diff --git a/templates/common/_package.json b/templates/common/_package.json
index 20dc413a9..40db122b7 100644
--- a/templates/common/_package.json
+++ b/templates/common/_package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,14 @@
   "name": "<%= _.slugify(appname) %>",
   "version": "0.0.0",
   "dependencies": {
-    "express": "~3.4.3",
+    "express": "~4.0.0",
+    "morgan": "~1.0.0",
+    "body-parser": "~1.0.0",
+    "method-override": "~1.0.0",
+    "static-favicon": "~1.0.1",
+    "cookie-parser": "~1.0.1",
+    "express-session": "~1.0.2",
+    "errorhandler": "~1.0.0",
     "lodash": "~2.4.1"<% if (mongo) { %>,
     "mongoose": "~3.8.8"<% } %><% if (mongoPassportUser) { %>,
     "connect-mongo": "~0.4.0",
diff --git a/templates/express/config/express.js b/templates/express/config/express.js
index 78f5b7cca..a2e538c34 100644
--- a/templates/express/config/express.js
+++ b/templates/express/config/express.js
@@ -1,70 +1,75 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var express = require('express'),
+    favicon = require('static-favicon'),
+    morgan = require('morgan'),
+    bodyParser = require('body-parser'),
+    methodOverride = require('method-override'),
+    cookieParser = require('cookie-parser'),
+    session = require('express-session'),
+    errorHandler = require('errorhandler'),
     path = require('path'),
     config = require('./config')<% if (mongoPassportUser) { %>,
     passport = require('passport'),
-    mongoStore = require('connect-mongo')(express)<% } %>;
+    mongoStore = require('connect-mongo')(session)<% } %>;
 
 /**
  * Express configuration
  */
 module.exports = function(app) {
-  app.configure('development', function(){
-    app.use(require('connect-livereload')());
+    var env = app.get('env');
 
-    // Disable caching of scripts for easier testing
-    app.use(function noCache(req, res, next) {
-      if (req.url.indexOf('/scripts/') === 0) {
-        res.header('Cache-Control', 'no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate');
-        res.header('Pragma', 'no-cache');
-        res.header('Expires', 0);
-      }
-      next();
-    });
+    if ('development' === env) {
+        app.use(require('connect-livereload')());
 
-    app.use(express.static(path.join(config.root, '.tmp')));
-    app.use(express.static(path.join(config.root, 'app')));
-    app.set('views', config.root + '/app/views');
-  });
+        // Disable caching of scripts for easier testing
+        app.use(function noCache(req, res, next) {
+            if (req.url.indexOf('/scripts/') === 0) {
+                res.header('Cache-Control', 'no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate');
+                res.header('Pragma', 'no-cache');
+                res.header('Expires', 0);
+            }
+            next();
+        });
 
-  app.configure('production', function(){
-    app.use(express.favicon(path.join(config.root, 'public', 'favicon.ico')));
-    app.use(express.static(path.join(config.root, 'public')));
-    app.set('views', config.root + '/views');
-  });
+        app.use(express.static(path.join(config.root, '.tmp')));
+        app.use(express.static(path.join(config.root, 'app')));
+        app.set('views', config.root + '/app/views');
+    }
 
-  app.configure(function(){<% if (!jade) { %>
+    if ('production' === env) {
+        app.use(favicon(path.join(config.root, 'public', 'favicon.ico')));
+        app.use(express.static(path.join(config.root, 'public')));
+        app.set('views', config.root + '/views');
+    }
+
+    <% if (!jade) { %>
     app.engine('html', require('ejs').renderFile);
     app.set('view engine', 'html');<% } %><% if (jade) { %>
     app.set('view engine', 'jade');<% } %>
-    app.use(express.logger('dev'));
-    app.use(express.json());
-    app.use(express.urlencoded());
-    app.use(express.methodOverride());<% if(mongoPassportUser) { %>
-    app.use(express.cookieParser());
+    app.use(morgan('dev'));
+    app.use(bodyParser());
+    app.use(methodOverride());<% if(mongoPassportUser) { %>
+    app.use(cookieParser());
 
     // Persist sessions with mongoStore
-    app.use(express.session({
-      secret: 'angular-fullstack secret',
-      store: new mongoStore({
-        url: config.mongo.uri,
-        collection: 'sessions'
-      }, function () {
-          console.log("db connection open");
-      })
+    app.use(session({
+        secret: 'angular-fullstack secret',
+        store: new mongoStore({
+            url: config.mongo.uri,
+            collection: 'sessions'
+        }, function () {
+            console.log('db connection open');
+        })
     }));
 
-    //use passport session
+    // Use passport session
     app.use(passport.initialize());
     app.use(passport.session());
     <% } %>
-    // Router (only error handlers should come after this)
-    app.use(app.router);
-  });
 
-  // Error handler
-  app.configure('development', function(){
-    app.use(express.errorHandler());
-  });
+    // Error handler - has to be last
+    if ('development' === app.get('env')) {
+        app.use(errorHandler())
+    }
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/express/routes.js b/templates/express/routes.js
index 9e45d31ce..e9782da49 100644
--- a/templates/express/routes.js
+++ b/templates/express/routes.js
@@ -13,22 +13,30 @@ var middleware = require('./middleware')<% } %>;
 module.exports = function(app) {
 
   // Server API Routes
-  app.get('/api/awesomeThings', api.awesomeThings);
+  app.route('/api/awesomeThings')
+    .get(api.awesomeThings);
   <% if(mongoPassportUser) { %>
-  app.post('/api/users', users.create);
-  app.put('/api/users', users.changePassword);
-  app.get('/api/users/me', users.me);
-  app.get('/api/users/:id', users.show);
+  app.route('/api/users')
+    .post(users.create),
+    .put(users.changePassword);
+  app.route('/api/users/me')
+    .get(users.me);
+  app.route('/api/users/:id')
+    .get(users.show);
 
-  app.post('/api/session', session.login);
-  app.del('/api/session', session.logout);<% } %>
+  app.route('/api/session')
+    .post(session.login),
+    .delete(session.logout);<% } %>
 
   // All undefined api routes should return a 404
-  app.get('/api/*', function(req, res) {
-    res.send(404);
-  });
-  
+  app.route('/api/*')
+    .get(function(req, res) {
+      res.send(404);
+    });
+
   // All other routes to use Angular routing in app/scripts/app.js
-  app.get('/partials/*', index.partials);
-  app.get('/*',<% if(mongoPassportUser) { %> middleware.setUserCookie,<% } %> index.index);
+  app.route('/partials/*')
+    .get(index.partials);
+  app.route('/*')
+    .get(<% if(mongoPassportUser) { %> middleware.setUserCookie,<% } %> index.index);
 };
\ No newline at end of file