+    [MapboxGL sharedInstanceWithAccessToken:accessToken];
+
     self.window = [[UIWindow alloc] initWithFrame:[[UIScreen mainScreen] bounds]];
     self.window.rootViewController = [[UINavigationController alloc] initWithRootViewController:[MBXViewController new]];
     [self.window makeKeyAndVisible];
diff --git a/ios/app/MBXViewController.mm b/ios/app/MBXViewController.mm
index 13235beb0..394536b98 100644
--- a/ios/app/MBXViewController.mm
+++ b/ios/app/MBXViewController.mm
@@ -52,20 +52,7 @@ mbgl::Settings_NSUserDefaults *settings = nullptr;
 {
     [super viewDidLoad];
 
-    NSString *accessToken = [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] environment][@"MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN"];
-    if (accessToken) {
-        // Store to preferences so that we can launch the app later on without having to specify
-        // token.
-        [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setObject:accessToken forKey:@"access_token"];
-    } else {
-        // Try to retrieve from preferences, maybe we've stored them there previously and can reuse
-        // the token.
-        accessToken = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] objectForKey:@"access_token"];
-    }
-
-    if ( ! accessToken) NSLog(@"No access token set. Mapbox vector tiles won't work.");
-
-    self.mapView = [[MGLMapView alloc] initWithFrame:self.view.bounds accessToken:accessToken];
+    self.mapView = [[MGLMapView alloc] initWithFrame:self.view.bounds];
     self.mapView.autoresizingMask = UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleWidth | UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleHeight;
     self.mapView.viewControllerForLayoutGuides = self;
     self.mapView.showsUserLocation = YES;
diff --git a/platform/ios/MGLMapView.mm b/platform/ios/MGLMapView.mm
index 5f5e99b0e..e48b3d82d 100644
--- a/platform/ios/MGLMapView.mm
+++ b/platform/ios/MGLMapView.mm
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #import "SMCalloutView.h"
 
 #import "MGLMapboxEvents.h"
+#import "MapboxGL.h"
 
 #import <algorithm>
 
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ mbgl::DefaultFileSource *mbglFileSource = nullptr;
     if (self && [self commonInit])
     {
         self.styleURL = nil;
+        self.accessToken = [MapboxGL getAccessToken];
         return self;
     }
 
diff --git a/platform/ios/MapboxGL.m b/platform/ios/MapboxGL.m
index b1cb44cbc..97ac8f1d5 100644
--- a/platform/ios/MapboxGL.m
+++ b/platform/ios/MapboxGL.m
@@ -1,22 +1,24 @@
 #import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 
 #import "MapboxGL.h"
+#import "NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.h"
 
 @interface MapboxGL()
 
+@property (atomic) NSString *accessToken;
+
 @end
 
-@property (atomic) NSString *accessToken;
 
 @implementation MapboxGL
 
+static MapboxGL *_sharedManager;
 
 // Can be called from any thread. Called implicitly from any
 // public class convenience methods.
 //
-+ (instancetype) sharedInstanceWithAccessToken:(NSString *)token {
++ (id) sharedInstanceWithAccessToken:(NSString *)token {
     static dispatch_once_t onceToken;
-    static MapboxGL *_sharedManager;
     dispatch_once(&onceToken, ^{
         if ( ! NSProcessInfo.processInfo.mgl_isInterfaceBuilderDesignablesAgent) {
             void (^setupBlock)() = ^{
@@ -36,4 +38,11 @@
     return _sharedManager;
 }
 
++ (NSString *) getAccessToken {
+    if (_sharedManager) {
+        return _sharedManager.accessToken;
+    }
+    return nil;
+}
+
 @end
\ No newline at end of file