diff --git a/conda.recipe/meta.yaml b/conda.recipe/meta.yaml
index e0ca81c..0e59e7b 100644
--- a/conda.recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/conda.recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ requirements:
     - jupyter_core
     - jupyter_highlight_selected_word >=0.0.10
     - jupyter_latex_envs >=1.3.8
-    - jupyter_nbextensions_configurator >=0.2.6
+    - jupyter_nbextensions_configurator >=0.2.8
     - nbconvert >=4.2
     - notebook >=4.0
     - pyyaml
diff --git a/docs/requirements.txt b/docs/requirements.txt
index f4f734f..abfe530 100644
--- a/docs/requirements.txt
+++ b/docs/requirements.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ipython
 jupyter_highlight_selected_word>=0.0.5
 jupyter_latex_envs>=1.3.4
-jupyter_nbextensions_configurator
+jupyter_nbextensions_configurator>=0.2.8
 readthedocs-sphinx-ext
 recommonmark>=0.4.0
 sphinx>=1.3.6,<1.6
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index a27c516..25e0d32 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ if you encounter any problems, and create a new issue if needed!
             'jupyter_core',
             'jupyter_highlight_selected_word >=0.0.10',
             'jupyter_latex_envs >=1.3.8',
-            'jupyter_nbextensions_configurator >=0.2.6',
+            'jupyter_nbextensions_configurator >=0.2.8',
             'nbconvert >=4.2',
             'notebook >=4.0',
             'pyyaml',
diff --git a/tests/test_application.py b/tests/test_application.py
index 49aa139..ad9d6fe 100644
--- a/tests/test_application.py
+++ b/tests/test_application.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from __future__ import (
     absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals,
 )
 
+import io
 import itertools
 import json
 import logging
@@ -14,15 +15,18 @@ from unittest import TestCase
 
 import jupyter_core.paths
 import nose.tools as nt
+import yaml
 from jupyter_contrib_core.notebook_compat import nbextensions
 from jupyter_contrib_core.testing_utils import (
     get_logger, patch_traitlets_app_logs,
 )
 from jupyter_contrib_core.testing_utils.jupyter_env import patch_jupyter_dirs
+from jupyter_nbextensions_configurator import _process_nbextension_spec
 from nose.plugins.skip import SkipTest
 from traitlets.config import Config
 from traitlets.tests.utils import check_help_all_output, check_help_output
 
+import jupyter_contrib_nbextensions
 from jupyter_contrib_nbextensions.application import main as main_app
 from jupyter_contrib_nbextensions.application import (
     BaseContribNbextensionsApp, BaseContribNbextensionsInstallApp,
@@ -31,6 +35,12 @@ from jupyter_contrib_nbextensions.application import (
 )
 from jupyter_contrib_nbextensions.install import toggle_install
 
+# attempt to use LibYaml if available
+try:
+    from yaml import CSafeLoader as SafeLoader
+except ImportError:
+    from yaml import SafeLoader
+
 app_classes = (
     BaseContribNbextensionsApp, BaseContribNbextensionsInstallApp,
     ContribNbextensionsApp,
@@ -312,3 +322,24 @@ class AppTest(TestCase):
         self.check_app_install(
             argv=argv + ['--only-config'], dirs=dirs,
             dirs_install={'conf': dirs['conf']})
+
+    def test_16_yaml_files(self):
+        """Check that the configurator accepts all nbextension yaml files."""
+        errmsg = ''
+        root_nbext_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(
+            jupyter_contrib_nbextensions.__file__), 'nbextensions')
+        for direct, dirs, files in os.walk(root_nbext_dir, followlinks=True):
+            for fname in files:
+                if os.path.splitext(fname)[1] not in ('.yml', '.yaml'):
+                    continue
+                yaml_path = os.path.join(direct, fname)
+                with io.open(yaml_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as stream:
+                    try:
+                        spec = yaml.load(stream, Loader=SafeLoader)
+                    except yaml.YAMLError:
+                        errmsg += '\nFailed to load yaml: {}'.format(yaml_path)
+                        continue
+                spec = _process_nbextension_spec(spec)
+                if not isinstance(spec, dict):
+                    errmsg += '\n{}: {}'.format(spec, os.path.reyaml_path)
+        nt.assert_false(len(errmsg), 'Error loading yaml file(s):' + errmsg)