diff --git a/src/node/plugin.ts b/src/node/plugin.ts
index 54f7f2b76..e17a9909c 100644
--- a/src/node/plugin.ts
+++ b/src/node/plugin.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,15 @@ import * as path from "path"
 import * as util from "util"
 import { Args } from "./cli"
 import { HttpServer } from "./http"
+import { paths } from "./util"
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires */
 
 export type Activate = (httpServer: HttpServer, args: Args) => void
 
+/**
+ * Plugins must implement this interface.
+ */
 export interface Plugin {
   activate: Activate
 }
@@ -23,38 +27,60 @@ require("module")._load = function (request: string, parent: object, isMain: boo
   return originalLoad.apply(this, [request.replace(/^code-server/, path.resolve(__dirname, "../..")), parent, isMain])
 }
 
+/**
+ * Load a plugin and run its activation function.
+ */
 const loadPlugin = async (pluginPath: string, httpServer: HttpServer, args: Args): Promise<void> => {
   try {
     const plugin: Plugin = require(pluginPath)
     plugin.activate(httpServer, args)
-    logger.debug("Loaded plugin", field("name", path.basename(pluginPath)))
+
+    const packageJson = require(path.join(pluginPath, "package.json"))
+    logger.debug(
+      "Loaded plugin",
+      field("name", packageJson.name || path.basename(pluginPath)),
+      field("path", pluginPath),
+      field("version", packageJson.version || "n/a"),
+    )
   } catch (error) {
-    if (error.code !== "MODULE_NOT_FOUND") {
-      logger.warn(error.message)
-    } else {
-      logger.error(error.message)
-    }
+    logger.error(error.message)
   }
 }
 
-const _loadPlugins = async (httpServer: HttpServer, args: Args): Promise<void> => {
-  const pluginPath = path.resolve(__dirname, "../../plugins")
-  const files = await util.promisify(fs.readdir)(pluginPath, {
-    withFileTypes: true,
-  })
-  await Promise.all(files.map((file) => loadPlugin(path.join(pluginPath, file.name), httpServer, args)))
-}
-
-export const loadPlugins = async (httpServer: HttpServer, args: Args): Promise<void> => {
+/**
+ * Load all plugins in the specified directory.
+ */
+const _loadPlugins = async (pluginDir: string, httpServer: HttpServer, args: Args): Promise<void> => {
   try {
-    await _loadPlugins(httpServer, args)
+    const files = await util.promisify(fs.readdir)(pluginDir, {
+      withFileTypes: true,
+    })
+    await Promise.all(files.map((file) => loadPlugin(path.join(pluginDir, file.name), httpServer, args)))
   } catch (error) {
     if (error.code !== "ENOENT") {
       logger.warn(error.message)
     }
   }
-
-  if (process.env.PLUGIN_DIR) {
-    await loadPlugin(process.env.PLUGIN_DIR, httpServer, args)
-  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Load all plugins from the `plugins` directory, directories specified by
+ * `CS_PLUGIN_PATH` (colon-separated), and individual plugins specified by
+ * `CS_PLUGIN` (also colon-separated).
+ */
+export const loadPlugins = async (httpServer: HttpServer, args: Args): Promise<void> => {
+  const pluginPath = process.env.CS_PLUGIN_PATH || `${path.join(paths.data, "plugins")}:/usr/share/code-server/plugins`
+  const plugin = process.env.CS_PLUGIN || ""
+  await Promise.all([
+    // Built-in plugins.
+    _loadPlugins(path.resolve(__dirname, "../../plugins"), httpServer, args),
+    // User-added plugins.
+    ...pluginPath.split(":").map((dir) => _loadPlugins(path.resolve(dir), httpServer, args)),
+    // Individual plugins so you don't have to symlink or move them into a
+    // directory specifically for plugins. This lets you load plugins that are
+    // on the same level as other directories that are not plugins (if you tried
+    // to use CS_PLUGIN_PATH code-server would try to load those other
+    // directories as plugins). Intended for development.
+    ...plugin.split(":").map((dir) => loadPlugin(path.resolve(dir), httpServer, args)),
+  ])
 }