diff --git a/features/todo.feature b/features/todo.feature
index bea61f85..91f20bb1 100644
--- a/features/todo.feature
+++ b/features/todo.feature
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ Feature: The todo app has a nice user interface
         list          - List things, such as tasks or contexts
         ls            - LS things, such as tasks or contexts
         second        - 
+        third         - 
     """
     Examples:
       | help      |
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ Feature: The todo app has a nice user interface
         create, new   - Create a new task or context
         list          - List things, such as tasks or contexts
         ls            - LS things, such as tasks or contexts
+        third         - 
         first         - 
         second        - 
         chained       - 
diff --git a/lib/gli/app.rb b/lib/gli/app.rb
index 0c4edd8b..f777571f 100644
--- a/lib/gli/app.rb
+++ b/lib/gli/app.rb
@@ -20,15 +20,12 @@ module App
     #
     # path:: a path relative to somewhere in the <code>LOAD_PATH</code>, from which all <code>.rb</code> files will be required.
     def commands_from(path)
-      $LOAD_PATH.each do |load_path|
-        commands_path = File.join(load_path,path)
-        if File.exists? commands_path
-          Dir.entries(commands_path).sort.each do |entry|
-            file = File.join(commands_path,entry)
-            if file =~ /\.rb$/
-              require file
-            end
-          end
+      if Pathname.new(path).absolute? and File.exists?(path)
+        load_commands(path)
+      else
+        $LOAD_PATH.each do |load_path|
+          commands_path = File.join(load_path,path)
+          load_commands(commands_path)
         end
       end
     end
@@ -251,5 +248,18 @@ def program_name(override=nil) #:nodoc:
     def default_command(command)
       @default_command = command.to_sym
     end
+
+    private
+
+    def load_commands(path)
+      if File.exists? path
+        Dir.entries(path).sort.each do |entry|
+          file = File.join(path,entry)
+          if file =~ /\.rb$/
+            require file
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/apps/todo/bin/todo b/test/apps/todo/bin/todo
index 1a550544..3d154d25 100755
--- a/test/apps/todo/bin/todo
+++ b/test/apps/todo/bin/todo
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ switch :otherswitch, :negatable => true
 version Todo::VERSION
 
 commands_from 'todo/commands'
+commands_from File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', '..', 'todo_plugins', 'commands'))
 
 command :first  do |c| c.action { |g,o,a| puts "first: #{a.join(',')}" } end
 command :second do |c| c.action { |g,o,a| puts "second: #{a.join(',')}" } end
diff --git a/test/apps/todo_plugins/commands/third.rb b/test/apps/todo_plugins/commands/third.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ec937fb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/apps/todo_plugins/commands/third.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+command :third do |c| c.action { |g,o,a| puts "third: #{a.join(',')}" } end