diff --git a/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
index f678a26098a8..90de8373cbf1 100644
--- a/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -179,7 +179,8 @@ async function activateConsole(
         let baseUrl = PageConfig.getBaseUrl();
         for (let name in specs.kernelspecs) {
           let rank = name === specs.default ? 0 : Infinity;
-          let kernelIconUrl = specs.kernelspecs[name].resources['logo-64x64'];
+          const spec = specs.kernelspecs[name];
+          let kernelIconUrl = spec.resources['logo-64x64'];
           if (kernelIconUrl) {
             let index = kernelIconUrl.indexOf('kernelspecs');
             kernelIconUrl = URLExt.join(baseUrl, kernelIconUrl.slice(index));
@@ -190,7 +191,8 @@ async function activateConsole(
               args: { isLauncher: true, kernelPreference: { name } },
               category: 'Console',
               rank,
-              kernelIconUrl
+              kernelIconUrl,
+              metadata: spec.metadata
             })
           );
         }
diff --git a/packages/launcher/src/index.tsx b/packages/launcher/src/index.tsx
index d201fcf00795..1a446ed57197 100644
--- a/packages/launcher/src/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/launcher/src/index.tsx
@@ -339,6 +339,12 @@ export namespace ILauncher {
      * spec.
      */
     kernelIconUrl?: string;
+
+    /**
+     * Metadata about the item.  This can be used by the launcher to
+     * affect how the item is displayed.
+     */
+    metadata?: ReadonlyJSONObject;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/notebook-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/notebook-extension/src/index.ts
index f92810219a49..3bea4362aab2 100644
--- a/packages/notebook-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/notebook-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -722,7 +722,8 @@ function activateNotebookHandler(
 
         for (let name in specs.kernelspecs) {
           let rank = name === specs.default ? 0 : Infinity;
-          let kernelIconUrl = specs.kernelspecs[name].resources['logo-64x64'];
+          const spec = specs.kernelspecs[name];
+          let kernelIconUrl = spec.resources['logo-64x64'];
           if (kernelIconUrl) {
             let index = kernelIconUrl.indexOf('kernelspecs');
             kernelIconUrl = URLExt.join(baseUrl, kernelIconUrl.slice(index));
@@ -733,7 +734,8 @@ function activateNotebookHandler(
               args: { isLauncher: true, kernelName: name },
               category: 'Notebook',
               rank,
-              kernelIconUrl
+              kernelIconUrl,
+              metadata: spec.metadata
             })
           );
         }