diff --git a/dotbot/cli.py b/dotbot/cli.py
index 28485d1..b230b6d 100644
--- a/dotbot/cli.py
+++ b/dotbot/cli.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import os, glob
+import glob
 import sys
 
 from argparse import ArgumentParser, RawTextHelpFormatter
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from .config import ConfigReader, ReadingError
 from .dispatcher import Dispatcher, DispatchError
 from .messenger import Messenger
 from .messenger import Level
+from .plugins import Clean, Create, Link, Shell
 from .util import module
 
 import dotbot
@@ -118,9 +119,10 @@ def main():
         else:
             log.use_color(sys.stdout.isatty())
 
+        plugins = []
         plugin_directories = list(options.plugin_dirs)
         if not options.disable_built_in_plugins:
-            from .plugins import Clean, Create, Link, Shell
+            plugins.extend([Clean, Create, Link, Shell])
         plugin_paths = []
         for directory in plugin_directories:
             for plugin_path in glob.glob(os.path.join(directory, "*.py")):
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ def main():
             plugin_paths.append(plugin_path)
         for plugin_path in plugin_paths:
             abspath = os.path.abspath(plugin_path)
-            module.load(abspath)
+            plugins.extend(module.load(abspath))
         if not options.config_file:
             log.error("No configuration file specified")
             exit(1)
@@ -151,6 +153,7 @@ def main():
             skip=options.skip,
             exit_on_failure=options.exit_on_failure,
             options=options,
+            plugins=plugins,
         )
         success = dispatcher.dispatch(tasks)
         if success:
diff --git a/dotbot/dispatcher.py b/dotbot/dispatcher.py
index 18f0b0a..630c895 100644
--- a/dotbot/dispatcher.py
+++ b/dotbot/dispatcher.py
@@ -7,11 +7,12 @@ from .context import Context
 
 class Dispatcher(object):
     def __init__(
-        self, base_directory, only=None, skip=None, exit_on_failure=False, options=Namespace()
+        self, base_directory, only=None, skip=None, exit_on_failure=False, options=Namespace(), plugins=None,
     ):
         self._log = Messenger()
         self._setup_context(base_directory, options)
-        self._load_plugins()
+        plugins = plugins or []
+        self._plugins = [plugin(self._context) for plugin in plugins]
         self._only = only
         self._skip = skip
         self._exit = exit_on_failure
@@ -65,9 +66,6 @@ class Dispatcher(object):
                         return False
         return success
 
-    def _load_plugins(self):
-        self._plugins = [plugin(self._context) for plugin in Plugin.__subclasses__()]
-
 
 class DispatchError(Exception):
     pass
diff --git a/dotbot/plugins/clean.py b/dotbot/plugins/clean.py
index e2671ad..1d17b72 100644
--- a/dotbot/plugins/clean.py
+++ b/dotbot/plugins/clean.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
-import dotbot
+from ..plugin import Plugin
 
 
-class Clean(dotbot.Plugin):
+class Clean(Plugin):
     """
     Cleans broken symbolic links.
     """
diff --git a/dotbot/plugins/create.py b/dotbot/plugins/create.py
index 85557a6..c593d52 100644
--- a/dotbot/plugins/create.py
+++ b/dotbot/plugins/create.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import os
-import dotbot
+
+from ..plugin import Plugin
 
 
-class Create(dotbot.Plugin):
+class Create(Plugin):
     """
     Create empty paths.
     """
diff --git a/dotbot/plugins/link.py b/dotbot/plugins/link.py
index c938080..3e8c91e 100644
--- a/dotbot/plugins/link.py
+++ b/dotbot/plugins/link.py
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ import os
 import sys
 import glob
 import shutil
-import dotbot
-import dotbot.util
+
+from ..plugin import Plugin
+from ..util import shell_command
 
 
-class Link(dotbot.Plugin):
+class Link(Plugin):
     """
     Symbolically links dotfiles.
     """
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ class Link(dotbot.Plugin):
         return success
 
     def _test_success(self, command):
-        ret = dotbot.util.shell_command(command, cwd=self._context.base_directory())
+        ret = shell_command(command, cwd=self._context.base_directory())
         if ret != 0:
             self._log.debug("Test '%s' returned false" % command)
         return ret == 0
diff --git a/dotbot/plugins/shell.py b/dotbot/plugins/shell.py
index bbdcb6d..2ee0d68 100644
--- a/dotbot/plugins/shell.py
+++ b/dotbot/plugins/shell.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
-import os
-import subprocess
-import dotbot
-import dotbot.util
+from ..plugin import Plugin
+from ..util import shell_command
 
 
-class Shell(dotbot.Plugin):
+class Shell(Plugin):
     """
     Run arbitrary shell commands.
     """
@@ -50,7 +48,7 @@ class Shell(dotbot.Plugin):
                 self._log.lowinfo("%s [%s]" % (msg, cmd))
             stdout = options.get("stdout", stdout)
             stderr = options.get("stderr", stderr)
-            ret = dotbot.util.shell_command(
+            ret = shell_command(
                 cmd,
                 cwd=self._context.base_directory(),
                 enable_stdin=stdin,
diff --git a/dotbot/util/module.py b/dotbot/util/module.py
index ded485a..183cac2 100644
--- a/dotbot/util/module.py
+++ b/dotbot/util/module.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import sys, os.path
+import os
+import sys
+
+from dotbot.plugin import Plugin
 
 # We keep references to loaded modules so they don't get garbage collected.
 loaded_modules = []
@@ -7,8 +10,17 @@ loaded_modules = []
 def load(path):
     basename = os.path.basename(path)
     module_name, extension = os.path.splitext(basename)
-    plugin = load_module(module_name, path)
-    loaded_modules.append(plugin)
+    loaded_module = load_module(module_name, path)
+    plugins = []
+    for name in dir(loaded_module):
+        possible_plugin = getattr(loaded_module, name)
+        try:
+            if issubclass(possible_plugin, Plugin) and possible_plugin is not Plugin:
+                plugins.append(possible_plugin)
+        except TypeError:
+            pass
+    loaded_modules.append(loaded_module)
+    return plugins
 
 
 if sys.version_info >= (3, 5):