diff --git a/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py b/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py
index 770d405203..a00a2cd5e2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/customize/__init__.py
@@ -80,6 +80,84 @@ class Plugin(object): # {{{
         '''
         pass
 
+    def config_widget(self):
+        '''
+        Implement this method and :meth:`save_settings` in your plugin to
+        use a custom configuration dialog, rather then relying on the simple
+        string based default customization.
+
+        This method, if implemented, must return a QWidget. The widget can have
+        an optional method validate() that takes no arguments and is called
+        immediately after the user clicks OK. Changes are applied if and only
+        if the method returns True.
+        '''
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def save_settings(self, config_widget):
+        '''
+        Save the settings specified by the user with config_widget.
+
+        :param config_widget: The widget returned by :meth:`config_widget`.
+
+        '''
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def do_user_config(self, parent=None):
+        '''
+        This method shows a configuration dialog for this plugin. It returns
+        True if the user clicks OK, False otherwise. The changes are
+        automatically applied.
+        '''
+        from PyQt4.Qt import QDialog, QDialogButtonBox, QVBoxLayout, \
+                QLabel, Qt, QLineEdit
+        config_dialog = QDialog(parent)
+        button_box = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Ok | QDialogButtonBox.Cancel)
+        v = QVBoxLayout(config_dialog)
+
+        button_box.accepted.connect(config_dialog.accept)
+        button_box.rejected.connect(config_dialog.reject)
+        config_dialog.setWindowTitle(_('Customize') + ' ' + self.name)
+        try:
+            config_widget = self.config_widget()
+        except NotImplementedError:
+            config_widget = None
+
+        if config_widget is not None:
+            v.addWidget(config_widget)
+            v.addWidget(button_box)
+            config_dialog.exec_()
+
+            if config_dialog.result() == QDialog.Accepted:
+                if hasattr(config_widget, 'validate'):
+                    if config_widget.validate():
+                        self.save_settings(config_widget)
+                else:
+                    self.save_settings(config_widget)
+        else:
+            from calibre.customize.ui import plugin_customization, \
+                customize_plugin
+            help_text = self.customization_help(gui=True)
+            help_text = QLabel(help_text, config_dialog)
+            help_text.setWordWrap(True)
+            help_text.setTextInteractionFlags(Qt.LinksAccessibleByMouse
+                    | Qt.LinksAccessibleByKeyboard)
+            help_text.setOpenExternalLinks(True)
+            v.addWidget(help_text)
+            sc = plugin_customization(self)
+            if not sc:
+                sc = ''
+            sc = sc.strip()
+            sc = QLineEdit(sc, config_dialog)
+            v.addWidget(sc)
+            v.addWidget(button_box)
+            config_dialog.exec_()
+
+            if config_dialog.result() == QDialog.Accepted:
+                sc = unicode(sc.text()).strip()
+                customize_plugin(self, sc)
+
+        return config_dialog.result()
+
     def load_resources(self, names):
         '''
         If this plugin comes in a ZIP file (user added plugin), this method
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/plugins.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/plugins.py
index 3d714e388e..2fe2b3bf01 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/plugins.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/plugins.py
@@ -8,13 +8,12 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 import textwrap, os
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, QModelIndex, QAbstractItemModel, QVariant, QIcon, \
-        QBrush, QDialog, QDialogButtonBox, QVBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit
+        QBrush
 
 from calibre.gui2.preferences import ConfigWidgetBase, test_widget
 from calibre.gui2.preferences.plugins_ui import Ui_Form
 from calibre.customize.ui import initialized_plugins, is_disabled, enable_plugin, \
-                                 disable_plugin, customize_plugin, \
-                                 plugin_customization, add_plugin, \
+                                 disable_plugin, plugin_customization, add_plugin, \
                                  remove_plugin
 from calibre.gui2 import NONE, error_dialog, info_dialog, choose_files
 
@@ -189,49 +188,7 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
                         _('Plugin: %s does not need customization')%plugin.name).exec_()
                     return
                 self.changed_signal.emit()
-
-                config_dialog = QDialog(self)
-                button_box = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Ok | QDialogButtonBox.Cancel)
-                v = QVBoxLayout(config_dialog)
-
-                button_box.accepted.connect(config_dialog.accept)
-                button_box.rejected.connect(config_dialog.reject)
-                config_dialog.setWindowTitle(_('Customize') + ' ' + plugin.name)
-
-                if hasattr(plugin, 'config_widget'):
-                    config_widget = plugin.config_widget()
-                    v.addWidget(config_widget)
-                    v.addWidget(button_box)
-                    config_dialog.exec_()
-
-                    if config_dialog.result() == QDialog.Accepted:
-                        if hasattr(config_widget, 'validate'):
-                            if config_widget.validate():
-                                plugin.save_settings(config_widget)
-                        else:
-                            plugin.save_settings(config_widget)
-                        self._plugin_model.refresh_plugin(plugin)
-                else:
-                    help_text = plugin.customization_help(gui=True)
-                    help_text = QLabel(help_text, config_dialog)
-                    help_text.setWordWrap(True)
-                    help_text.setTextInteractionFlags(Qt.LinksAccessibleByMouse
-                            | Qt.LinksAccessibleByKeyboard)
-                    help_text.setOpenExternalLinks(True)
-                    v.addWidget(help_text)
-                    sc = plugin_customization(plugin)
-                    if not sc:
-                        sc = ''
-                    sc = sc.strip()
-                    sc = QLineEdit(sc, config_dialog)
-                    v.addWidget(sc)
-                    v.addWidget(button_box)
-                    config_dialog.exec_()
-
-                    if config_dialog.result() == QDialog.Accepted:
-                        sc = unicode(sc.text()).strip()
-                        customize_plugin(plugin, sc)
-
+                if plugin.do_user_config():
                     self._plugin_model.refresh_plugin(plugin)
             elif op == 'remove':
                 if remove_plugin(plugin):