diff --git a/src/plugins/plugins.c b/src/plugins/plugins.c
index 2e39f866..4d8f1f05 100644
--- a/src/plugins/plugins.c
+++ b/src/plugins/plugins.c
@@ -20,10 +20,7 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include <Python.h>
-
 #include "config/preferences.h"
-#include "plugins/api.h"
 #include "plugins/callbacks.h"
 #include "plugins/plugins.h"
 #include "plugins/python_api.h"
@@ -37,17 +34,7 @@ plugins_init(void)
 {
     plugins = NULL;
 
-    // initialse python and path
-    Py_Initialize();
-    python_check_error();
-    python_api_init();
-    python_check_error();
-    // TODO change to use XDG spec
-    GString *path = g_string_new(Py_GetPath());
-    g_string_append(path, ":./plugins/");
-    PySys_SetPath(path->str);
-    python_check_error();
-    g_string_free(path, TRUE);
+    python_init();
 
     // load plugins
     gchar **plugins_load = prefs_get_plugins();
@@ -114,5 +101,5 @@ plugins_on_message(const char * const jid, const char * const message)
 void
 plugins_shutdown(void)
 {
-    Py_Finalize();
+    python_shutdown();
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/python_api.h b/src/plugins/python_api.h
index d598ec68..4eaa59e1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/python_api.h
+++ b/src/plugins/python_api.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #ifndef PYTHON_API_H
 #define PYTHON_API_H
 
+void python_init(void);
 void python_api_init(void);
+void python_shutdown(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/plugins/python_plugins.c b/src/plugins/python_plugins.c
index 7750724d..f6486b45 100644
--- a/src/plugins/python_plugins.c
+++ b/src/plugins/python_plugins.c
@@ -26,9 +26,25 @@
 #include "plugins/api.h"
 #include "plugins/callbacks.h"
 #include "plugins/plugins.h"
+#include "plugins/python_api.h"
 #include "plugins/python_plugins.h"
 #include "ui/ui.h"
 
+void
+python_init(void)
+{
+    Py_Initialize();
+    python_check_error();
+    python_api_init();
+    python_check_error();
+    // TODO change to use XDG spec
+    GString *path = g_string_new(Py_GetPath());
+    g_string_append(path, ":./plugins/");
+    PySys_SetPath(path->str);
+    python_check_error();
+    g_string_free(path, TRUE);
+}
+
 ProfPlugin *
 python_plugin_create(const char * const filename)
 {
@@ -130,3 +146,9 @@ python_check_error(void)
         PyErr_Clear();
     }
 }
+
+void
+python_shutdown(void)
+{
+    Py_Finalize();
+}