diff --git a/bot/management/commands/starthitomi.py b/bot/management/commands/starthitomi.py
index a78940e..ccf772a 100644
--- a/bot/management/commands/starthitomi.py
+++ b/bot/management/commands/starthitomi.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Start the Discord bot and connect to Discord."""
 import asyncio
+import importlib
 import logging
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -16,6 +17,10 @@ async def on_ready():
     """Print some basic login info to the console, when the bot connects."""
     logger.info("Logged in as {0:s} ({1:s})".format(hitomi.user.name, hitomi.user.id))
 
+    # now load bot plugins
+    for plugin in settings.BOT_PLUGINS:
+        importlib.import_module(plugin)
+
 
 @hitomi.event
 async def on_message(message):
diff --git a/hitomi/settings.py b/hitomi/settings.py
index 9b7d185..4a42b1a 100644
--- a/hitomi/settings.py
+++ b/hitomi/settings.py
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ DISCORD_BOT_MAX_MESSAGES = 5000
 LOGGER_BASE_DIR = './logs'
 WEATHER_WEATHER_UNDERGROUND_API_KEY = 'key'
 
+BOT_PLUGINS = []
+
 
 # get local settings