diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/counter.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/counter.go
index d05d08c424..83f98218cf 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/counter.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/counter.go
@@ -20,10 +20,17 @@ var (
 			ValidFlag,
 		},
 	}
+
+	CounterPluginFlag = cli.BoolFlag{
+		Name:  "counter-plugin",
+		Usage: "Enable the counter plugin",
+	}
 )
 
 func init() {
-	RegisterPlugin(CounterTxCmd)
+	RegisterTxPlugin(CounterTxCmd)
+	RegisterStartPlugin(CounterPluginFlag,
+		func() types.Plugin { return counter.New("counter") })
 }
 
 func cmdCounterTx(c *cli.Context) error {
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/flags.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/flags.go
index 6bbf69e7bb..0ca74962ce 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/flags.go
@@ -36,11 +36,6 @@ var (
 		Name:  "ibc-plugin",
 		Usage: "Enable the ibc plugin",
 	}
-
-	CounterPluginFlag = cli.BoolFlag{
-		Name:  "counter-plugin",
-		Usage: "Enable the counter plugin",
-	}
 )
 
 // tx flags
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/ibc.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/ibc.go
index bdb7ccc0e7..39f5aef8d4 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/ibc.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/ibc.go
@@ -136,11 +136,11 @@ func cmdIBCRegisterTx(c *cli.Context) error {
 }
 
 func cmdIBCUpdateTx(c *cli.Context) error {
-	headerBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("header")))
+	headerBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(c.String("header")))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Header (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("header"), err))
 	}
-	commitBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("commit")))
+	commitBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(c.String("commit")))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Commit (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("commit"), err))
 	}
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func cmdIBCPacketCreateTx(c *cli.Context) error {
 	fromChain, toChain := c.String("from"), c.String("to")
 	packetType := c.String("type")
 
-	payloadBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("payload")))
+	payloadBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(c.String("payload")))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Payload (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("payload"), err))
 	}
@@ -206,11 +206,11 @@ func cmdIBCPacketCreateTx(c *cli.Context) error {
 func cmdIBCPacketPostTx(c *cli.Context) error {
 	fromChain, fromHeight := c.String("from"), c.Int("height")
 
-	packetBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("packet")))
+	packetBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(c.String("packet")))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Packet (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("packet"), err))
 	}
-	proofBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("proof")))
+	proofBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(c.String("proof")))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Proof (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("proof"), err))
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/query.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/query.go
index 3c12e04107..4237075267 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/query.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/query.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func cmdQuery(c *cli.Context) error {
 	if isHex(keyString) {
 		// convert key to bytes
 		var err error
-		key, err = hex.DecodeString(stripHex(keyString))
+		key, err = hex.DecodeString(StripHex(keyString))
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Query key (%v) is invalid hex: %v", keyString, err))
 		}
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func cmdAccount(c *cli.Context) error {
 	if len(c.Args()) != 1 {
 		return errors.New("account command requires an argument ([address])")
 	}
-	addrHex := stripHex(c.Args()[0])
+	addrHex := StripHex(c.Args()[0])
 
 	// convert destination address to bytes
 	addr, err := hex.DecodeString(addrHex)
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func cmdVerify(c *cli.Context) error {
 	var err error
 	key := []byte(keyString)
 	if isHex(keyString) {
-		key, err = hex.DecodeString(stripHex(keyString))
+		key, err = hex.DecodeString(StripHex(keyString))
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Key (%v) is invalid hex: %v", keyString, err))
 		}
@@ -183,18 +183,18 @@ func cmdVerify(c *cli.Context) error {
 
 	value := []byte(valueString)
 	if isHex(valueString) {
-		value, err = hex.DecodeString(stripHex(valueString))
+		value, err = hex.DecodeString(StripHex(valueString))
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Value (%v) is invalid hex: %v", valueString, err))
 		}
 	}
 
-	root, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("root")))
+	root, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(c.String("root")))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Root (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("root"), err))
 	}
 
-	proofBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("proof")))
+	proofBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(c.String("proof")))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Proof (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("proof"), err))
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go
index 52238f797e..90e701afd8 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ import (
 	tmtypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/app"
-	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/plugins/counter"
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/plugins/ibc"
+	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/types"
 )
 
 var config cfg.Config
@@ -41,10 +41,23 @@ var StartCmd = cli.Command{
 		InProcTMFlag,
 		ChainIDFlag,
 		IbcPluginFlag,
-		CounterPluginFlag,
+		// CounterPluginFlag,
 	},
 }
 
+type plugin struct {
+	name string
+	init func() types.Plugin
+}
+
+var plugins = []plugin{}
+
+// RegisterStartPlugin is used to add another
+func RegisterStartPlugin(flag cli.BoolFlag, init func() types.Plugin) {
+	StartCmd.Flags = append(StartCmd.Flags, flag)
+	plugins = append(plugins, plugin{name: flag.GetName(), init: init})
+}
+
 func cmdStart(c *cli.Context) error {
 
 	// Connect to MerkleEyes
@@ -61,14 +74,15 @@ func cmdStart(c *cli.Context) error {
 
 	// Create Basecoin app
 	basecoinApp := app.NewBasecoin(eyesCli)
-
-	if c.Bool("counter-plugin") {
-		basecoinApp.RegisterPlugin(counter.New("counter"))
-	}
-
 	if c.Bool("ibc-plugin") {
 		basecoinApp.RegisterPlugin(ibc.New())
+	}
 
+	// loop through all registered plugins and enable if desired
+	for _, p := range plugins {
+		if c.Bool(p.name) {
+			basecoinApp.RegisterPlugin(p.init())
+		}
 	}
 
 	// If genesis file exists, set key-value options
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/tx.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/tx.go
index 745c450323..43d36c81d7 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/tx.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/tx.go
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-// RegisterPlugin is used to add another subcommand and create a custom
+// RegisterTxPlugin is used to add another subcommand and create a custom
 // apptx encoding.  Look at counter.go for an example
-func RegisterPlugin(cmd cli.Command) {
+func RegisterTxPlugin(cmd cli.Command) {
 	AppTxCmd.Subcommands = append(AppTxCmd.Subcommands, cmd)
 }
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func cmdSendTx(c *cli.Context) error {
 	chainID := c.String("chain_id")
 
 	// convert destination address to bytes
-	to, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(toHex))
+	to, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(toHex))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New("To address is invalid hex: " + err.Error())
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/utils.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/utils.go
index db9f2821c4..04ac83ae26 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/utils.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func isHex(s string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func stripHex(s string) string {
+func StripHex(s string) string {
 	if isHex(s) {
 		return s[2:]
 	}