diff --git a/core/AmConfig.cpp b/core/AmConfig.cpp
index d6bfebc7..9c459046 100644
--- a/core/AmConfig.cpp
+++ b/core/AmConfig.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ string       AmConfig::SendMethod              = SEND_METHOD;
 string       AmConfig::SmtpServerAddress       = SMTP_ADDRESS_IP;
 unsigned int AmConfig::SmtpServerPort          = SMTP_PORT;
 string       AmConfig::PlugInPath              = PLUG_IN_PATH;
+string       AmConfig::LoadPlugins             = "";
 int          AmConfig::DaemonMode              = DEFAULT_DAEMON_MODE;
 string       AmConfig::LocalIP                 = "";
 string       AmConfig::PrefixSep               = PREFIX_SEPARATOR;
@@ -176,6 +177,9 @@ int AmConfig::readConfiguration()
     // plugin_path
     PlugInPath = cfg.getParameter("plugin_path");
 
+    // load_plugins
+    LoadPlugins = cfg.getParameter("load_plugins");
+
 	// user_agent
 	if (cfg.getParameter("use_default_signature")=="yes")
 		Signature = DEFAULT_SIGNATURE;
diff --git a/core/AmConfig.h b/core/AmConfig.h
index bd4fdee1..2a78675c 100644
--- a/core/AmConfig.h
+++ b/core/AmConfig.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ struct AmConfig
     static unsigned int SmtpServerPort;
     /** Path where the plug-ins are. */
     static string PlugInPath;
+	/** semicolon separated list of plugins to load */
+	static string LoadPlugins;
     //static unsigned int MaxRecordTime;
     /** run the programm in daemon mode? */
     static int DaemonMode;
diff --git a/core/AmPlugIn.cpp b/core/AmPlugIn.cpp
index f82ae69b..fc4932d2 100644
--- a/core/AmPlugIn.cpp
+++ b/core/AmPlugIn.cpp
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ AmPlugIn* AmPlugIn::instance()
 }
 
 
-int AmPlugIn::load(const string& directory)
+int AmPlugIn::load(const string& directory, const string& plugins)
 {
     int err=0;
     struct dirent* entry;
@@ -130,18 +130,53 @@ int AmPlugIn::load(const string& directory)
     }
 
 
-    while( ((entry = readdir(dir)) != NULL) && (err == 0) ){
-
-	string plugin_file = directory + "/" + string(entry->d_name);
-
-	if( plugin_file.find(".so",plugin_file.length()-3) == string::npos ){
-	    continue;
+	if (!plugins.length()) {
+		DBG("AmPlugIn: loading modules in directory '%s':\n", directory.c_str());
+
+		while( ((entry = readdir(dir)) != NULL) && (err == 0) ){
+
+			string plugin_file = directory + "/" + string(entry->d_name);
+
+			if( plugin_file.find(".so",plugin_file.length()-3) == string::npos ){
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			DBG("loading %s ...\n",plugin_file.c_str());
+			if( (err = loadPlugIn(plugin_file)) < 0 )
+				ERROR("while loading plug-in '%s'\n",plugin_file.c_str());
+		}
+	} else {
+		DBG("AmPlugIn: loading modules '%s':\n", plugins.c_str());
+
+		size_t pos = 0;
+		
+		while (pos < plugins.length()) {
+			size_t pos2 = plugins.find(";", pos);
+			if (pos2 == string::npos) 
+				pos2 = plugins.length();
+			string plugin_file = plugins.substr(pos, pos2-pos);
+			if( plugin_file.find(".so",plugin_file.length()-3) == string::npos )
+				plugin_file+=".so";
+			
+			plugin_file = directory + "/"  + plugin_file;
+			DBG("loading %s...\n",plugin_file.c_str());
+			if( (err = loadPlugIn(plugin_file)) < 0 ) {
+				ERROR("while loading plug-in '%s'\n",plugin_file.c_str());
+				// be strict here: if plugin not loaded, stop!
+				return err; 
+			}
+			if (plugins[pos2]==';')
+				pos = pos2+1;
+			else 
+				break;
+			
+		}
 	}
+    closedir(dir);
 
-	DBG("loading %s ...\n",plugin_file.c_str());
-	if( (err = loadPlugIn(plugin_file)) < 0 )
-	    ERROR("while loading plug-in '%s'\n",plugin_file.c_str());
-    }
+	DBG("AmPlugIn: modules loaded.\n");
+
+	DBG("AmPlugIn: Initializing plugins...\n");
 
     for(map<string,AmSessionEventHandlerFactory*>::iterator it = name2seh.begin();
 	it != name2seh.end(); it++){
@@ -177,7 +212,10 @@ int AmPlugIn::load(const string& directory)
 	    break;
     }
 
-    closedir(dir);
+	if (!err) {
+		DBG("AmPlugIn: Initialized plugins.\n");
+	}
+
     return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/core/AmPlugIn.h b/core/AmPlugIn.h
index 30fb6ced..d668e5dc 100644
--- a/core/AmPlugIn.h
+++ b/core/AmPlugIn.h
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ private:
      * Loads all plug-ins from the directory given as parameter. 
      * @return -1 if failed, else 0.
      */
-    int load(const string& directory);
+    int load(const string& directory, const string& plugins);
 
     /** 
      * Payload lookup function.
diff --git a/core/sems.conf.sample b/core/sems.conf.sample
index 27fd5c1e..956781a8 100644
--- a/core/sems.conf.sample
+++ b/core/sems.conf.sample
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ ser_socket_name=/tmp/ser_sock
 # - may be absolute or relative to CWD
 plugin_path=/usr/local/lib/sems/plug-in
 
+# optional parameter: load_plugins=<modules list>
+# 
+# semicolon-separated list of modules to load
+# If empty, all modules in plugin_path are loaded.
+#
+# example for announcement with g711 and ilbc codecs only 
+# load_plugins=wav;ilbc;announcement
+
 # optional parameter: smtp_server=<hostname>
 #
 # - sets address of smtp server
diff --git a/core/sems.cpp b/core/sems.cpp
index d41125bc..95d078c9 100644
--- a/core/sems.cpp
+++ b/core/sems.cpp
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 	return -1;
 
     DBG("Loading plug-ins\n");
-    if(AmPlugIn::instance()->load(AmConfig::PlugInPath))
+    if(AmPlugIn::instance()->load(AmConfig::PlugInPath, AmConfig::LoadPlugins))
 	return -1;
 
     DBG("Starting session container\n");