diff --git a/applet.cpp b/applet.cpp
index 4e4b141cc..c15f83d70 100644
--- a/applet.cpp
+++ b/applet.cpp
@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@
 namespace Plasma
 {
 
-Applet::Applet(QGraphicsItem *parent,
-               const QString &serviceID,
-               uint appletId)
+Applet::Applet(QGraphicsItem *parent, const QString &serviceID, uint appletId)
     :  QGraphicsWidget(parent),
        d(new AppletPrivate(KService::serviceByStorageId(serviceID), appletId, this))
 {
@@ -1733,6 +1731,23 @@ QStringList Applet::listCategories(const QString &parentApp, bool visibleOnly)
     return categories;
 }
 
+Applet::Applet(const QString &packagePath, uint appletId, const QVariantList &args)
+    : QGraphicsWidget(0),
+      d(new AppletPrivate(KService::Ptr(new KService(packagePath + "/metadata.desktop")), appletId, this))
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(args) // FIXME?
+    d->init(packagePath);
+}
+
+Applet *Applet::loadPlasmoid(const QString &path, uint appletId, const QVariantList &args)
+{
+    if (QFile::exists(path + "/metadata.desktop")) {
+        return new Applet(path, appletId, args);
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 Applet *Applet::load(const QString &appletName, uint appletId, const QVariantList &args)
 {
     if (appletName.isEmpty()) {
@@ -2058,7 +2073,7 @@ AppletPrivate::~AppletPrivate()
     mainConfig = 0;
 }
 
-void AppletPrivate::init()
+void AppletPrivate::init(const QString &packagePath)
 {
     // WARNING: do not access config() OR globalConfig() in this method!
     //          that requires a scene, which is not available at this point
@@ -2082,9 +2097,10 @@ void AppletPrivate::init()
     // we have a scripted plasmoid
     if (!api.isEmpty()) {
         // find where the Package is
-        QString path = KStandardDirs::locate(
-            "data",
-            "plasma/plasmoids/" + appletDescription.pluginName() + '/');
+        QString path = packagePath;
+        if (path.isEmpty()) {
+            KStandardDirs::locate("data", "plasma/plasmoids/" + appletDescription.pluginName() + '/');
+        }
 
         if (path.isEmpty()) {
             q->setFailedToLaunch(
@@ -2095,8 +2111,7 @@ void AppletPrivate::init()
         } else {
             // create the package and see if we have something real
             //kDebug() << "trying for" << path;
-            PackageStructure::Ptr structure =
-                Plasma::packageStructure(api, Plasma::AppletComponent);
+            PackageStructure::Ptr structure = Plasma::packageStructure(api, Plasma::AppletComponent);
             structure->setPath(path);
             package = new Package(path, structure);
 
@@ -2129,9 +2144,7 @@ void AppletPrivate::init()
     }
 
     q->setBackgroundHints(Applet::DefaultBackground);
-
     q->setHasConfigurationInterface(true);
-
     QObject::connect(Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme(), SIGNAL(themeChanged()), q, SLOT(themeChanged()));
 }
 
diff --git a/applet.h b/applet.h
index f92382fa6..e67a8e525 100644
--- a/applet.h
+++ b/applet.h
@@ -310,6 +310,23 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QGraphicsWidget
         static QStringList listCategories(const QString &parentApp = QString(),
                                           bool visibleOnly = true);
 
+        /**
+         * Attempts to load an apppet from a package
+         *
+         * Returns a pointer to the applet if successful.
+         * The caller takes responsibility for the applet, including
+         * deleting it when no longer needed.
+         *
+         * @param path the path to the package
+         * @param appletId unique ID to assign the applet, or zero to have one
+         *        assigned automatically.
+         * @param args to send the applet extra arguments
+         * @return a pointer to the loaded applet, or 0 on load failure
+         * @since 4.3
+         **/
+        static Applet *loadPlasmoid(const QString &path, uint appletId = 0,
+                                    const QVariantList &args = QVariantList());
+
         /**
          * Attempts to load an applet
          *
@@ -567,13 +584,12 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QGraphicsWidget
          *      instances of the same Applet type
          * @param args  a list of strings containing two entries: the service id
          *      and the applet id
-         * @since KDE4.3 
+         * @since KDE4.3
          */
         explicit Applet(QGraphicsItem *parent,
                         const QString &serviceId,
                         uint appletId,
-                        const QVariantList &args
-                        );
+                        const QVariantList &args);
 
 
         /**
@@ -907,6 +923,16 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QGraphicsWidget
         void timerEvent (QTimerEvent *event);
 
     private:
+        /**
+         * @internal This constructor is to be used with the Package loading system.
+         *
+         * @param parent a QObject parent; you probably want to pass in 0
+         * @param args a list of strings containing two entries: the service id
+         *      and the applet id
+         * @since 4.3
+         */
+        Applet(const QString &packagePath, uint appletId, const QVariantList &args);
+
         Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void setFocus())
         Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void checkImmutability())
         Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void themeChanged())
diff --git a/private/applet_p.h b/private/applet_p.h
index 578e3f898..edcf17c9b 100644
--- a/private/applet_p.h
+++ b/private/applet_p.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public:
     AppletPrivate(KService::Ptr service, int uniqueID, Applet *applet);
     ~AppletPrivate();
 
-    void init();
+    void init(const QString &packagePath = QString());
 
     // put all setup routines for script here. at this point we can assume that
     // package exists and that we have a script engin