diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c133d04c..e559102b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -28,3 +28,5 @@ stamp-h1
 valgrind.out
 core
 bugs/
+*.pyc
+TODO
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index f7c3f825..c328cfbd 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ profanity_SOURCES = \
 	src/tools/tinyurl.c src/tools/tinyurl.h \
 	src/config/accounts.c src/config/accounts.h \
 	src/config/preferences.c src/config/preferences.h \
-	src/config/theme.c src/config/theme.h
+	src/config/theme.c src/config/theme.h \
+    src/api/apu.h src/api/api.c
 
 TESTS = tests/testsuite
 check_PROGRAMS = tests/testsuite
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ tests_testsuite_SOURCES = \
 	src/config/accounts.c src/config/accounts.h \
 	src/config/preferences.c src/config/preferences.h \
 	src/config/theme.c src/config/theme.h \
+    src/api/apu.h src/api/api.c
 	tests/test_roster.c tests/test_common.c tests/test_history.c \
 	tests/test_autocomplete.c tests/testsuite.c tests/test_parser.c \
 	tests/test_jid.c
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ceaf1751..b3cbb793 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -88,11 +88,11 @@ if test "x$enable_notifications" != xno; then
 fi
 
 # Default parameters
-AM_CFLAGS="-Wall"
+AM_CFLAGS="-Wall -I/usr/include/python2.7 -I/usr/include/python2.7 -fno-strict-aliasing -DNDEBUG -g -fwrapv -O2 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -g -fstack-protector --param=ssp-buffer-size=4 -Wformat -Wformat-security -Werror=format-security -L/usr/lib/python2.7/config -Xlinker -export-dynamic -Wl,-O1 -Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions"
 if test "x$PACKAGE_STATUS" = xdevelopment; then
     AM_CFLAGS="$AM_CFLAGS -Wunused -Werror"
 fi
-LIBS="$LIBS $DEPS_LIBS $NOTIFY_LIBS"
+LIBS="$LIBS $DEPS_LIBS $NOTIFY_LIBS -lpthread -ldl -lutil -lm -lpython2.7"
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS="$DEPS_CFLAGS $NOTIFY_CFLAGS"
 
diff --git a/plugins/test.py b/plugins/test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a01e01e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+def plugin_name():
+    return "plugin james"
diff --git a/src/api/api.c b/src/api/api.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..674f0f9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/api.c
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+/*
+ * api.c
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2012, 2013 James Booth <boothj5@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * This file is part of Profanity.
+ *
+ * Profanity is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Profanity is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with Profanity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <Python.h>
+
+#include "ui/ui.h"
+
+void
+api_init(void)
+{
+    PyObject *pName, *pModule, *pFunc;
+    PyObject *pValue;
+
+    Py_Initialize();
+    pName = PyString_FromString("test");
+    pModule = PyImport_Import(pName);
+    Py_DECREF(pName);
+
+    if (pModule != NULL) {
+        pFunc = PyObject_GetAttrString(pModule, "pluginname");
+
+        if (pFunc == NULL) {
+            cons_show("NULL pfunc");
+        }
+
+        if (pFunc && PyCallable_Check(pFunc)) {
+            pValue = PyObject_CallObject(pFunc, NULL);
+            if (pValue != NULL) {
+                cons_show("Plugin loaded");
+                cons_show("Result of call: %s", PyString_AsString(pValue));
+                Py_DECREF(pValue);
+            }
+            else {
+                Py_DECREF(pFunc);
+                Py_DECREF(pModule);
+                cons_show("Error loading plugin");
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        else {
+            if (PyErr_Occurred())
+                cons_show("PyErr occurred");
+            cons_show("Could not find function");
+        }
+        Py_XDECREF(pFunc);
+        Py_DECREF(pModule);
+    }
+    else {
+        cons_show("Failed to load plugin");
+        return ;
+    }
+    Py_Finalize();
+    return;    
+}
+
+void
+api_prof_cons_show(const char *message)
+{
+    if (message != NULL) {
+        cons_show("%s", message);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/api/api.h b/src/api/api.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38f77dfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/api.h
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * api.h
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2012, 2013 James Booth <boothj5@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * This file is part of Profanity.
+ *
+ * Profanity is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Profanity is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with Profanity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef API_H
+#define API_H
+
+void api_init(void);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/profanity.c b/src/profanity.c
index 9c729ca1..5a6d4836 100644
--- a/src/profanity.c
+++ b/src/profanity.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 #include "profanity.h"
 
+#include "api/api.h"
 #include "chat_session.h"
 #include "config/accounts.h"
 #include "config/preferences.h"
@@ -633,6 +634,7 @@ _init(const int disable_tls, char *log_level)
     roster_init();
     muc_init();
     atexit(_shutdown);
+    api_init();
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/xmpp/connection.c b/src/xmpp/connection.c
index 85ddfa45..168e4cfa 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/connection.c
+++ b/src/xmpp/connection.c
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ static struct {
 static GTimer *reconnect_timer;
 
 static log_level_t _get_log_level(xmpp_log_level_t xmpp_level);
-static xmpp_log_level_t _get_xmpp_log_level();
+static xmpp_log_level_t _get_xmpp_log_level(void);
 static void _xmpp_file_logger(void * const userdata,
     const xmpp_log_level_t level, const char * const area,
     const char * const msg);
-static xmpp_log_t * _xmpp_get_file_logger();
+static xmpp_log_t * _xmpp_get_file_logger(void);
 
 static jabber_conn_status_t _jabber_connect(const char * const fulljid,
     const char * const passwd, const char * const altdomain);
diff --git a/test.py b/test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ac14ed84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+def pluginname():
+    return "plugin james"