diff --git a/cabot/cabotapp/alert.py b/cabot/cabotapp/alert.py
index 0b70e30..eefd83a 100644
--- a/cabot/cabotapp/alert.py
+++ b/cabot/cabotapp/alert.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class AlertPlugin(PolymorphicModel):
     def __unicode__(self):
         return u'%s' % (self.title)
 
-    def send_alert(service, users, duty_officers):
+    def send_alert(self, service, users, duty_officers):
         """
         Implement a send_alert function here that shall be called.
         """
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class AlertPluginUserData(PolymorphicModel):
 
     class Meta:
         unique_together = ('title', 'user',)
-        
+
     def __unicode__(self):
         return u'%s' % (self.title)
 
diff --git a/cabot/settings.py b/cabot/settings.py
index e92f223..ee5371a 100644
--- a/cabot/settings.py
+++ b/cabot/settings.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import dj_database_url
+import re
 from django.conf import settings
 from cabot.celeryconfig import *
 from cabot.cabot_config import *
@@ -125,8 +126,13 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = (
 )
 
 # Load additional apps from configuration file
+CABOT_PLUGINS_ENABLED_PARSED = []
 for plugin in CABOT_PLUGINS_ENABLED.split(","):
-    INSTALLED_APPS += (plugin,)
+    # Hack to clean up if versions of plugins specified
+    exploded = re.split(r'[<>=]+', plugin)
+    CABOT_PLUGINS_ENABLED_PARSED.append(exploded[0])
+
+INSTALLED_APPS += tuple(CABOT_PLUGINS_ENABLED_PARSED)
 
 COMPRESS_PRECOMPILERS = (
     ('text/coffeescript', 'coffee --compile --stdio'),
diff --git a/cabot/urls.py b/cabot/urls.py
index bf13042..72c1f27 100644
--- a/cabot/urls.py
+++ b/cabot/urls.py
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ from django.contrib.auth.views import login, logout, password_reset, password_re
 admin.autodiscover()
 
 from importlib import import_module
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 urlpatterns = patterns('',
                                              url(r'^$', view=RedirectView.as_view(url='services/', permanent=False),
@@ -143,11 +146,11 @@ def append_plugin_urls():
     Appends plugin specific URLs to the urlpatterns variable.
     """
     global urlpatterns
-    for plugin in settings.CABOT_PLUGINS_ENABLED.split(','):
+    for plugin in settings.CABOT_PLUGINS_ENABLED_PARSED:
         try:
             _module = import_module('%s.urls' % plugin)
-        except:
-            pass
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error('No url file available for plugin %s' % plugin)
         else:
             urlpatterns += patterns('',
                 url(r'^plugins/%s/' % plugin, include('%s.urls' % plugin))