diff --git a/lib/compiler.js b/lib/compiler.js
index cf29c982..9d2c5a94 100644
--- a/lib/compiler.js
+++ b/lib/compiler.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/*jshint esversion: 6, loopfunc: true */
 var shelljs = require('shelljs');
 var shelljs_global = require('shelljs/global');
 var fs = require('fs');
@@ -15,13 +16,15 @@ Compiler.prototype.compile_contracts = function(contractFiles) {
     ".sol": this.compile_solidity
   };
 
-  var compilerPlugins = this.plugins.getPluginsFor('compilers');
-  if (compilerPlugins.length > 0) {
-    compilerPlugins.forEach(function(plugin) {
-      plugin.compilers.forEach(function(compilerObject) {
-        available_compilers[compilerObject.extension] = compilerObject.cb;
+  if (this.plugins) {
+    var compilerPlugins = this.plugins.getPluginsFor('compilers');
+    if (compilerPlugins.length > 0) {
+      compilerPlugins.forEach(function(plugin) {
+        plugin.compilers.forEach(function(compilerObject) {
+          available_compilers[compilerObject.extension] = compilerObject.cb;
+        });
       });
-    });
+    }
   }
 
   var compiledObject = {};
diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index 7e3e2b68..4fda03a2 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@ var Config = function(options) {
   this.contractsFiles = [];
   this.configDir = options.configDir || 'config/';
   this.chainsFile = options.chainsFile || './chains.json';
+  this.plugins = options.plugins;
   this.logger = options.logger;
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadConfigFiles = function(options) {
   this.embarkConfig = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(options.embarkConfig));
+  this.embarkConfig.plugins = this.embarkConfig.plugins || {};
 
   this.loadPipelineConfigFile();
   this.loadBlockchainConfigFile();
diff --git a/test/compiler.js b/test/compiler.js
index adcb6e85..d39b9993 100644
--- a/test/compiler.js
+++ b/test/compiler.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ var readFile = function(file) {
 };
 
 describe('embark.Compiler', function() {
-  var compiler = new Compiler();
+  var compiler = new Compiler({});
 
   describe('#compile_solidity', function() {
     var compiledContracts = compiler.compile_solidity([
diff --git a/test/config.js b/test/config.js
index 3f3ef920..78aca2de 100644
--- a/test/config.js
+++ b/test/config.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*globals describe, it*/
 var Config = require('../lib/config.js');
+var Plugins = require('../lib/plugins.js');
 var assert = require('assert');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ describe('embark.Config', function() {
     env: 'myenv',
     configDir: './test/test1/config/'
   });
+  config.plugins = new Plugins({plugins: {}});
 
   describe('#loadBlockchainConfigFile', function() {
     it('should load blockchain config correctly', function() {
diff --git a/test/console.js b/test/console.js
index 91a76750..c523b271 100644
--- a/test/console.js
+++ b/test/console.js
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 /*globals describe, it*/
 var Console = require('../lib/console.js');
+var Plugins = require('../lib/plugins.js');
 var assert = require('assert');
 
 describe('embark.Console', function() {
-  var console = new Console();
+  var plugins = new Plugins({plugins: {}});
+  var console = new Console({plugins: plugins});
 
   describe('#executeCmd', function() {