diff --git a/src/auth/crypto.ts b/src/auth/crypto.ts
index fc37f9858b..4488e28a12 100644
--- a/src/auth/crypto.ts
+++ b/src/auth/crypto.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import crypto from 'crypto';
 
 const algorithm = 'aes-256-ctr';
 
-export function encrypt(text) {
+export function encrypt(text: string): string {
   const iv = crypto.randomBytes(16);
   const cipher = crypto.createCipheriv(algorithm, this.secret, iv);
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export function encrypt(text) {
   return result;
 }
 
-export function decrypt(hash) {
+export function decrypt(hash: string): string {
   const iv = hash.slice(0, 32);
   const content = hash.slice(32);
 
diff --git a/src/auth/default.ts b/src/auth/defaultUser.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from src/auth/default.ts
rename to src/auth/defaultUser.ts
diff --git a/src/auth/executeAccess.ts b/src/auth/executeAccess.ts
index 656cc4afc8..efaff7c169 100644
--- a/src/auth/executeAccess.ts
+++ b/src/auth/executeAccess.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { Access } from '../config/types';
 import { Forbidden } from '../errors';
 
 const executeAccess = async (operation, access) => {
diff --git a/src/auth/getExecuteStaticAccess.ts b/src/auth/getExecuteStaticAccess.ts
index 91f47a390f..3edbceb56b 100644
--- a/src/auth/getExecuteStaticAccess.ts
+++ b/src/auth/getExecuteStaticAccess.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+import { Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import executeAccess from './executeAccess';
 import { Forbidden } from '../errors';
+import { PayloadRequest } from '../express/types/payloadRequest';
 
-const getExecuteStaticAccess = ({ config, Model }) => async (req, res, next) => {
+const getExecuteStaticAccess = ({ config, Model }) => async (req: PayloadRequest, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
   try {
     if (req.path) {
       const accessResult = await executeAccess({ req, isReadingStaticFile: true }, config.access.read);
diff --git a/src/auth/getExtractJWT.ts b/src/auth/getExtractJWT.ts
index 055e81093f..ca868cf942 100644
--- a/src/auth/getExtractJWT.ts
+++ b/src/auth/getExtractJWT.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
+import { Request } from 'express';
+import { Config } from '../config/types';
 import parseCookies from '../utilities/parseCookies';
 
-const getExtractJWT = (config) => (req) => {
+const getExtractJWT = (config: Config) => (req: Request): string | null => {
   if (req && req.get) {
     const jwtFromHeader = req.get('Authorization');
     const origin = req.get('Origin');
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/access.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/access.ts
index d6be65d882..cea07ddea3 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/access.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/access.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-const httpStatus = require('http-status');
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
+import httpStatus from 'http-status';
 
-async function policiesHandler(req, res, next) {
+export default async function policiesHandler(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     const accessResults = await this.operations.collections.auth.access({
       req,
@@ -12,5 +13,3 @@ async function policiesHandler(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default policiesHandler;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/forgotPassword.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/forgotPassword.ts
index d5ab05f524..4af5a045e7 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/forgotPassword.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/forgotPassword.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-const httpStatus = require('http-status');
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
+import httpStatus from 'http-status';
 
-async function forgotPasswordHandler(req, res, next) {
+export default async function forgotPasswordHandler(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     await this.operations.collections.auth.forgotPassword({
       req,
@@ -18,5 +19,3 @@ async function forgotPasswordHandler(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default forgotPasswordHandler;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/init.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/init.ts
index 7acd0f6709..9c07c5007b 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/init.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/init.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-async function initHandler(req, res, next) {
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
+
+export default async function initHandler(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     const initialized = await this.operations.collections.auth.init({ Model: req.collection.Model });
     return res.status(200).json({ initialized });
@@ -6,5 +8,3 @@ async function initHandler(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default initHandler;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/login.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/login.ts
index 1e9fc286a4..d793e6fabb 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/login.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/login.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import httpStatus from 'http-status';
 
-async function loginHandler(req, res, next) {
+export default async function loginHandler(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     const result = await this.operations.collections.auth.login({
       req,
@@ -21,5 +22,3 @@ async function loginHandler(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default loginHandler;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/logout.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/logout.ts
index 5d871fe8db..7b4b6d84f6 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/logout.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/logout.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-async function logoutHandler(req, res, next) {
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
+
+export default async function logoutHandler(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
   try {
     const message = await this.operations.collections.auth.logout({
       collection: req.collection,
@@ -11,5 +13,3 @@ async function logoutHandler(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default logoutHandler;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/me.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/me.ts
index 610460a2ff..d3fcd4bb5c 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/me.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/me.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-async function me(req, res, next) {
+import { NextFunction, Request, Response } from 'express';
+
+export default async function me(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     const response = await this.operations.collections.auth.me({ req });
     return res.status(200).json(response);
@@ -6,5 +8,3 @@ async function me(req, res, next) {
     return next(err);
   }
 }
-
-export default me;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/refresh.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/refresh.ts
index fa7f34d7a5..a2b21c4f5c 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/refresh.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/refresh.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import getExtractJWT from '../getExtractJWT';
 
-async function refreshHandler(req, res, next) {
+export default async function refreshHandler(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     const extractJWT = getExtractJWT(this.config);
     const token = extractJWT(req);
@@ -20,5 +21,3 @@ async function refreshHandler(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default refreshHandler;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/registerFirstUser.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/registerFirstUser.ts
index 6593e7a22f..cce03cb6e1 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/registerFirstUser.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/registerFirstUser.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-async function registerFirstUser(req, res, next) {
+
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
+
+export default async function registerFirstUser(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     const firstUser = await this.operations.collections.auth.registerFirstUser({
       req,
@@ -12,5 +15,3 @@ async function registerFirstUser(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default registerFirstUser;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/resetPassword.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/resetPassword.ts
index 21d778e2fe..10b0bd0d79 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/resetPassword.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/resetPassword.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import httpStatus from 'http-status';
 
-async function resetPassword(req, res, next) {
+async function resetPassword(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     const result = await this.operations.collections.auth.resetPassword({
       req,
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/unlock.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/unlock.ts
index 1104c4216b..c167b23356 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/unlock.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/unlock.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import httpStatus from 'http-status';
 
-async function unlockHandler(req, res, next) {
+export default async function unlockHandler(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     await this.operations.collections.auth.unlock({
       req,
@@ -16,5 +17,3 @@ async function unlockHandler(req, res, next) {
     return next(error);
   }
 }
-
-export default unlockHandler;
diff --git a/src/auth/requestHandlers/verifyEmail.ts b/src/auth/requestHandlers/verifyEmail.ts
index b32d5270c5..b918ee34be 100644
--- a/src/auth/requestHandlers/verifyEmail.ts
+++ b/src/auth/requestHandlers/verifyEmail.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import httpStatus from 'http-status';
 
-async function verifyEmail(req, res, next) {
+async function verifyEmail(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<any> {
   try {
     await this.operations.collections.auth.verifyEmail({
       collection: req.collection,
diff --git a/src/config/find.ts b/src/config/find.ts
index 71915c3aa6..08e2254695 100644
--- a/src/config/find.ts
+++ b/src/config/find.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import path from 'path';
 import fs from 'fs';
 
-const findConfig = () => {
+const findConfig = (): string => {
   // If the developer has specified a config path,
   // format it if relative and use it directly if absolute
   if (process.env.PAYLOAD_CONFIG_PATH) {
diff --git a/src/config/sanitize.ts b/src/config/sanitize.ts
index b276d81292..3b954c4863 100644
--- a/src/config/sanitize.ts
+++ b/src/config/sanitize.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Config } from './types';
-import defaultUser from '../auth/default';
+import defaultUser from '../auth/defaultUser';
 import sanitizeCollection from '../collections/config/sanitize';
 import { InvalidConfiguration } from '../errors';
 import sanitizeGlobals from '../globals/config/sanitize';
diff --git a/src/config/types.ts b/src/config/types.ts
index 84fa32f599..98d568007c 100644
--- a/src/config/types.ts
+++ b/src/config/types.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export type Config = {
   cookiePrefix?: string;
   csrf?: string[];
   cors?: string[];
-  publicENV: { [key: string]: string };
+  publicENV?: { [key: string]: string };
   routes?: {
     api?: string;
     admin?: string;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export type Config = {
     maxComplexity?: number;
     disablePlaygroundInProduction?: boolean;
   };
-  components: { [key: string]: JSX.Element | (() => JSX.Element) };
+  components?: { [key: string]: JSX.Element | (() => JSX.Element) };
   paths?: { [key: string]: string };
   hooks?: {
     afterError?: () => void;
diff --git a/src/email/types.ts b/src/email/types.ts
index dbc81ccce9..d25abd6e89 100644
--- a/src/email/types.ts
+++ b/src/email/types.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,10 @@ export type Message = {
   html: string
 }
 
+export type MockEmailHandler = { account: TestAccount; transport: Transporter };
 export type BuildEmailResult = Promise<{
   transport: Mail,
   transportOptions?: SMTPConnection.Options,
   fromName: string,
   fromAddress: string,
-}>
-
-export type MockEmailHandler = { account: TestAccount; transport: Transporter };
+} | MockEmailHandler>
diff --git a/src/express/types/payloadRequest.ts b/src/express/types/payloadRequest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dd08c7eb6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/express/types/payloadRequest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import { Request } from 'express';
+import { Payload } from '../../index';
+
+
+export type PayloadRequest = Request & {
+  payload: Payload;
+  locale?: string;
+  // user: User
+};
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index ea94c2ab8b..6265b4580d 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import express, { Express, Router } from 'express';
+import express, { Express, Request, Router } from 'express';
 import crypto from 'crypto';
 
 import { TestAccount } from 'nodemailer';
 import {
   Config,
+  EmailOptions,
   InitOptions,
 } from './config/types';
 import {
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ import {
   UpdateOptions,
   DeleteOptions,
 } from './types';
-import Logger from './utilities/logger';
+import Logger, { PayloadLogger } from './utilities/logger';
 import bindOperations from './init/bindOperations';
 import bindRequestHandlers from './init/bindRequestHandlers';
 import bindResolvers from './init/bindResolvers';
@@ -41,21 +42,22 @@ import localOperations from './collections/operations/local';
 import localGlobalOperations from './globals/operations/local';
 import { encrypt, decrypt } from './auth/crypto';
 import { MockEmailHandler, BuildEmailResult, Message } from './email/types';
+import { PayloadRequest } from './express/types/payloadRequest';
 
 require('isomorphic-fetch');
 
-class Payload {
+export class Payload {
   config: Config;
 
   collections: Collection[] = [];
 
-  logger: typeof Logger;
+  logger: PayloadLogger;
 
   express: Express
 
   router: Router;
 
-  emailOptions: any;
+  emailOptions: EmailOptions;
 
   email: BuildEmailResult;
 
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ class Payload {
   initAdmin: typeof initAdmin;
 
   performFieldOperations: typeof performFieldOperations;
+  // requestHandlers: { collections: { create: any; find: any; findByID: any; update: any; delete: any; auth: { access: any; forgotPassword: any; init: any; login: any; logout: any; me: any; refresh: any; registerFirstUser: any; resetPassword: any; verifyEmail: any; unlock: any; }; }; globals: { ...; }; };
 
   init(options: InitOptions) {
     this.logger = Logger();
@@ -153,7 +156,7 @@ class Payload {
     }
 
     // Configure email service
-    this.email = buildEmail(this.emailOptions);
+    this.email = buildEmail(this.config.email);
 
     // Initialize collections & globals
     this.initCollections();
@@ -162,7 +165,7 @@ class Payload {
     // Connect to database
     connectMongoose(this.mongoURL);
 
-    options.express.use((req, res, next) => {
+    options.express.use((req: PayloadRequest, res, next) => {
       req.payload = this;
       next();
     });
@@ -201,7 +204,7 @@ class Payload {
     if (typeof options.onInit === 'function') options.onInit(this);
   }
 
-  async sendEmail(message: Message) {
+  async sendEmail(message: Message): Promise<any> {
     const email = await this.email;
     const result = email.transport.sendMail(message);
     return result;
@@ -212,73 +215,73 @@ class Payload {
     return email.account;
   }
 
-  async create(options: CreateOptions) {
+  async create(options: CreateOptions): Promise<any> {
     let { create } = localOperations;
     create = create.bind(this);
     return create(options);
   }
 
-  async find(options: FindOptions) {
+  async find(options: FindOptions): Promise<any> {
     let { find } = localOperations;
     find = find.bind(this);
     return find(options);
   }
 
-  async findGlobal(options: FindGlobalOptions) {
+  async findGlobal(options: FindGlobalOptions): Promise<any> {
     let { findOne } = localGlobalOperations;
     findOne = findOne.bind(this);
     return findOne(options);
   }
 
-  async updateGlobal(options: UpdateGlobalOptions) {
+  async updateGlobal(options: UpdateGlobalOptions): Promise<any> {
     let { update } = localGlobalOperations;
     update = update.bind(this);
     return update(options);
   }
 
-  async findByID(options: FindByIDOptions) {
+  async findByID(options: FindByIDOptions): Promise<any> {
     let { findByID } = localOperations;
     findByID = findByID.bind(this);
     return findByID(options);
   }
 
-  async update(options: UpdateOptions) {
+  async update(options: UpdateOptions): Promise<any> {
     let { update } = localOperations;
     update = update.bind(this);
     return update(options);
   }
 
-  async delete(options: DeleteOptions) {
+  async delete(options: DeleteOptions): Promise<any> {
     let { delete: deleteOperation } = localOperations;
     deleteOperation = deleteOperation.bind(this);
     return deleteOperation(options);
   }
 
-  async login(options) {
+  async login(options): Promise<any> {
     let { login } = localOperations.auth;
     login = login.bind(this);
     return login(options);
   }
 
-  async forgotPassword(options) {
+  async forgotPassword(options): Promise<any> {
     let { forgotPassword } = localOperations.auth;
     forgotPassword = forgotPassword.bind(this);
     return forgotPassword(options);
   }
 
-  async resetPassword(options) {
+  async resetPassword(options): Promise<any> {
     let { resetPassword } = localOperations.auth;
     resetPassword = resetPassword.bind(this);
     return resetPassword(options);
   }
 
-  async unlock(options) {
+  async unlock(options): Promise<any> {
     let { unlock } = localOperations.auth;
     unlock = unlock.bind(this);
     return unlock(options);
   }
 
-  async verifyEmail(options) {
+  async verifyEmail(options): Promise<any> {
     let { verifyEmail } = localOperations.auth;
     verifyEmail = verifyEmail.bind(this);
     return verifyEmail(options);
diff --git a/src/init/bindRequestHandlers.ts b/src/init/bindRequestHandlers.ts
index 7533bc4a00..9c902df116 100644
--- a/src/init/bindRequestHandlers.ts
+++ b/src/init/bindRequestHandlers.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import deleteHandler from '../collections/requestHandlers/delete';
 import findOne from '../globals/requestHandlers/findOne';
 import globalUpdate from '../globals/requestHandlers/update';
 
-function bindRequestHandlers(ctx) {
+function bindRequestHandlers(ctx): void {
   const payload = ctx;
 
   payload.requestHandlers = {
diff --git a/src/utilities/logger.ts b/src/utilities/logger.ts
index 99df2b98ea..382abe0cf1 100644
--- a/src/utilities/logger.ts
+++ b/src/utilities/logger.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import falsey from 'falsey';
 import pino from 'pino';
 import memoize from 'micro-memoize';
-import { PayloadLogger } from '../types';
+
+export type PayloadLogger = pino.Logger;
 
 export default memoize((name = 'payload') => pino({
   name,
diff --git a/src/utilities/parseCookies.ts b/src/utilities/parseCookies.ts
index 1b85505d32..a3d1949317 100644
--- a/src/utilities/parseCookies.ts
+++ b/src/utilities/parseCookies.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-function parseCookies(req) {
+import { Request } from 'express';
+
+export default function parseCookies(req: Request): { [key: string]: string } {
   const list = {};
   const rc = req.headers.cookie;
 
@@ -11,5 +13,3 @@ function parseCookies(req) {
 
   return list;
 }
-
-export default parseCookies;
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index 6bf4cbdf79..9f9f070069 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     "dist",
     "src/admin",
     "src/tests",
-    "src/tests/*",
+    "src/tests/**/*.spec.ts",
     //   "**/*.d.ts",
     //   "node_modules/"
   ]