diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/main.go b/cmd/ipfs/main.go
index 26e890683e5c..fad78eee78c4 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/main.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime/pprof"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -46,24 +45,11 @@ const (
 )
 
 func loadPlugins(repoPath string) (*loader.PluginLoader, error) {
-	pluginpath := filepath.Join(repoPath, "plugins")
-
-	plugins, err := loader.NewPluginLoader()
+	plugins, err := loader.NewPluginLoader(repoPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error loading preloaded plugins: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	// check if repo is accessible before loading plugins
-	ok, err := checkPermissions(repoPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if ok {
-		if err := plugins.LoadDirectory(pluginpath); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-	}
-
 	if err := plugins.Initialize(); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error initializing plugins: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/commands/context.go b/commands/context.go
index 7bf9e8461502..a14abb8e8b54 100644
--- a/commands/context.go
+++ b/commands/context.go
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ func (c *Context) GetNode() (*core.IpfsNode, error) {
 			return nil, errors.New("nil ConstructNode function")
 		}
 		c.node, err = c.ConstructNode()
+		if err != nil {
+			// Pre-load the config from the repo to avoid re-parsing it from disk.
+			if cfg, err := c.node.Repo.Config(); err != nil {
+				c.config = cfg
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	return c.node, err
 }
diff --git a/docs/plugins.md b/docs/plugins.md
index a40201d1e008..ea878444edfa 100644
--- a/docs/plugins.md
+++ b/docs/plugins.md
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ directory (by default `~/.ipfs/plugins`).
 
 ## Plugin Types
 
+Plugins can implement one or more plugin types, defined in the
+[plugin](https://godoc.org/github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/plugin) package.
+
 ### IPLD
 
 IPLD plugins add support for additional formats to `ipfs dag` and other IPLD
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index d811dbff96d0..faaaf8eabd2c 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-blockstore v0.1.0
 	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-chunker v0.0.1
 	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-cmds v0.1.0
-	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config v0.0.6
+	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config v0.0.11
 	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-ds-help v0.0.1
 	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-exchange-interface v0.0.1
 	github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-exchange-offline v0.0.1
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 18231104834f..35dac5e5a463 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@ github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-chunker v0.0.1/go.mod h1:tWewYK0we3+rMbOh7pPFGDyypCtvGcB
 github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-cmds v0.1.0 h1:0CEde9EcxByej8+L6d1PST57J4ambRPyCTjLG5Ymou8=
 github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-cmds v0.1.0/go.mod h1:TiK4e7/V31tuEb8YWDF8lN3qrnDH+BS7ZqWIeYJlAs8=
 github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config v0.0.5/go.mod h1:IGkVTacurWv9WFKc7IBPjHGM/7hi6+PEClqUb/l2BIM=
-github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config v0.0.6 h1:jzK9Tl8S0oWBir3F5ObtGgnHRPdqQ0MYiCmwXtV3Ps4=
-github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config v0.0.6/go.mod h1:IGkVTacurWv9WFKc7IBPjHGM/7hi6+PEClqUb/l2BIM=
+github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config v0.0.11 h1:5/4nas2CQXiKr2/MLxU24GDGTBvtstQIQezuk7ltOQQ=
+github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config v0.0.11/go.mod h1:wveA8UT5ywN26oKStByzmz1CO6cXwLKKM6Jn/Hfw08I=
 github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-delay v0.0.0-20181109222059-70721b86a9a8/go.mod h1:8SP1YXK1M1kXuc4KJZINY3TQQ03J2rwBG9QfXmbRPrw=
 github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-delay v0.0.1 h1:r/UXYyRcddO6thwOnhiznIAiSvxMECGgtv35Xs1IeRQ=
 github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-delay v0.0.1/go.mod h1:8SP1YXK1M1kXuc4KJZINY3TQQ03J2rwBG9QfXmbRPrw=
diff --git a/plugin/loader/loader.go b/plugin/loader/loader.go
index 7788d8e83623..face2810755f 100644
--- a/plugin/loader/loader.go
+++ b/plugin/loader/loader.go
@@ -3,8 +3,11 @@ package loader
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	config "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config"
+	cserialize "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-config/serialize"
 	coredag "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/coredag"
 	plugin "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/plugin"
 	fsrepo "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/repo/fsrepo"
@@ -83,16 +86,32 @@ type PluginLoader struct {
 	state   loaderState
 	plugins map[string]plugin.Plugin
 	started []plugin.Plugin
+	config  config.Plugins
+	repo    string
 }
 
 // NewPluginLoader creates new plugin loader
-func NewPluginLoader() (*PluginLoader, error) {
-	loader := &PluginLoader{plugins: make(map[string]plugin.Plugin, len(preloadPlugins))}
+func NewPluginLoader(repo string) (*PluginLoader, error) {
+	loader := &PluginLoader{plugins: make(map[string]plugin.Plugin, len(preloadPlugins)), repo: repo}
+	if repo != "" {
+		cfg, err := cserialize.Load(filepath.Join(repo, config.DefaultConfigFile))
+		switch err {
+		case cserialize.ErrNotInitialized:
+		case nil:
+			loader.config = cfg.Plugins
+		default:
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
 	for _, v := range preloadPlugins {
 		if err := loader.Load(v); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
+
+	if err := loader.LoadDirectory(filepath.Join(repo, "plugins")); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	return loader, nil
 }
 
@@ -125,6 +144,10 @@ func (loader *PluginLoader) Load(pl plugin.Plugin) error {
 				"while trying to load dynamically: %s",
 			name, ppl.Version(), pl.Version())
 	}
+	if loader.config.Plugins[name].Disabled {
+		log.Infof("not loading disabled plugin %s", name)
+		return nil
+	}
 	loader.plugins[name] = pl
 	return nil
 }
@@ -164,8 +187,11 @@ func (loader *PluginLoader) Initialize() error {
 	if err := loader.transition(loaderLoading, loaderInitializing); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	for _, p := range loader.plugins {
-		err := p.Init()
+	for name, p := range loader.plugins {
+		err := p.Init(&plugin.Environment{
+			Repo:   loader.repo,
+			Config: loader.config.Plugins[name].Config,
+		})
 		if err != nil {
 			loader.state = loaderFailed
 			return err
diff --git a/plugin/plugin.go b/plugin/plugin.go
index 4c028352425b..fcf86e490b90 100644
--- a/plugin/plugin.go
+++ b/plugin/plugin.go
@@ -1,12 +1,25 @@
 package plugin
 
+// Environment is the environment passed into the plugin on init.
+type Environment struct {
+	// Path to the IPFS repo.
+	Repo string
+
+	// The plugin's config, if specified.
+	Config interface{}
+}
+
 // Plugin is base interface for all kinds of go-ipfs plugins
 // It will be included in interfaces of different Plugins
 type Plugin interface {
 	// Name should return unique name of the plugin
 	Name() string
+
 	// Version returns current version of the plugin
 	Version() string
+
 	// Init is called once when the Plugin is being loaded
-	Init() error
+	// The plugin is passed an environment containing the path to the
+	// (possibly uninitialized) IPFS repo and the plugin's config.
+	Init(env *Environment) error
 }
diff --git a/plugin/plugins/badgerds/badgerds.go b/plugin/plugins/badgerds/badgerds.go
index 57476d306fbb..a9d06f491efd 100644
--- a/plugin/plugins/badgerds/badgerds.go
+++ b/plugin/plugins/badgerds/badgerds.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func (*badgerdsPlugin) Version() string {
 	return "0.1.0"
 }
 
-func (*badgerdsPlugin) Init() error {
+func (*badgerdsPlugin) Init(_ *plugin.Environment) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/plugin/plugins/flatfs/flatfs.go b/plugin/plugins/flatfs/flatfs.go
index 059d211455e9..074cc590df08 100644
--- a/plugin/plugins/flatfs/flatfs.go
+++ b/plugin/plugins/flatfs/flatfs.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func (*flatfsPlugin) Version() string {
 	return "0.1.0"
 }
 
-func (*flatfsPlugin) Init() error {
+func (*flatfsPlugin) Init(_ *plugin.Environment) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/plugin/plugins/git/git.go b/plugin/plugins/git/git.go
index 97310b0c44d8..23b79ad59a14 100644
--- a/plugin/plugins/git/git.go
+++ b/plugin/plugins/git/git.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (*gitPlugin) Version() string {
 	return "0.0.1"
 }
 
-func (*gitPlugin) Init() error {
+func (*gitPlugin) Init(_ *plugin.Environment) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/plugin/plugins/levelds/levelds.go b/plugin/plugins/levelds/levelds.go
index 973e9132d331..12cad713a076 100644
--- a/plugin/plugins/levelds/levelds.go
+++ b/plugin/plugins/levelds/levelds.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func (*leveldsPlugin) Version() string {
 	return "0.1.0"
 }
 
-func (*leveldsPlugin) Init() error {
+func (*leveldsPlugin) Init(_ *plugin.Environment) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0280-plugin.sh b/test/sharness/t0280-plugin.sh
index b739a7834bcb..a0709ef1b2b8 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0280-plugin.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0280-plugin.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ test_description="Test plugin loading"
 
 . lib/test-lib.sh
 
+if ! test_have_prereq PLUGIN; then
+    skip_all='skipping plugin tests, plugins not available'
+
+    test_done
+fi
+
 test_init_ipfs
 
 test_expect_success "ipfs id succeeds" '
@@ -28,4 +34,59 @@ test_expect_success "cleanup bad plugin" '
   rm "$IPFS_PATH/plugins/foo.so"
 '
 
+test_expect_success "install test plugin" '
+  go build \
+    -asmflags=all="-trimpath=${GOPATH}" -gcflags=all="-trimpath=${GOPATH}" \
+    -buildmode=plugin -o "$IPFS_PATH/plugins/example.so" ../t0280-plugin-data/example.go &&
+  chmod +x "$IPFS_PATH/plugins/example.so"
+'
+
+test_plugin() {
+  local loads="$1"
+  local repo="$2"
+  local config="$3"
+
+  rm -f id_raw_output id_output id_output_expected
+
+  test_expect_success "id runs" '
+    ipfs id 2>id_raw_output >/dev/null
+  '
+
+  test_expect_success "filter test plugin output" '
+    sed -ne "s/^testplugin //p" id_raw_output >id_output
+  '
+
+  if [ "$loads" != "true" ]; then
+    test_expect_success "plugin doesn't load" '
+      test_must_be_empty id_output
+    '
+  else
+    test_expect_success "plugin produces the correct output" '
+      echo "$repo" >id_output_expected &&
+      echo "$config" >>id_output_expected &&
+      test_cmp id_output id_output_expected
+    '
+  fi
+}
+
+test_plugin true "$IPFS_PATH" "<nil>"
+
+test_expect_success "disable the plugin" '
+  ipfs config --json Plugins.Plugins.test-plugin.Disabled true
+'
+
+test_plugin false
+
+test_expect_success "re-enable the plugin" '
+  ipfs config --json Plugins.Plugins.test-plugin.Disabled false
+'
+
+test_plugin true "$IPFS_PATH" "<nil>"
+
+test_expect_success "configure the plugin" '
+  ipfs config Plugins.Plugins.test-plugin.Config foobar
+'
+
+test_plugin true "$IPFS_PATH" "foobar"
+
 test_done