diff --git a/example/example.py b/example/example.py
index e049a74..0cbc192 100644
--- a/example/example.py
+++ b/example/example.py
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ from flaskext.debugtoolbar import DebugToolbarExtension
 
 app = Flask(__name__)
 app.config['DEBUG_TB_INTERCEPT_REDIRECTS'] = True
+app.config['DEBUG_TB_PANELS'] = (
+    'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.headers.HeaderDebugPanel',
+    'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.logger.LoggingPanel',
+    'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.timer.TimerDebugPanel',
+)
 app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = 'sqlite:////tmp/test.db'
 db = SQLAlchemy(app)
 
diff --git a/flaskext/debugtoolbar/toolbar.py b/flaskext/debugtoolbar/toolbar.py
index 2ff556f..b0b8458 100644
--- a/flaskext/debugtoolbar/toolbar.py
+++ b/flaskext/debugtoolbar/toolbar.py
@@ -9,6 +9,15 @@ class DebugToolbar(object):
         # default config settings
         self.config = {
             'DEBUG_TB_INTERCEPT_REDIRECTS': True,
+            'DEBUG_TB_PANELS': (
+                'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.versions.VersionDebugPanel',
+                'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.timer.TimerDebugPanel',
+                'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.headers.HeaderDebugPanel',
+                'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.request_vars.RequestVarsDebugPanel',
+                'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.template.TemplateDebugPanel',
+                'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.sqlalchemy.SQLAlchemyDebugPanel',
+                'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.logger.LoggingPanel',
+            )
         }
         self.config.update(current_app.config)
 
@@ -16,15 +25,7 @@ class DebugToolbar(object):
             'static_path': url_for('_debug_toolbar.static', filename='')
         }
 
-        self.default_panels = [
-            'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.versions.VersionDebugPanel',
-            'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.timer.TimerDebugPanel',
-            'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.headers.HeaderDebugPanel',
-            'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.request_vars.RequestVarsDebugPanel',
-            'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.template.TemplateDebugPanel',
-            'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.sqlalchemy.SQLAlchemyDebugPanel',
-            'flaskext.debugtoolbar.panels.logger.LoggingPanel',
-        ]
+        self.default_panels = self.config['DEBUG_TB_PANELS']
         self.load_panels()