diff --git a/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py b/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py
index 88c9324239..2b7c476579 100644
--- a/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from calibre.constants import numeric_version
 from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
 
 
-class Plugin(object):
+class Plugin(object): # {{{
     '''
     A calibre plugin. Useful members include:
 
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ class Plugin(object):
         if hasattr(it, '__exit__'):
             it.__exit__(*args)
 
+# }}}
 
-
-class FileTypePlugin(Plugin):
+class FileTypePlugin(Plugin): # {{{
     '''
     A plugin that is associated with a particular set of file types.
     '''
@@ -191,7 +191,9 @@ class FileTypePlugin(Plugin):
         # Default implementation does nothing
         return path_to_ebook
 
-class MetadataReaderPlugin(Plugin):
+# }}}
+
+class MetadataReaderPlugin(Plugin): # {{{
     '''
     A plugin that implements reading metadata from a set of file types.
     '''
@@ -219,8 +221,9 @@ class MetadataReaderPlugin(Plugin):
         :return: A :class:`calibre.ebooks.metadata.MetaInformation` object
         '''
         return None
+# }}}
 
-class MetadataWriterPlugin(Plugin):
+class MetadataWriterPlugin(Plugin): # {{{
     '''
     A plugin that implements reading metadata from a set of file types.
     '''
@@ -249,7 +252,9 @@ class MetadataWriterPlugin(Plugin):
         '''
         pass
 
-class CatalogPlugin(Plugin):
+# }}}
+
+class CatalogPlugin(Plugin): # {{{
     '''
     A plugin that implements a catalog generator.
     '''
@@ -352,7 +357,9 @@ class CatalogPlugin(Plugin):
         raise NotImplementedError('CatalogPlugin.generate_catalog() default '
                 'method, should be overridden in subclass')
 
-class InterfaceActionBase(Plugin):
+# }}}
+
+class InterfaceActionBase(Plugin): # {{{
 
     supported_platforms = ['windows', 'osx', 'linux']
     author         = 'Kovid Goyal'
@@ -360,3 +367,44 @@ class InterfaceActionBase(Plugin):
     can_be_disabled = False
 
     actual_plugin = None
+# }}}
+
+class PreferencesPlugin(Plugin): # {{{
+
+    supported_platforms = ['windows', 'osx', 'linux']
+    author         = 'Kovid Goyal'
+    type = _('Preferences')
+    can_be_disabled = False
+
+    #: Import path to module that contains a class named ConfigWidget
+    #: which implements the ConfigWidgetInterface. Used by
+    #: :meth:`create_widget`.
+    config_widget = None
+
+    #: Where in the list of categories the :attr:`category` of this plugin should be.
+    category_order = 100
+
+    #: Where in the list of names in a category, the :attr:`gui_name` of this
+    #: plugin should be
+    name_order = 100
+
+    #: The category this plugin should be in
+    category = None
+
+    #: The name displayed to the user for this plugin
+    gui_name = None
+
+    def create_widget(self, parent=None):
+        '''
+        Create and return the actual Qt widget used for setting this group of
+        preferences. The widget must implement the ConfigWidgetInterface.
+
+        The default implementation uses :attr:`config_widget` to instantiate
+        the widget.
+        '''
+        base = __import__(self.config_widget, fromlist=[1])
+        widget = base.ConfigWidget(parent)
+        return widget
+
+# }}}
+
diff --git a/src/calibre/customize/ui.py b/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
index b720964c92..265b42bad2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ from contextlib import closing
 
 from calibre.customize import Plugin, CatalogPlugin, FileTypePlugin, \
                               MetadataReaderPlugin, MetadataWriterPlugin, \
-                              InterfaceActionBase as InterfaceAction
+                              InterfaceActionBase as InterfaceAction, \
+                              PreferencesPlugin
 from calibre.customize.conversion import InputFormatPlugin, OutputFormatPlugin
 from calibre.customize.profiles import InputProfile, OutputProfile
 from calibre.customize.builtins import plugins as builtin_plugins
@@ -257,6 +258,17 @@ def interface_actions():
                 yield plugin
 # }}}
 
+# Preferences Plugins # {{{
+
+def preferences_plugins():
+    customization = config['plugin_customization']
+    for plugin in _initialized_plugins:
+        if isinstance(plugin, PreferencesPlugin):
+            if not is_disabled(plugin):
+                plugin.site_customization = customization.get(plugin.name, '')
+                yield plugin
+# }}}
+
 # Metadata read/write {{{
 _metadata_readers = {}
 _metadata_writers = {}
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/__init__.py
index 20ec932fb8..5f9535bb93 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/__init__.py
@@ -7,28 +7,67 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import QWidget, pyqtSignal
 
-class PreferenceWidget(QWidget):
+from calibre.customize.ui import preferences_plugins
 
-    category = None
-    name     = None
+class ConfigWidgetInterface(object):
 
-    changed_signal = pyqtSignal()
-
-    def __init__(self, parent=None):
-        QWidget.__init__(self, parent)
-
-        self.has_changed = False
-        self.changed.connect(lambda : setattr(self, 'has_changed', True))
-        self.setupUi(self)
+    changed_signal = None
 
     def genesis(self, gui):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
-    def reset_to_defaults(self):
+    def restore_defaults(self):
         pass
 
     def commit(self):
         pass
 
-    def add_boolean(self, widget_name, preference_interface, pref_name):
-        pass
+
+class ConfigWidgetBase(QWidget, ConfigWidgetInterface):
+
+    changed_signal = pyqtSignal()
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        QWidget.__init__(self, parent)
+        if hasattr(self, 'setupUi'):
+            self.setupUi(self)
+
+def get_plugin(category, name):
+    for plugin in preferences_plugins():
+        if plugin.category == category and plugin.name == name:
+            return plugin
+    raise ValueError(
+            'No Preferences PLugin with category: %s and name: %s found' %
+            (category, name))
+
+def test_widget(category, name, gui=None): # {{{
+    from PyQt4.Qt import QDialog, QVBoxLayout, QDialogButtonBox
+    pl = get_plugin(category, name)
+    d = QDialog()
+    d.resize(750, 550)
+    bb = QDialogButtonBox(d)
+    bb.setStandardButtons(bb.Apply|bb.Cancel|bb.RestoreDefaults)
+    bb.accepted.connect(d.accept)
+    bb.rejected.connect(d.reject)
+    w = pl.create_widget(d)
+    bb.button(bb.RestoreDefaults).clicked.connect(w.restore_defaults)
+    bb.button(bb.Apply).setEnabled(False)
+    w.changed_signal.connect(lambda : bb.button(bb.Apply).setEnable(True))
+    l = QVBoxLayout()
+    pl.setLayout(l)
+    l.addWidget(w)
+    if gui is None:
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import Main
+        from calibre.gui2.main import option_parser
+        from calibre.library.db import db
+        parser = option_parser()
+        opts, args = parser.parse_args([])
+        actions = tuple(Main.create_application_menubar())
+        db = db()
+        gui = Main(opts)
+        gui.initialize(db.library_path, db, None, actions)
+    w.genesis(gui)
+    if d.exec_() == QDialog.Accepted:
+        w.commit()
+# }}}
+
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
index 41b166b13f..c2635e8b44 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ class Listener(Thread): # {{{
         self.start()
 
     def run(self):
+        if self.listener is None:
+            return
         while self._run:
             try:
                 conn = self.listener.accept()