diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 408d01d..c3efd9d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 include config.mk
 
 PROJECT  = zathura
-SOURCE   = $(shell find . -iname "*.c" -a ! -iwholename "*./doc*")
+SOURCE   = $(shell find . -iname "*.c" -a ! -iwholename "*./doc*|*./ft*")
 OBJECTS  = $(patsubst %.c, %.o,  $(SOURCE))
 DOBJECTS = $(patsubst %.c, %.do, $(SOURCE))
 
diff --git a/callbacks.c b/callbacks.c
index fd1c1a0..66c166b 100644
--- a/callbacks.c
+++ b/callbacks.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "zathura.h"
 #include "render.h"
-#include "ft/document.h"
+#include "document.h"
 
 gboolean
 cb_destroy(GtkWidget* widget, gpointer data)
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ cb_destroy(GtkWidget* widget, gpointer data)
 
   document_close();
 
+  /* free registered plugins */
+  zathura_document_plugin_free();
+
   return TRUE;
 }
 
diff --git a/ft/document.c b/document.c
similarity index 82%
rename from ft/document.c
rename to document.c
index e672257..3fa9d5d 100644
--- a/ft/document.c
+++ b/document.c
@@ -10,17 +10,70 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 
 #include "document.h"
-#include "pdf/pdf.h"
-#include "djvu/djvu.h"
-#include "../utils.h"
-#include "../zathura.h"
+#include "utils.h"
+#include "zathura.h"
 
 #define LENGTH(x) (sizeof(x)/sizeof((x)[0]))
 
-zathura_document_plugin_t zathura_document_plugins[] = {
-  { "pdf",  pdf_document_open },
-  { "djvu", djvu_document_open },
-};
+zathura_document_plugin_t* zathura_document_plugins = NULL;
+
+bool
+zathura_document_register_plugin(char* file_extension, zathura_document_open_t open_function)
+{
+  if( (file_extension == NULL) || (open_function == NULL) ) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "plugin: could not register\n");
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  /* search existing plugins */
+  zathura_document_plugin_t* plugin = zathura_document_plugins;
+  while (plugin) {
+    if (!strcmp(plugin->file_extension, file_extension)) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "plugin: already registered for filetype %s\n", file_extension);
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    if (plugin->next == NULL) {
+      break;
+    }
+
+    plugin = plugin->next;
+  }
+
+  /* create new plugin */
+  zathura_document_plugin_t* new_plugin = malloc(sizeof(zathura_document_plugin_t));
+
+  if (new_plugin == NULL) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  new_plugin->file_extension = file_extension;
+  new_plugin->open_function  = open_function;
+  new_plugin->next           = NULL;
+
+  /* append to list */
+  if (plugin == NULL) {
+    zathura_document_plugins = new_plugin;
+  } else {
+    plugin->next = new_plugin;
+  }
+
+  return true;
+}
+
+void
+zathura_document_plugin_free(void)
+{
+  /* free registered plugins */
+  zathura_document_plugin_t* plugin = zathura_document_plugins;
+  while (plugin) {
+    zathura_document_plugin_t* tmp = plugin->next;
+    free(plugin);
+    plugin = tmp;
+  }
+
+  zathura_document_plugins = NULL;
+}
 
 zathura_document_t*
 zathura_document_open(const char* path, const char* password)
@@ -88,11 +141,11 @@ zathura_document_open(const char* path, const char* password)
   document->functions.page_render              = NULL;
 
   /* init plugin with associated file type */
-  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < LENGTH(zathura_document_plugins); i++)
-  {
-    if (!strcmp(file_extension, zathura_document_plugins[i].file_extension)) {
-      if (zathura_document_plugins[i].open_function) {
-        if (zathura_document_plugins[i].open_function(document)) {
+  zathura_document_plugin_t* plugin = zathura_document_plugins;
+  while (plugin) {
+    if (!strcmp(file_extension, plugin->file_extension)) {
+      if (plugin->open_function) {
+        if (plugin->open_function(document)) {
           /* update statusbar */
           girara_statusbar_item_set_text(Zathura.UI.session, Zathura.UI.statusbar.file, real_path);
 
@@ -122,6 +175,8 @@ zathura_document_open(const char* path, const char* password)
         }
       }
     }
+
+    plugin = plugin->next;
   }
 
   fprintf(stderr, "error: unknown file type\n");
diff --git a/ft/document.h b/document.h
similarity index 94%
rename from ft/document.h
rename to document.h
index 725c8e8..b8e03d3 100644
--- a/ft/document.h
+++ b/document.h
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ typedef bool (*zathura_document_open_t)(zathura_document_t* document);
 
 typedef struct zathura_document_plugin_s
 {
-  const char* file_extension;
+  char* file_extension;
   zathura_document_open_t open_function;
+  struct zathura_document_plugin_s *next;
 } zathura_document_plugin_t;
 
 struct zathura_list_s
@@ -113,6 +114,9 @@ struct zathura_document_s
   zathura_page_t** pages;
 };
 
+bool zathura_document_plugin_register(char* file_extension, zathura_document_open_t open_function);
+void zathura_document_plugin_free(void);
+
 zathura_document_t* zathura_document_open(const char* path, const char* password);
 bool zathura_document_free(zathura_document_t* document);
 bool zathura_document_save_as(zathura_document_t* document, const char* path);
diff --git a/ft/djvu/djvu.h b/ft/djvu/djvu.h
index 5f6d894..f043f69 100644
--- a/ft/djvu/djvu.h
+++ b/ft/djvu/djvu.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <libdjvu/ddjvuapi.h>
 
-#include "../document.h"
+#include "../../document.h"
 
 typedef struct djvu_document_s
 {
diff --git a/ft/pdf/pdf.h b/ft/pdf/pdf.h
index 39afbe0..5b959d0 100644
--- a/ft/pdf/pdf.h
+++ b/ft/pdf/pdf.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <poppler.h>
 
-#include "../document.h"
+#include "../../document.h"
 
 typedef struct pdf_document_s
 {
diff --git a/render.h b/render.h
index 4e430ab..1f48f95 100644
--- a/render.h
+++ b/render.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <girara-datastructures.h>
 
-#include "ft/document.h"
+#include "document.h"
 #include "callbacks.h"
 
 typedef struct render_thread_s
diff --git a/zathura.c b/zathura.c
index 26bedde..7295957 100644
--- a/zathura.c
+++ b/zathura.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "callbacks.h"
 #include "config.h"
-#include "ft/document.h"
+#include "document.h"
 #include "shortcuts.h"
 #include "zathura.h"
 #include "utils.h"
diff --git a/zathura.h b/zathura.h
index 7b283c5..2002e27 100644
--- a/zathura.h
+++ b/zathura.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <girara.h>
 #include <render.h>
 
-#include "ft/document.h"
+#include "document.h"
 
 enum { NEXT, PREVIOUS, LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, BOTTOM, TOP, HIDE, HIGHLIGHT,
   DELETE_LAST_WORD, DELETE_LAST_CHAR, DEFAULT, ERROR, WARNING, NEXT_GROUP,