diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs
index ed445cbdb2..d5c0e96e1d 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ use std::iter::Iterator;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 
-fn register_plugins(context: &mut Context) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
-    if let Ok(plugins) = crate::plugin::scan() {
+pub fn register_plugins(context: &mut Context) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
+    if let Ok(plugins) = crate::plugin::scan(search_paths()) {
         context.add_commands(
             plugins
                 .into_iter()
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ pub fn create_default_context(
         use crate::commands::*;
 
         context.add_commands(vec![
+            whole_stream_command(NuPlugin),
             // System/file operations
             whole_stream_command(Exec),
             whole_stream_command(Pwd),
@@ -568,8 +569,6 @@ pub async fn cli(
     let configuration = nu_data::config::NuConfig::new();
     let history_path = crate::commands::history::history_path(&configuration);
 
-    let _ = register_plugins(&mut context);
-
     let (mut rl, config) = create_rustyline_configuration();
 
     // we are ok if history does not exist
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands.rs
index e9743f5342..4fcbebb53b 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands.rs
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ pub(crate) mod mkdir;
 pub(crate) mod move_;
 pub(crate) mod next;
 pub(crate) mod nth;
+pub(crate) mod nu;
 pub(crate) mod open;
 pub(crate) mod parse;
 pub(crate) mod path;
@@ -160,6 +161,7 @@ pub(crate) use each::EachWindow;
 pub(crate) use echo::Echo;
 pub(crate) use if_::If;
 pub(crate) use is_empty::IsEmpty;
+pub(crate) use nu::NuPlugin;
 pub(crate) use update::Update;
 pub(crate) mod kill;
 pub(crate) use kill::Kill;
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/internal.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/internal.rs
index bb243fb7a7..5bce7fdb0c 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/internal.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/internal.rs
@@ -200,6 +200,28 @@ pub(crate) async fn run_internal_command(
                                 )]);
                                 InputStream::from_stream(futures::stream::iter(vec![]))
                             }
+                            CommandAction::AddPlugins(path) => {
+                                match crate::plugin::scan(vec![std::path::PathBuf::from(path)]) {
+                                    Ok(plugins) => {
+                                        context.add_commands(
+                                            plugins
+                                                .into_iter()
+                                                .filter(|p| {
+                                                    !context.is_command_registered(p.name())
+                                                })
+                                                .collect(),
+                                        );
+
+                                        InputStream::from_stream(futures::stream::iter(vec![]))
+                                    }
+                                    Err(reason) => {
+                                        context.error(reason.clone());
+                                        InputStream::one(
+                                            UntaggedValue::Error(reason).into_untagged_value(),
+                                        )
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
                             CommandAction::PreviousShell => {
                                 context.shell_manager.prev();
                                 InputStream::from_stream(futures::stream::iter(vec![]))
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/nu/mod.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/nu/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bec8cebfe6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/nu/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+mod plugin;
+
+pub use plugin::SubCommand as NuPlugin;
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/nu/plugin.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/nu/plugin.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32b9bbbde8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/nu/plugin.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use crate::commands::WholeStreamCommand;
+use crate::context::CommandRegistry;
+use crate::path::canonicalize;
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+use nu_errors::ShellError;
+use nu_protocol::{CommandAction, ReturnSuccess, Signature, SyntaxShape, UntaggedValue};
+use nu_source::Tagged;
+
+#[cfg(unix)]
+use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
+
+pub struct SubCommand;
+
+#[derive(Deserialize)]
+pub struct Arguments {
+    #[serde(rename = "load")]
+    pub load_path: Option<Tagged<PathBuf>>,
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl WholeStreamCommand for SubCommand {
+    fn name(&self) -> &str {
+        "nu plugin"
+    }
+
+    fn signature(&self) -> Signature {
+        Signature::build("nu plugin").named(
+            "load",
+            SyntaxShape::Path,
+            "a path to load the plugins from",
+            Some('l'),
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn usage(&self) -> &str {
+        "Nu Plugin"
+    }
+
+    fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
+        vec![Example {
+            description: "Load all plugins in the current directory",
+            example: "nu plugin --load .",
+            result: Some(vec![]),
+        }]
+    }
+
+    async fn run(
+        &self,
+        args: CommandArgs,
+        registry: &CommandRegistry,
+    ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+        let shell_manager = args.shell_manager.clone();
+        let (Arguments { load_path }, _) = args.process(&registry).await?;
+
+        if let Some(Tagged {
+            item: load_path,
+            tag,
+        }) = load_path
+        {
+            let path = canonicalize(shell_manager.path(), load_path).map_err(|_| {
+                ShellError::labeled_error(
+                    "Cannot load plugins from directory",
+                    "directory not found",
+                    &tag,
+                )
+            })?;
+
+            if !path.is_dir() {
+                return Err(ShellError::labeled_error(
+                    "Cannot load plugins from directory",
+                    "is not a directory",
+                    &tag,
+                ));
+            }
+
+            #[cfg(unix)]
+            {
+                let has_exec = path
+                    .metadata()
+                    .map(|m| umask::Mode::from(m.permissions().mode()).has(umask::USER_READ))
+                    .map_err(|e| {
+                        ShellError::labeled_error(
+                            "Cannot load plugins from directory",
+                            format!("cannot stat ({})", e),
+                            &tag,
+                        )
+                    })?;
+
+                if !has_exec {
+                    return Err(ShellError::labeled_error(
+                        "Cannot load plugins from directory",
+                        "permission denied",
+                        &tag,
+                    ));
+                }
+            }
+
+            return Ok(vec![ReturnSuccess::action(CommandAction::AddPlugins(
+                path.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+            ))]
+            .into());
+        }
+
+        Ok(OutputStream::one(ReturnSuccess::value(
+            UntaggedValue::string(crate::commands::help::get_help(&SubCommand, &registry))
+                .into_value(Tag::unknown()),
+        )))
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::SubCommand;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn examples_work_as_expected() {
+        use crate::examples::test as test_examples;
+
+        test_examples(SubCommand {})
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs
index fe93b2333e..0a8038ee38 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ pub mod utils;
 mod examples;
 
 pub use crate::cli::{
-    cli, create_default_context, parse_and_eval, process_line, run_pipeline_standalone,
-    run_vec_of_pipelines, LineResult,
+    cli, create_default_context, parse_and_eval, process_line, register_plugins,
+    run_pipeline_standalone, run_vec_of_pipelines, LineResult,
 };
 pub use crate::commands::command::{
     whole_stream_command, CommandArgs, EvaluatedWholeStreamCommandArgs, Example, WholeStreamCommand,
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/plugin.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/plugin.rs
index c325f1d9e9..0427959f38 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/plugin.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/plugin.rs
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ pub fn build_plugin_command(
     result
 }
 
-pub fn scan() -> Result<Vec<crate::commands::Command>, ShellError> {
+pub fn scan(paths: Vec<std::path::PathBuf>) -> Result<Vec<crate::commands::Command>, ShellError> {
     let mut plugins = vec![];
 
     let opts = glob::MatchOptions {
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ pub fn scan() -> Result<Vec<crate::commands::Command>, ShellError> {
         require_literal_leading_dot: false,
     };
 
-    for path in crate::cli::search_paths() {
+    for path in paths {
         let mut pattern = path.to_path_buf();
 
         pattern.push(std::path::Path::new("nu_plugin_[a-z0-9][a-z0-9]*"));
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/return_value.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/return_value.rs
index 37cf0f8b62..1fad050644 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/return_value.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/return_value.rs
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ pub enum CommandAction {
     EnterValueShell(Value),
     /// Enter the help shell, which allows exploring the help system
     EnterHelpShell(Value),
-    /// Enter the help shell, which allows exploring the help system
+    /// Add an alias command
     AddAlias(String, Vec<(String, SyntaxShape)>, Block),
+    /// Add plugins from path given
+    AddPlugins(String),
     /// Go to the previous shell in the shell ring buffer
     PreviousShell,
     /// Go to the next shell in the shell ring buffer
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ impl PrettyDebug for CommandAction {
             CommandAction::EnterValueShell(v) => b::typed("enter value shell", v.pretty()),
             CommandAction::EnterHelpShell(v) => b::typed("enter help shell", v.pretty()),
             CommandAction::AddAlias(..) => b::description("add alias"),
+            CommandAction::AddPlugins(..) => b::description("add plugins"),
             CommandAction::PreviousShell => b::description("previous shell"),
             CommandAction::NextShell => b::description("next shell"),
             CommandAction::LeaveShell => b::description("leave shell"),
diff --git a/crates/nu-test-support/src/macros.rs b/crates/nu-test-support/src/macros.rs
index 4e13dd9a9d..08e2e091bd 100644
--- a/crates/nu-test-support/src/macros.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-test-support/src/macros.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,83 @@ macro_rules! nu {
         nu!($cwd, $path)
     }};
 
+    ($cwd:expr, $path:expr) => {{
+        pub use std::error::Error;
+        pub use std::io::prelude::*;
+        pub use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
+
+        let commands = &*format!(
+            "
+                            cd \"{}\"
+                            {}
+                            exit",
+            $crate::fs::in_directory($cwd),
+            $crate::fs::DisplayPath::display_path(&$path)
+        );
+
+        let test_bins = $crate::fs::binaries();
+        let test_bins = dunce::canonicalize(&test_bins).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+            panic!(
+                "Couldn't canonicalize dummy binaries path {}: {:?}",
+                test_bins.display(),
+                e
+            )
+        });
+
+        let mut paths = $crate::shell_os_paths();
+        paths.insert(0, test_bins);
+
+        let paths_joined = match std::env::join_paths(paths.iter()) {
+            Ok(all) => all,
+            Err(_) => panic!("Couldn't join paths for PATH var."),
+        };
+
+        let mut process = match Command::new($crate::fs::executable_path())
+            .env("PATH", paths_joined)
+            .arg("--skip-plugins")
+            .stdout(Stdio::piped())
+            .stdin(Stdio::piped())
+            .stderr(Stdio::piped())
+            .spawn()
+        {
+            Ok(child) => child,
+            Err(why) => panic!("Can't run test {}", why.to_string()),
+        };
+
+        let stdin = process.stdin.as_mut().expect("couldn't open stdin");
+        stdin
+            .write_all(commands.as_bytes())
+            .expect("couldn't write to stdin");
+
+        let output = process
+            .wait_with_output()
+            .expect("couldn't read from stdout/stderr");
+
+        let out = $crate::macros::read_std(&output.stdout);
+        let err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
+
+            println!("=== stderr\n{}", err);
+
+        $crate::macros::Outcome::new(out,err.into_owned())
+    }};
+}
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! nu_with_plugins {
+    (cwd: $cwd:expr, $path:expr, $($part:expr),*) => {{
+        use $crate::fs::DisplayPath;
+
+        let path = format!($path, $(
+            $part.display_path()
+        ),*);
+
+        nu_with_plugins!($cwd, &path)
+    }};
+
+    (cwd: $cwd:expr, $path:expr) => {{
+        nu_with_plugins!($cwd, $path)
+    }};
+
     ($cwd:expr, $path:expr) => {{
         pub use std::error::Error;
         pub use std::io::prelude::*;
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 0f22ea8271..4d0ee73d7e 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
                 .possible_values(&["error", "warn", "info", "debug", "trace"])
                 .takes_value(true),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("skip-plugins")
+                .hidden(true)
+                .long("skip-plugins")
+                .multiple(false)
+                .takes_value(false),
+        )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("testbin")
                 .hidden(true)
@@ -154,7 +161,12 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
 
         None => {
             let mut syncer = EnvironmentSyncer::new();
-            let context = create_default_context(&mut syncer, true)?;
+            let mut context = create_default_context(&mut syncer, true)?;
+
+            if !matches.is_present("skip-plugins") {
+                let _ = nu_cli::register_plugins(&mut context);
+            }
+
             futures::executor::block_on(nu_cli::cli(syncer, context))?;
         }
     }
diff --git a/tests/plugins/core_inc.rs b/tests/plugins/core_inc.rs
index c92cd60c47..193bb09874 100644
--- a/tests/plugins/core_inc.rs
+++ b/tests/plugins/core_inc.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::FileWithContent;
-use nu_test_support::nu;
+use nu_test_support::nu_with_plugins;
 use nu_test_support::playground::Playground;
 
 #[test]
 fn can_only_apply_one() {
-    let actual = nu!(
+    let actual = nu_with_plugins!(
         cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats",
         "open cargo_sample.toml | first 1 | inc package.version --major --minor"
     );
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ fn by_one_with_field_passed() {
                 "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(
+        let actual = nu_with_plugins!(
             cwd: dirs.test(),
             "open sample.toml | inc package.edition | get package.edition | echo $it"
         );
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ fn by_one_with_no_field_passed() {
                 "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(
+        let actual = nu_with_plugins!(
             cwd: dirs.test(),
             "open sample.toml | get package.contributors | inc | echo $it"
         );
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ fn semversion_major_inc() {
                 "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(
+        let actual = nu_with_plugins!(
             cwd: dirs.test(),
             "open sample.toml | inc package.version -M | get package.version | echo $it"
         );
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ fn semversion_minor_inc() {
                 "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(
+        let actual = nu_with_plugins!(
             cwd: dirs.test(),
             "open sample.toml | inc package.version --minor | get package.version | echo $it"
         );
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ fn semversion_patch_inc() {
                 "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(
+        let actual = nu_with_plugins!(
             cwd: dirs.test(),
             "open sample.toml | inc package.version --patch | get package.version | echo $it"
         );
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ fn semversion_without_passing_field() {
                 "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(
+        let actual = nu_with_plugins!(
             cwd: dirs.test(),
             "open sample.toml | get package.version | inc --patch | echo $it"
         );