diff --git a/gns3server/handlers/dynamips_vm_handler.py b/gns3server/handlers/dynamips_vm_handler.py
index f88c9297..4b284a0c 100644
--- a/gns3server/handlers/dynamips_vm_handler.py
+++ b/gns3server/handlers/dynamips_vm_handler.py
@@ -17,13 +17,14 @@
 
 
 import os
-import asyncio
+import base64
 from ..web.route import Route
 from ..schemas.dynamips_vm import VM_CREATE_SCHEMA
 from ..schemas.dynamips_vm import VM_UPDATE_SCHEMA
 from ..schemas.dynamips_vm import VM_CAPTURE_SCHEMA
 from ..schemas.dynamips_vm import VM_OBJECT_SCHEMA
 from ..schemas.dynamips_vm import VM_NIO_SCHEMA
+from ..schemas.dynamips_vm import VM_CONFIGS_SCHEMA
 from ..modules.dynamips import Dynamips
 from ..modules.project_manager import ProjectManager
 
@@ -59,9 +60,6 @@ class DynamipsVMHandler:
 
         yield from dynamips_manager.update_vm_settings(vm, request.json)
         yield from dynamips_manager.ghost_ios_support(vm)
-        yield from dynamips_manager.create_vm_configs(vm,
-                                                      request.json.get("startup_config_content"),
-                                                      request.json.get("private_config_content"))
         response.set_status(201)
         response.json(vm)
 
@@ -329,3 +327,25 @@ class DynamipsVMHandler:
         yield from vm.stop_capture(slot_number, port_number)
         response.set_status(204)
 
+    @Route.get(
+        r"/projects/{project_id}/dynamips/vms/{vm_id}/configs",
+        status_codes={
+            200: "Configs retrieved",
+            400: "Invalid request",
+            404: "Instance doesn't exist"
+        },
+        output=VM_CONFIGS_SCHEMA,
+        description="Retrieve the startup and private configs content")
+    def show_initial_config(request, response):
+
+        dynamips_manager = Dynamips.instance()
+        vm = dynamips_manager.get_vm(request.match_info["vm_id"],
+                                     project_id=request.match_info["project_id"])
+
+        startup_config, private_config = yield from vm.extract_config()
+        startup_config_content = base64.decodebytes(startup_config.encode("utf-8")).decode("utf-8")
+        private_config_content = base64.decodebytes(private_config.encode("utf-8")).decode("utf-8")
+
+        response.set_status(200)
+        response.json({"startup_config_content": startup_config_content,
+                       "private_config_content": private_config_content})
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/dynamips/__init__.py b/gns3server/modules/dynamips/__init__.py
index 03eb326c..fc0eb7d8 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/dynamips/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/dynamips/__init__.py
@@ -480,6 +480,9 @@ class Dynamips(BaseManager):
                 if vm.slots[0].wics and vm.slots[0].wics[wic_slot_id]:
                     yield from vm.uninstall_wic(wic_slot_id)
 
+        # update the configs if needed
+        yield from self.create_vm_configs(vm, settings.get("startup_config_content"), settings.get("private_config_content"))
+
     @asyncio.coroutine
     def create_vm_configs(self, vm, startup_config_content, private_config_content):
         """
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py b/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py
index 8fef72a9..ab0d064d 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ order to run an IOU instance.
 """
 
 import os
-import sys
 import signal
 import re
 import asyncio
@@ -32,12 +31,12 @@ import threading
 import configparser
 import glob
 
-from pkg_resources import parse_version
 from .iou_error import IOUError
 from ..adapters.ethernet_adapter import EthernetAdapter
 from ..adapters.serial_adapter import SerialAdapter
 from ..nios.nio_udp import NIO_UDP
 from ..nios.nio_tap import NIO_TAP
+from ..nios.nio_generic_ethernet import NIO_GenericEthernet
 from ..base_vm import BaseVM
 from .ioucon import start_ioucon
 import gns3server.utils.asyncio
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/dynamips_vm.py b/gns3server/schemas/dynamips_vm.py
index 0d767dd9..304bcc65 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/dynamips_vm.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/dynamips_vm.py
@@ -295,11 +295,19 @@ VM_UPDATE_SCHEMA = {
             "type": "string",
             "minLength": 1,
         },
+        "startup_config_content": {
+            "description": "Content of IOS startup configuration file",
+            "type": "string",
+        },
         "private_config": {
             "description": "path to the IOS private configuration file",
             "type": "string",
             "minLength": 1,
         },
+        "private_config_content": {
+            "description": "Content of IOS private configuration file",
+            "type": "string",
+        },
         "ram": {
             "description": "amount of RAM in MB",
             "type": "integer"
@@ -888,3 +896,23 @@ VM_OBJECT_SCHEMA = {
     "additionalProperties": False,
     "required": ["name", "vm_id", "project_id", "dynamips_id"]
 }
+
+VM_CONFIGS_SCHEMA = {
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Request validation to get the startup and private configuration file",
+    "type": "object",
+    "properties": {
+        "startup_config_content": {
+            "description": "Content of the startup configuration file",
+            "type": ["string", "null"],
+            "minLength": 1,
+        },
+        "private_config_content": {
+            "description": "Content of the private configuration file",
+            "type": ["string", "null"],
+            "minLength": 1,
+        },
+    },
+    "additionalProperties": False,
+    "required": ["startup_config_content", "private_config_content"]
+}