diff --git a/packages/application-extension/src/index.tsx b/packages/application-extension/src/index.tsx
index d9cf0a57085b..e4c7ec8054af 100644
--- a/packages/application-extension/src/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/application-extension/src/index.tsx
@@ -90,14 +90,14 @@ namespace CommandIDs {
  */
 const main: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
   id: '@jupyterlab/application-extension:main',
-  requires: [ICommandPalette, IRouter, IWindowResolver],
-  optional: [IConnectionLost],
+  requires: [IRouter, IWindowResolver],
+  optional: [ICommandPalette, IConnectionLost],
   activate: (
     app: JupyterFrontEnd,
-    palette: ICommandPalette,
     router: IRouter,
     resolver: IWindowResolver,
-    connectionLost: IConnectionLost | undefined
+    palette: ICommandPalette | null,
+    connectionLost: IConnectionLost | null
   ) => {
     if (!(app instanceof JupyterLab)) {
       throw new Error(`${main.id} must be activated in JupyterLab.`);
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ const sidebar: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
 /**
  * Add the main application commands.
  */
-function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
+function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette | null): void {
   const { commands, contextMenu, shell } = app;
   const category = 'Main Area';
 
@@ -572,7 +572,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       shell.activateNextTab();
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activateNextTab, category });
 
   commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.activatePreviousTab, {
     label: 'Activate Previous Tab',
@@ -580,7 +579,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       shell.activatePreviousTab();
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activatePreviousTab, category });
 
   commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.activateNextTabBar, {
     label: 'Activate Next Tab Bar',
@@ -588,7 +586,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       shell.activateNextTabBar();
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activateNextTabBar, category });
 
   commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.activatePreviousTabBar, {
     label: 'Activate Previous Tab Bar',
@@ -596,7 +593,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       shell.activatePreviousTabBar();
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activatePreviousTabBar, category });
 
   // A CSS selector targeting tabs in the main area. This is a very
   // specific selector since we really only want tabs that are
@@ -614,7 +610,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       }
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.close, category });
   contextMenu.addItem({
     command: CommandIDs.close,
     selector: tabSelector,
@@ -627,7 +622,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       shell.closeAll();
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.closeAll, category });
 
   commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.closeOtherTabs, {
     label: () => `Close All Other Tabs`,
@@ -648,7 +642,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       closeWidgets(otherWidgets);
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.closeOtherTabs, category });
   contextMenu.addItem({
     command: CommandIDs.closeOtherTabs,
     selector: tabSelector,
@@ -667,7 +660,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       closeWidgets(widgetsRightOf(widget));
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.closeRightTabs, category });
   contextMenu.addItem({
     command: CommandIDs.closeRightTabs,
     selector: tabSelector,
@@ -689,7 +681,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
     isToggled: () => !shell.leftCollapsed,
     isVisible: () => !shell.isEmpty('left')
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.toggleLeftArea, category });
 
   app.commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.toggleRightArea, {
     label: () => 'Show Right Sidebar',
@@ -706,7 +697,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
     isToggled: () => !shell.rightCollapsed,
     isVisible: () => !shell.isEmpty('right')
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.toggleRightArea, category });
 
   app.commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.togglePresentationMode, {
     label: () => 'Presentation Mode',
@@ -716,7 +706,6 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
     isToggled: () => shell.presentationMode,
     isVisible: () => true
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.togglePresentationMode, category });
 
   app.commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.setMode, {
     isVisible: args => {
@@ -744,7 +733,21 @@ function addCommands(app: JupyterLab, palette: ICommandPalette): void {
       return app.commands.execute(CommandIDs.setMode, args);
     }
   });
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.toggleMode, category });
+
+  if (palette) {
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activateNextTab, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activatePreviousTab, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activateNextTabBar, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.activatePreviousTabBar, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.close, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.closeAll, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.closeOtherTabs, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.closeRightTabs, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.toggleLeftArea, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.toggleRightArea, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.togglePresentationMode, category });
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.toggleMode, category });
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
index 4dc70aa1d01f..655f4f8a92bf 100644
--- a/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -97,8 +97,6 @@ const tracker: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<IConsoleTracker> = {
   id: '@jupyterlab/console-extension:tracker',
   provides: IConsoleTracker,
   requires: [
-    IMainMenu,
-    ICommandPalette,
     ConsolePanel.IContentFactory,
     IEditorServices,
     ILayoutRestorer,
@@ -106,7 +104,13 @@ const tracker: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<IConsoleTracker> = {
     IRenderMimeRegistry,
     ISettingRegistry
   ],
-  optional: [ILauncher, ILabStatus, ISessionContextDialogs],
+  optional: [
+    IMainMenu,
+    ICommandPalette,
+    ILauncher,
+    ILabStatus,
+    ISessionContextDialogs
+  ],
   activate: activateConsole,
   autoStart: true
 };
@@ -136,14 +140,14 @@ export default plugins;
  */
 async function activateConsole(
   app: JupyterFrontEnd,
-  mainMenu: IMainMenu,
-  palette: ICommandPalette,
   contentFactory: ConsolePanel.IContentFactory,
   editorServices: IEditorServices,
   restorer: ILayoutRestorer,
   browserFactory: IFileBrowserFactory,
   rendermime: IRenderMimeRegistry,
   settingRegistry: ISettingRegistry,
+  mainMenu: IMainMenu | null,
+  palette: ICommandPalette | null,
   launcher: ILauncher | null,
   status: ILabStatus | null,
   sessionDialogs: ISessionContextDialogs | null
@@ -511,90 +515,94 @@ async function activateConsole(
     isEnabled
   });
 
-  // Add command palette items
-  [
-    CommandIDs.create,
-    CommandIDs.linebreak,
-    CommandIDs.clear,
-    CommandIDs.runUnforced,
-    CommandIDs.runForced,
-    CommandIDs.restart,
-    CommandIDs.interrupt,
-    CommandIDs.changeKernel,
-    CommandIDs.closeAndShutdown
-  ].forEach(command => {
-    palette.addItem({ command, category, args: { isPalette: true } });
-  });
-
-  // Add a console creator to the File menu
-  mainMenu.fileMenu.newMenu.addGroup([{ command: CommandIDs.create }], 0);
-
-  // Add a close and shutdown command to the file menu.
-  mainMenu.fileMenu.closeAndCleaners.add({
-    tracker,
-    action: 'Shutdown',
-    name: 'Console',
-    closeAndCleanup: (current: ConsolePanel) => {
-      return showDialog({
-        title: 'Shut down the console?',
-        body: `Are you sure you want to close "${current.title.label}"?`,
-        buttons: [Dialog.cancelButton(), Dialog.warnButton()]
-      }).then(result => {
-        if (result.button.accept) {
-          return current.console.sessionContext.shutdown().then(() => {
-            current.dispose();
-          });
-        } else {
-          return void 0;
-        }
-      });
-    }
-  } as IFileMenu.ICloseAndCleaner<ConsolePanel>);
+  if (palette) {
+    // Add command palette items
+    [
+      CommandIDs.create,
+      CommandIDs.linebreak,
+      CommandIDs.clear,
+      CommandIDs.runUnforced,
+      CommandIDs.runForced,
+      CommandIDs.restart,
+      CommandIDs.interrupt,
+      CommandIDs.changeKernel,
+      CommandIDs.closeAndShutdown
+    ].forEach(command => {
+      palette.addItem({ command, category, args: { isPalette: true } });
+    });
+  }
 
-  // Add a kernel user to the Kernel menu
-  mainMenu.kernelMenu.kernelUsers.add({
-    tracker,
-    interruptKernel: current => {
-      let kernel = current.console.sessionContext.session?.kernel;
-      if (kernel) {
-        return kernel.interrupt();
-      }
-      return Promise.resolve(void 0);
-    },
-    noun: 'Console',
-    restartKernel: current =>
-      sessionDialogs!.restart(current.console.sessionContext),
-    restartKernelAndClear: current => {
-      return sessionDialogs!
-        .restart(current.console.sessionContext)
-        .then(restarted => {
-          if (restarted) {
-            current.console.clear();
+  if (mainMenu) {
+    // Add a console creator to the File menu
+    mainMenu.fileMenu.newMenu.addGroup([{ command: CommandIDs.create }], 0);
+
+    // Add a close and shutdown command to the file menu.
+    mainMenu.fileMenu.closeAndCleaners.add({
+      tracker,
+      action: 'Shutdown',
+      name: 'Console',
+      closeAndCleanup: (current: ConsolePanel) => {
+        return showDialog({
+          title: 'Shut down the console?',
+          body: `Are you sure you want to close "${current.title.label}"?`,
+          buttons: [Dialog.cancelButton(), Dialog.warnButton()]
+        }).then(result => {
+          if (result.button.accept) {
+            return current.console.sessionContext.shutdown().then(() => {
+              current.dispose();
+            });
+          } else {
+            return void 0;
           }
-          return restarted;
         });
-    },
-    changeKernel: current =>
-      sessionDialogs!.selectKernel(current.console.sessionContext),
-    shutdownKernel: current => current.console.sessionContext.shutdown()
-  } as IKernelMenu.IKernelUser<ConsolePanel>);
-
-  // Add a code runner to the Run menu.
-  mainMenu.runMenu.codeRunners.add({
-    tracker,
-    noun: 'Cell',
-    pluralNoun: 'Cells',
-    run: current => current.console.execute(true)
-  } as IRunMenu.ICodeRunner<ConsolePanel>);
-
-  // Add a clearer to the edit menu
-  mainMenu.editMenu.clearers.add({
-    tracker,
-    noun: 'Console Cells',
-    clearCurrent: (current: ConsolePanel) => {
-      return current.console.clear();
-    }
-  } as IEditMenu.IClearer<ConsolePanel>);
+      }
+    } as IFileMenu.ICloseAndCleaner<ConsolePanel>);
+
+    // Add a kernel user to the Kernel menu
+    mainMenu.kernelMenu.kernelUsers.add({
+      tracker,
+      interruptKernel: current => {
+        let kernel = current.console.sessionContext.session?.kernel;
+        if (kernel) {
+          return kernel.interrupt();
+        }
+        return Promise.resolve(void 0);
+      },
+      noun: 'Console',
+      restartKernel: current =>
+        sessionDialogs!.restart(current.console.sessionContext),
+      restartKernelAndClear: current => {
+        return sessionDialogs!
+          .restart(current.console.sessionContext)
+          .then(restarted => {
+            if (restarted) {
+              current.console.clear();
+            }
+            return restarted;
+          });
+      },
+      changeKernel: current =>
+        sessionDialogs!.selectKernel(current.console.sessionContext),
+      shutdownKernel: current => current.console.sessionContext.shutdown()
+    } as IKernelMenu.IKernelUser<ConsolePanel>);
+
+    // Add a code runner to the Run menu.
+    mainMenu.runMenu.codeRunners.add({
+      tracker,
+      noun: 'Cell',
+      pluralNoun: 'Cells',
+      run: current => current.console.execute(true)
+    } as IRunMenu.ICodeRunner<ConsolePanel>);
+
+    // Add a clearer to the edit menu
+    mainMenu.editMenu.clearers.add({
+      tracker,
+      noun: 'Console Cells',
+      clearCurrent: (current: ConsolePanel) => {
+        return current.console.clear();
+      }
+    } as IEditMenu.IClearer<ConsolePanel>);
+  }
 
   // For backwards compatibility and clarity, we explicitly label the run
   // keystroke with the actual effected change, rather than the generic
@@ -634,21 +642,23 @@ async function activateConsole(
     })
   );
 
-  mainMenu.settingsMenu.addGroup(
-    [
-      {
-        type: 'submenu' as Menu.ItemType,
-        submenu: executeMenu
-      }
-    ],
-    10
-  );
+  if (mainMenu) {
+    mainMenu.settingsMenu.addGroup(
+      [
+        {
+          type: 'submenu' as Menu.ItemType,
+          submenu: executeMenu
+        }
+      ],
+      10
+    );
 
-  // Add kernel information to the application help menu.
-  mainMenu.helpMenu.kernelUsers.add({
-    tracker,
-    getKernel: current => current.sessionContext.session?.kernel
-  } as IHelpMenu.IKernelUser<ConsolePanel>);
+    // Add kernel information to the application help menu.
+    mainMenu.helpMenu.kernelUsers.add({
+      tracker,
+      getKernel: current => current.sessionContext.session?.kernel
+    } as IHelpMenu.IKernelUser<ConsolePanel>);
+  }
 
   app.contextMenu.addItem({
     command: CommandIDs.clear,
diff --git a/packages/hub-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/hub-extension/src/index.ts
index 9444bcad6372..5c01e9944d4c 100644
--- a/packages/hub-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/hub-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ export namespace CommandIDs {
 function activateHubExtension(
   app: JupyterFrontEnd,
   paths: JupyterFrontEnd.IPaths,
-  palette: ICommandPalette,
-  mainMenu: IMainMenu
+  palette: ICommandPalette | null,
+  mainMenu: IMainMenu | null
 ): void {
   const hubHost = paths.urls.hubHost || '';
   const hubPrefix = paths.urls.hubPrefix || '';
@@ -85,14 +85,18 @@ function activateHubExtension(
     }
   });
 
-  // Add commands and menu itmes.
-  mainMenu.fileMenu.addGroup(
-    [{ command: CommandIDs.controlPanel }, { command: CommandIDs.logout }],
-    100
-  );
-  const category = 'Hub';
-  palette.addItem({ category, command: CommandIDs.controlPanel });
-  palette.addItem({ category, command: CommandIDs.logout });
+  // Add palette and menu itmes.
+  if (mainMenu) {
+    mainMenu.fileMenu.addGroup(
+      [{ command: CommandIDs.controlPanel }, { command: CommandIDs.logout }],
+      100
+    );
+  }
+  if (palette) {
+    const category = 'Hub';
+    palette.addItem({ category, command: CommandIDs.controlPanel });
+    palette.addItem({ category, command: CommandIDs.logout });
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -101,7 +105,8 @@ function activateHubExtension(
 const hubExtension: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
   activate: activateHubExtension,
   id: 'jupyter.extensions.hub-extension',
-  requires: [JupyterFrontEnd.IPaths, ICommandPalette, IMainMenu],
+  requires: [JupyterFrontEnd.IPaths],
+  optional: [ICommandPalette, IMainMenu],
   autoStart: true
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/launcher-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/launcher-extension/src/index.ts
index ff501aae42ef..d3c6de9cb00f 100644
--- a/packages/launcher-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/launcher-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ namespace CommandIDs {
 const plugin: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<ILauncher> = {
   activate,
   id: '@jupyterlab/launcher-extension:plugin',
-  requires: [ICommandPalette, ILabShell],
+  requires: [ILabShell],
+  optional: [ICommandPalette],
   provides: ILauncher,
   autoStart: true
 };
@@ -42,8 +43,8 @@ export default plugin;
  */
 function activate(
   app: JupyterFrontEnd,
-  palette: ICommandPalette,
-  labShell: ILabShell
+  labShell: ILabShell,
+  palette: ICommandPalette | null
 ): ILauncher {
   const { commands } = app;
   const model = new LauncherModel();
@@ -79,7 +80,9 @@ function activate(
     }
   });
 
-  palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.create, category: 'Launcher' });
+  if (palette) {
+    palette.addItem({ command: CommandIDs.create, category: 'Launcher' });
+  }
 
   return model;
 }
diff --git a/packages/mainmenu-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/mainmenu-extension/src/index.ts
index 8e0d43e837ff..98427ef72d2c 100644
--- a/packages/mainmenu-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/mainmenu-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -116,13 +116,13 @@ export namespace CommandIDs {
  */
 const plugin: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<IMainMenu> = {
   id: '@jupyterlab/mainmenu-extension:plugin',
-  requires: [ICommandPalette, IRouter],
-  optional: [ILabShell],
+  requires: [IRouter],
+  optional: [ICommandPalette, ILabShell],
   provides: IMainMenu,
   activate: (
     app: JupyterFrontEnd,
-    palette: ICommandPalette,
     router: IRouter,
+    palette: ICommandPalette | null,
     labShell: ILabShell | null
   ): IMainMenu => {
     const { commands } = app;
@@ -203,28 +203,30 @@ const plugin: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<IMainMenu> = {
       }
     });
 
-    // Add some of the commands defined here to the command palette.
-    if (menu.fileMenu.quitEntry) {
+    if (palette) {
+      // Add some of the commands defined here to the command palette.
+      if (menu.fileMenu.quitEntry) {
+        palette.addItem({
+          command: CommandIDs.shutdown,
+          category: 'Main Area'
+        });
+        palette.addItem({
+          command: CommandIDs.logout,
+          category: 'Main Area'
+        });
+      }
+
       palette.addItem({
-        command: CommandIDs.shutdown,
-        category: 'Main Area'
+        command: CommandIDs.shutdownAllKernels,
+        category: 'Kernel Operations'
       });
+
       palette.addItem({
-        command: CommandIDs.logout,
+        command: CommandIDs.activatePreviouslyUsedTab,
         category: 'Main Area'
       });
     }
 
-    palette.addItem({
-      command: CommandIDs.shutdownAllKernels,
-      category: 'Kernel Operations'
-    });
-
-    palette.addItem({
-      command: CommandIDs.activatePreviouslyUsedTab,
-      category: 'Main Area'
-    });
-
     app.shell.add(logo, 'top');
     app.shell.add(menu, 'top');
 
diff --git a/packages/settingeditor-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/settingeditor-extension/src/index.ts
index fb4c7bc8f3be..128217657226 100644
--- a/packages/settingeditor-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/settingeditor-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ const plugin: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<ISettingEditorTracker> = {
     IEditorServices,
     IStateDB,
     IRenderMimeRegistry,
-    ICommandPalette,
     ILabStatus
   ],
+  optional: [ICommandPalette],
   autoStart: true,
   provides: ISettingEditorTracker,
   activate
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ function activate(
   editorServices: IEditorServices,
   state: IStateDB,
   rendermime: IRenderMimeRegistry,
-  palette: ICommandPalette,
-  status: ILabStatus
+  status: ILabStatus,
+  palette: ICommandPalette | null
 ): ISettingEditorTracker {
   const { commands, shell } = app;
   const namespace = 'setting-editor';
@@ -141,7 +141,9 @@ function activate(
     },
     label: 'Advanced Settings Editor'
   });
-  palette.addItem({ category: 'Settings', command: CommandIDs.open });
+  if (palette) {
+    palette.addItem({ category: 'Settings', command: CommandIDs.open });
+  }
 
   commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.revert, {
     execute: () => {