diff --git a/package.cpp b/package.cpp
index a6a787f7b..b696e2ba7 100644
--- a/package.cpp
+++ b/package.cpp
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ QStringList Package::listInstalled(const QString& packageRoot) // static
 }
 
 bool Package::installPackage(const QString& package,
-                             const QString& packageRoot) // static
+                             const QString& packageRoot,
+                             const QString& servicePrefix) // static
 {
     //TODO: report *what* failed if something does fail
     QDir root(packageRoot);
@@ -332,11 +333,7 @@ bool Package::installPackage(const QString& package,
 
     //TODO: reduce code duplication with registerPackage below
 
-    QString serviceName;
-    if (KGlobal::hasMainComponent()) {
-        serviceName = KGlobal::mainComponent().componentName();
-    }
-    serviceName.append("_plasma_applet_" + meta.pluginName());
+    QString serviceName = servicePrefix + meta.pluginName();
 
     QString service = KStandardDirs::locateLocal("services", serviceName + ".desktop");
     KIO::FileCopyJob *job = KIO::file_copy(metaPath, service, -1, KIO::HideProgressInfo);
@@ -356,7 +353,8 @@ bool Package::installPackage(const QString& package,
 }
 
 bool Package::uninstallPackage(const QString& pluginName,
-			       const QString& packageRoot) // static
+                               const QString& packageRoot,
+                               const QString& servicePrefix) // static
 {
     // We need to remove the package directory and its metadata file.
     QString targetName = pluginName;
@@ -367,11 +365,7 @@ bool Package::uninstallPackage(const QString& pluginName,
         return false;
     }
 
-    QString serviceName;
-    if (KGlobal::hasMainComponent()) {
-        serviceName = KGlobal::mainComponent().componentName();
-    }
-    serviceName.append("_plasma_applet_" + pluginName);
+    QString serviceName = servicePrefix + pluginName;
 
     QString service = KStandardDirs::locateLocal("services", serviceName + ".desktop");
     kDebug() << "Removing service file " << service;
diff --git a/package.h b/package.h
index 8bec2499e..d426012ce 100644
--- a/package.h
+++ b/package.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Package
 
         /**
           * Construct a Package object.
-          * 
+          *
           * @arg packagePath full path to the package directory
           * @arg structure the package structure describing this package
           */
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Package
          * @return true on successful installation, false otherwise
          **/
         static bool installPackage(const QString &package,
-                                   const QString &packageRoot);
+                                   const QString &packageRoot,
+                                   const QString &servicePrefix);
 
         /**
          * Uninstalls a package.
@@ -142,7 +143,8 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Package
          * @return true on successful uninstallation, false otherwise
          **/
         static bool uninstallPackage(const QString &package,
-                                   const QString &packageRoot);
+                                     const QString &packageRoot,
+                                     const QString &servicePrefix);
 
 
         /**
diff --git a/packagestructure.cpp b/packagestructure.cpp
index 74748dbf0..409e268c1 100644
--- a/packagestructure.cpp
+++ b/packagestructure.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ public:
     QString type;
     QString path;
     QString contentsPrefix;
+    QString packageRoot;
+    QString servicePrefix;
     QMap<QByteArray, ContentStructure> contents;
     QStringList mimetypes;
     static QHash<QString, PackageStructure::Ptr> structures;
@@ -79,6 +81,8 @@ PackageStructure::PackageStructure(QObject *parent, const QString &type)
 {
     d->type = type;
     d->contentsPrefix = "contents/";
+    d->packageRoot = "plasma/plasmoids/";
+    d->servicePrefix = "plasma-applet-";
 }
 
 PackageStructure::~PackageStructure()
@@ -327,7 +331,7 @@ void PackageStructure::read(const KConfigBase *config)
 {
     d->contents.clear();
     d->mimetypes.clear();
-    d->type = config->group("").readEntry("Type", QString()); 
+    d->type = config->group("").readEntry("Type", QString());
 
     QStringList groups = config->groupList();
     foreach (const QString &group, groups) {
@@ -386,12 +390,32 @@ void PackageStructure::setContentsPrefix(const QString &prefix)
 
 bool PackageStructure::installPackage(const QString &package, const QString &packageRoot)
 {
-    return Package::installPackage(package, packageRoot);
+    return Package::installPackage(package, packageRoot, d->servicePrefix);
 }
 
 bool PackageStructure::uninstallPackage(const QString &packageName, const QString &packageRoot)
 {
-    return Package::uninstallPackage(packageName, packageRoot);
+    return Package::uninstallPackage(packageName, packageRoot, d->servicePrefix);
+}
+
+QString PackageStructure::defaultPackageRoot() const
+{
+    return d->packageRoot;
+}
+
+QString PackageStructure::servicePrefix() const
+{
+    return d->servicePrefix;
+}
+
+void PackageStructure::setDefaultPackageRoot(const QString &packageRoot)
+{
+    d->packageRoot = packageRoot;
+}
+
+void PackageStructure::setServicePrefix(const QString &servicePrefix)
+{
+    d->servicePrefix = servicePrefix;
 }
 
 } // Plasma namespace
diff --git a/packagestructure.h b/packagestructure.h
index 10e7a68b6..a7d6296e8 100644
--- a/packagestructure.h
+++ b/packagestructure.h
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ public:
      * Define mimetypes for a given part of the structure
      * The path must already have been added using addDirectoryDefinition
      * or addFileDefinition.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param path the path of the entry within the package
      * @param mimetypes a list of mimetypes
      **/
@@ -242,6 +242,21 @@ public:
      */
     QString contentsPrefix() const;
 
+    /**
+     * @return preferred package root. This defaults to plasma/plasmoids/
+     */
+    QString defaultPackageRoot() const;
+
+    /**
+     * @return service prefix used in desktop files. This defaults to plasma-applet-
+     */
+    QString servicePrefix() const;
+
+    /**
+     * Sets service prefix.
+     */
+    void setServicePrefix(const QString &servicePrefix);
+
 protected:
     /**
      * Sets the prefix that all the contents in this package should
@@ -253,6 +268,11 @@ protected:
      */
     void setContentsPrefix(const QString &prefix);
 
+    /**
+     * Sets preferred package root.
+     */
+    void setDefaultPackageRoot(const QString &packageRoot);
+
     /**
      * Called whenever the path changes so that subclasses may take
      * package specific actions.