diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b3f05f9..eeea00f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -417,6 +417,71 @@ SimpleMultipleExample.aasm(:work).states
 *Final note*: Support for multiple state machines per class is a pretty new feature
 (since version `4.3`), so please bear with us in case it doesn't work as expected.
 
+### Extending AASM
+
+AASM allows you to easily extend `AASM::Base` for your own application purposes.
+
+Let's suppose we have common logic across many AASM models. We can embody this logic in a sub-class of `AASM::Base`.
+
+```
+class CustomAASMBase < AASM::Base
+  # A custom transiton that we want available across many AASM models.
+  def count_transitions!
+    klass.class_eval do
+      aasm :with_klass => CustomAASMBase do
+        after_all_transitions :increment_transition_count
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  # A custom annotation that we want available across many AASM models.
+  def requires_guards!
+    klass.class_eval do
+      attr_reader :authorizable_called,
+        :transition_count,
+        :fillable_called
+
+      def authorizable?
+        @authorizable_called = true
+      end
+
+      def fillable?
+        @fillable_called = true
+      end
+
+      def increment_transition_count
+        @transition_count ||= 0
+        @transition_count += 1
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+```
+
+When we declare our model that has an AASM state machine, we simply declare the AASM block with a `:with` key to our own class.
+
+```
+class SimpleCustomExample
+  include AASM
+
+  # Let's build an AASM state machine with our custom class.
+  aasm :with_klass => CustomAASMBase do
+    requires_guards!
+    count_transitions!
+
+    state :initialised, :initial => true
+    state :filled_out
+    state :authorised
+
+    event :fill_out do
+      transitions :from => :initialised, :to => :filled_out, :guard => :fillable?
+    end
+    event :authorise do
+      transitions :from => :filled_out, :to => :authorised, :guard => :authorizable?
+    end
+  end
+end
+```
 
 
 ### ActiveRecord
diff --git a/lib/aasm/aasm.rb b/lib/aasm/aasm.rb
index a1b2521..4523bd3 100644
--- a/lib/aasm/aasm.rb
+++ b/lib/aasm/aasm.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ module AASM
 
       AASM::StateMachine[self][state_machine_name] ||= AASM::StateMachine.new(state_machine_name)
 
+      # use a default despite the DSL configuration default.
+      # this is because configuration hasn't been setup for the AASM class but we are accessing a DSL option already for the class.
+      aasm_klass = options[:with_klass] || AASM::Base
+
+      raise ArgumentError, "The class #{aasm_klass} must inherit from AASM::Base!" unless aasm_klass.ancestors.include?(AASM::Base)
+
       @aasm ||= {}
       if @aasm[state_machine_name]
         # make sure to use provided options
@@ -46,7 +52,7 @@ module AASM
         end
       else
         # create a new base
-        @aasm[state_machine_name] = AASM::Base.new(
+        @aasm[state_machine_name] = aasm_klass.new(
           self,
           state_machine_name,
           AASM::StateMachine[self][state_machine_name],
diff --git a/lib/aasm/base.rb b/lib/aasm/base.rb
index 6a912e9..a5f1998 100644
--- a/lib/aasm/base.rb
+++ b/lib/aasm/base.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 module AASM
   class Base
 
-    attr_reader :state_machine
+    attr_reader :klass,
+      :state_machine
 
     def initialize(klass, name, state_machine, options={}, &block)
       @klass = klass
       @name = name
-      # @state_machine = @klass.aasm(@name).state_machine
+      # @state_machine = klass.aasm(@name).state_machine
       @state_machine = state_machine
       @state_machine.config.column ||= (options[:column] || default_column).to_sym
       # @state_machine.config.column = options[:column].to_sym if options[:column] # master
@@ -27,12 +28,15 @@ module AASM
       # set to true to forbid direct assignment of aasm_state column (in ActiveRecord)
       configure :no_direct_assignment, false
 
+      # allow a AASM::Base sub-class to be used for state machine
+      configure :with_klass, AASM::Base
+
       configure :enum, nil
 
       # make sure to raise an error if no_direct_assignment is enabled
       # and attribute is directly assigned though
       aasm_name = @name
-      @klass.send :define_method, "#{@state_machine.config.column}=", ->(state_name) do
+      klass.send :define_method, "#{@state_machine.config.column}=", ->(state_name) do
         if self.class.aasm(:"#{aasm_name}").state_machine.config.no_direct_assignment
           raise AASM::NoDirectAssignmentError.new(
             'direct assignment of AASM column has been disabled (see AASM configuration for this class)'
@@ -63,19 +67,19 @@ module AASM
 
     # define a state
     def state(name, options={})
-      @state_machine.add_state(name, @klass, options)
+      @state_machine.add_state(name, klass, options)
 
-      if @klass.instance_methods.include?("#{name}?")
-        warn "#{@klass.name}: The aasm state name #{name} is already used!"
+      if klass.instance_methods.include?("#{name}?")
+        warn "#{klass.name}: The aasm state name #{name} is already used!"
       end
 
       aasm_name = @name
-      @klass.send :define_method, "#{name}?", ->() do
+      klass.send :define_method, "#{name}?", ->() do
         aasm(:"#{aasm_name}").current_state == :"#{name}"
       end
 
-      unless @klass.const_defined?("STATE_#{name.upcase}")
-        @klass.const_set("STATE_#{name.upcase}", name)
+      unless klass.const_defined?("STATE_#{name.upcase}")
+        klass.const_set("STATE_#{name.upcase}", name)
       end
     end
 
@@ -83,8 +87,8 @@ module AASM
     def event(name, options={}, &block)
       @state_machine.add_event(name, options, &block)
 
-      if @klass.instance_methods.include?("may_#{name}?".to_sym)
-        warn "#{@klass.name}: The aasm event name #{name} is already used!"
+      if klass.instance_methods.include?("may_#{name}?".to_sym)
+        warn "#{klass.name}: The aasm event name #{name} is already used!"
       end
 
       # an addition over standard aasm so that, before firing an event, you can ask
@@ -92,16 +96,16 @@ module AASM
       # on the transition will let this happen.
       aasm_name = @name
 
-      @klass.send :define_method, "may_#{name}?", ->(*args) do
+      klass.send :define_method, "may_#{name}?", ->(*args) do
         aasm(:"#{aasm_name}").may_fire_event?(:"#{name}", *args)
       end
 
-      @klass.send :define_method, "#{name}!", ->(*args, &block) do
+      klass.send :define_method, "#{name}!", ->(*args, &block) do
         aasm(:"#{aasm_name}").current_event = :"#{name}!"
         aasm_fire_event(:"#{aasm_name}", :"#{name}", {:persist => true}, *args, &block)
       end
 
-      @klass.send :define_method, "#{name}", ->(*args, &block) do
+      klass.send :define_method, "#{name}", ->(*args, &block) do
         aasm(:"#{aasm_name}").current_event = :"#{name}"
         aasm_fire_event(:"#{aasm_name}", :"#{name}", {:persist => false}, *args, &block)
       end
@@ -145,7 +149,7 @@ module AASM
 
     # aasm.event(:event_name).human?
     def human_event_name(event) # event_name?
-      AASM::Localizer.new.human_event_name(@klass, event)
+      AASM::Localizer.new.human_event_name(klass, event)
     end
 
     def states_for_select
diff --git a/lib/aasm/configuration.rb b/lib/aasm/configuration.rb
index eb80865..12d21e4 100644
--- a/lib/aasm/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/aasm/configuration.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ module AASM
     # forbid direct assignment in aasm_state column (in ActiveRecord)
     attr_accessor :no_direct_assignment
 
+    # allow a AASM::Base sub-class to be used for state machine
+    attr_accessor :with_klass
+
     attr_accessor :enum
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/spec/models/simple_custom_example.rb b/spec/models/simple_custom_example.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe51c3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/simple_custom_example.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+class CustomAASMBase < AASM::Base
+  # A custom transiton that we want available across many AASM models.
+  def count_transitions!
+    klass.class_eval do
+      aasm :with_klass => CustomAASMBase do
+        after_all_transitions :increment_transition_count
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  # A custom annotation that we want available across many AASM models.
+  def requires_guards!
+    klass.class_eval do
+      attr_reader :authorizable_called,
+        :transition_count,
+        :fillable_called
+
+      def authorizable?
+        @authorizable_called = true
+      end
+
+      def fillable?
+        @fillable_called = true
+      end
+
+      def increment_transition_count
+        @transition_count ||= 0
+        @transition_count += 1
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+class SimpleCustomExample
+  include AASM
+
+  # Let's build an AASM state machine with our custom class.
+  aasm :with_klass => CustomAASMBase do
+    requires_guards!
+    count_transitions!
+
+    state :initialised, :initial => true
+    state :filled_out
+    state :authorised
+
+    event :fill_out do
+      transitions :from => :initialised, :to => :filled_out, :guard => :fillable?
+    end
+    event :authorise do
+      transitions :from => :filled_out, :to => :authorised, :guard => :authorizable?
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/unit/simple_custom_example_spec.rb b/spec/unit/simple_custom_example_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe48925
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/unit/simple_custom_example_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe 'Custom AASM::Base' do
+  context 'when aasm_with invoked with SimpleCustomExample' do
+    let(:simple_custom) { SimpleCustomExample.new }
+
+    subject do
+      simple_custom.fill_out!
+      simple_custom.authorise
+    end
+
+    it 'has invoked authorizable?' do
+      expect { subject }.to change { simple_custom.authorizable_called }.from(nil).to(true)
+    end
+
+    it 'has invoked fillable?' do
+      expect { subject }.to change { simple_custom.fillable_called }.from(nil).to(true)
+    end
+
+    it 'has two transition counts' do
+      expect { subject }.to change { simple_custom.transition_count }.from(nil).to(2)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when aasm_with invoked with non AASM::Base' do
+    subject do
+      Class.new do
+        include AASM
+
+        aasm :with_klass => String do
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    it 'should raise an ArgumentError' do
+      expect { subject }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, 'The class String must inherit from AASM::Base!')
+    end
+  end
+end