diff --git a/SpiralSynthModular.C b/SpiralSynthModular.C
index f7087d4..bca78ad 100644
--- a/SpiralSynthModular.C
+++ b/SpiralSynthModular.C
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ SpiralWindowType *SynthModular::CreateWindow()
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-void SynthModular::LoadPlugins()
+void SynthModular::LoadPlugins(string pluginPath)
 {
 
 	int Width  = 40;
@@ -423,7 +423,15 @@ void SynthModular::LoadPlugins()
 	for (vector<string>::iterator i=SpiralSynthModularInfo::PLUGINVEC.begin();
 		 i!=SpiralSynthModularInfo::PLUGINVEC.end(); i++)
 	{
-		string Fullpath=SpiralSynthModularInfo::PLUGIN_PATH+*i;
+		string Fullpath;
+		if (pluginPath=="")
+		{
+			Fullpath=SpiralSynthModularInfo::PLUGIN_PATH+*i;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			Fullpath=pluginPath+*"/"+*i;
+		}
 
 		ID=PluginManager::Get()->LoadPlugin(Fullpath.c_str());
 		if (ID!=PluginError)
diff --git a/SpiralSynthModular.h b/SpiralSynthModular.h
index 2116da8..dec1a3d 100644
--- a/SpiralSynthModular.h
+++ b/SpiralSynthModular.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public:
 	~SynthModular();
 	
 	SpiralWindowType * CreateWindow();
-	void LoadPlugins();
+	void LoadPlugins(string pluginPath);
 	void Update();
 	void AddDevice(int n, int x, int y);
 	void AddComment(int n);
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index dab19ac..215cab6 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	// get args
     string cmd_filename="";
     bool cmd_specd = false;
+	string cmd_pluginPath="";
 	
 	// parse the args
     if (argc>1) 
@@ -87,13 +88,19 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 				<<"-v : print version"<<endl
 				<<"--NoGUI : run without GUI (only useful when loading patch from command line"<<endl
 				<<"--SHED_FIFO : spawn audio thread with FIFO sheduling (run as root)"<<endl
-				<<"--CallbackOnly : prevents 100% cpu usage when idle, but makes OSS output unsable"<<endl;
+				<<"--CallbackOnly : prevents 100% cpu usage when idle, but makes OSS output unsable"<<endl
+				<<"--PluginPath <PATH> : look for plugins in the specified directory"<<endl;
 				exit(0);
 			}
 			else if (!strcmp(argv[a],"-v")) 
 			{
 				cout<<VER_STRING<<endl; exit(0);
-			} 			
+			}
+			else if (!strcmp(argv[a],"--PluginPath"))
+			{
+				a++;
+				cmd_pluginPath=argv[a];
+			}
 			else 
 			{
 				cmd_filename = argv[1];
@@ -113,7 +120,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	
 	// setup the synth
 	Fl_Window* win = synth->CreateWindow();
-	synth->LoadPlugins();
+	synth->LoadPlugins(cmd_pluginPath);
 	win->xclass("");
 	if (GUI) win->show(1, argv); // prevents stuff happening before the plugins have loaded