diff --git a/heat/common/config.py b/heat/common/config.py
index 8b9daa1714..f3947e8fe6 100644
--- a/heat/common/config.py
+++ b/heat/common/config.py
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ cfg.IntOpt('sql_idle_timeout',
 engine_opts = [
 cfg.StrOpt('instance_driver',
            default='heat.engine.nova',
-           help='Driver to use for controlling instances')
+           help='Driver to use for controlling instances'),
+cfg.ListOpt('plugin_dirs',
+            default=['/usr/lib64/heat', '/usr/lib/heat'],
+            help='List of directories to search for Plugins'),
 ]
 rpc_opts = [
 cfg.StrOpt('host',
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/__init__.py b/heat/engine/resources/__init__.py
index 087ac64e2a..803b84aeb1 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/__init__.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/__init__.py
@@ -44,5 +44,11 @@ def _initialise():
 
     _register_modules(plugin_loader.load_modules(sys.modules[__name__]))
 
+    from heat.openstack.common import cfg
+
+    plugin_pkg = plugin_loader.create_subpackage(cfg.CONF.plugin_dirs,
+                                                 'heat.engine')
+    _register_modules(plugin_loader.load_modules(plugin_pkg, True))
+
 
 _initialise()