diff --git a/src/analysis/timeline/timelineCred.js b/src/analysis/timeline/timelineCred.js
index 5cb9f6b..ce35dd2 100644
--- a/src/analysis/timeline/timelineCred.js
+++ b/src/analysis/timeline/timelineCred.js
@@ -76,10 +76,6 @@ export class TimelineCred {
     return this._params;
   }
 
-  plugins(): $ReadOnlyArray<PluginDeclaration> {
-    return this._plugins;
-  }
-
   /**
    * Creates a new TimelineCred based on the new Parameters.
    * Holds the graph and config constant.
@@ -151,7 +147,7 @@ export class TimelineCred {
    * with a type specified as a user type by one of the plugin declarations.
    */
   userNodes(): $ReadOnlyArray<CredNode> {
-    const userTypes = [].concat(...this.plugins().map((p) => p.userTypes));
+    const userTypes = [].concat(...this._plugins.map((p) => p.userTypes));
     return this.credSortedNodes(userTypes.map((x) => x.prefix));
   }
 
diff --git a/src/explorer/TimelineApp.js b/src/explorer/TimelineApp.js
index 6a35b70..744e434 100644
--- a/src/explorer/TimelineApp.js
+++ b/src/explorer/TimelineApp.js
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ import type {Assets} from "../webutil/assets";
 import {TimelineExplorer} from "./TimelineExplorer";
 import {TimelineCred} from "../analysis/timeline/timelineCred";
 import {encodeProjectId, type ProjectId} from "../core/project";
+import {
+  type PluginDeclarations,
+  fromJSON as pluginsFromJSON,
+} from "../analysis/pluginDeclaration";
 
 export type Props = {|
   +assets: Assets,
@@ -19,6 +23,7 @@ export type Loading = {|+type: "LOADING"|};
 export type LoadSuccess = {|
   +type: "SUCCESS",
   +timelineCred: TimelineCred,
+  +pluginDeclarations: PluginDeclarations,
 |};
 export type LoadError = {|+type: "ERROR", +error: any|};
 
@@ -62,11 +67,12 @@ export class TimelineApp extends React.Component<Props, State> {
         );
       }
       case "SUCCESS": {
-        const {timelineCred} = loadResult;
+        const {timelineCred, pluginDeclarations} = loadResult;
         return (
           <TimelineExplorer
             initialTimelineCred={timelineCred}
             projectId={this.props.projectId}
+            pluginDeclarations={pluginDeclarations}
           />
         );
       }
@@ -90,9 +96,24 @@ export async function defaultLoader(
     return TimelineCred.fromJSON(await response.json());
   }
 
+  async function fetchPluginDeclarations(): Promise<PluginDeclarations> {
+    const encodedId = encodeProjectId(projectId);
+    const url = assets.resolve(
+      `api/v1/data/projects/${encodedId}/pluginDeclarations.json`
+    );
+    const response = await fetch(url);
+    if (!response.ok) {
+      return Promise.reject(response);
+    }
+    return pluginsFromJSON(await response.json());
+  }
+
   try {
-    const timelineCred = await fetchCred();
-    return {type: "SUCCESS", timelineCred};
+    const [timelineCred, pluginDeclarations] = await Promise.all([
+      fetchCred(),
+      fetchPluginDeclarations(),
+    ]);
+    return {type: "SUCCESS", timelineCred, pluginDeclarations};
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(e);
     return {type: "ERROR", error: e};
diff --git a/src/explorer/TimelineExplorer.js b/src/explorer/TimelineExplorer.js
index 4778c19..4fa1944 100644
--- a/src/explorer/TimelineExplorer.js
+++ b/src/explorer/TimelineExplorer.js
@@ -11,13 +11,17 @@ import {TimelineCredView} from "./TimelineCredView";
 import Link from "../webutil/Link";
 import {WeightConfig} from "./weights/WeightConfig";
 import {WeightsFileManager} from "./weights/WeightsFileManager";
-import {type PluginDeclaration} from "../analysis/pluginDeclaration";
+import {
+  type PluginDeclarations,
+  type PluginDeclaration,
+} from "../analysis/pluginDeclaration";
 import * as NullUtil from "../util/null";
 import {format} from "d3-format";
 
 export type Props = {
   projectId: string,
   initialTimelineCred: TimelineCred,
+  pluginDeclarations: PluginDeclarations,
 };
 
 export type State = {
@@ -89,7 +93,7 @@ export class TimelineExplorer extends React.Component<Props, State> {
     );
     const weightConfig = (
       <WeightConfig
-        declarations={this.state.timelineCred.plugins()}
+        declarations={this.props.pluginDeclarations}
         nodeWeights={this.state.weights.nodeWeights}
         edgeWeights={this.state.weights.edgeWeights}
         onNodeWeightChange={(prefix, weight) => {
@@ -201,7 +205,7 @@ export class TimelineExplorer extends React.Component<Props, State> {
           <option key={"All users"} value={""}>
             All users
           </option>
-          {this.state.timelineCred.plugins().map(optionGroup)}
+          {this.props.pluginDeclarations.map(optionGroup)}
         </select>
       </label>
     );
diff --git a/src/explorer/legacy/App.js b/src/explorer/legacy/App.js
index 5374003..d414a51 100644
--- a/src/explorer/legacy/App.js
+++ b/src/explorer/legacy/App.js
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export function createApp(
       );
       let pagerankTable;
       if (appState.type === "PAGERANK_EVALUATED") {
-        const declarations = appState.timelineCred.plugins();
+        const declarations = appState.pluginDeclarations;
         const weightConfig = (
           <WeightConfig
             declarations={declarations}
diff --git a/src/explorer/legacy/App.test.js b/src/explorer/legacy/App.test.js
index af912d9..9e5ab26 100644
--- a/src/explorer/legacy/App.test.js
+++ b/src/explorer/legacy/App.test.js
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/App", () => {
           defaultParams(),
           []
         ),
+        pluginDeclarations: [],
       });
     },
     pagerankEvaluated: (loadingState) => {
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/App", () => {
           defaultParams(),
           []
         ),
+        pluginDeclarations: [],
         pagerankNodeDecomposition: new Map(),
       });
     },
diff --git a/src/explorer/legacy/state.js b/src/explorer/legacy/state.js
index 013979b..1647664 100644
--- a/src/explorer/legacy/state.js
+++ b/src/explorer/legacy/state.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import deepEqual from "lodash.isequal";
 import {Graph, type NodeAddressT} from "../../core/graph";
 import type {Assets} from "../../webutil/assets";
 import {type EdgeEvaluator} from "../../analysis/pagerank";
-import {defaultLoader} from "../TimelineApp";
+import {defaultLoader, type LoadSuccess} from "../TimelineApp";
 import {
   type PagerankNodeDecomposition,
   type PagerankOptions,
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ import {TimelineCred} from "../../analysis/timeline/timelineCred";
 
 import type {Weights} from "../../core/weights";
 import {weightsToEdgeEvaluator} from "../../analysis/weightsToEdgeEvaluator";
-import {combineTypes} from "../../analysis/pluginDeclaration";
+import {
+  combineTypes,
+  type PluginDeclarations,
+} from "../../analysis/pluginDeclaration";
 
 /*
   This models the UI states of the credExplorer/App as a state machine.
@@ -40,11 +43,13 @@ export type ReadyToRunPagerank = {|
   +type: "READY_TO_RUN_PAGERANK",
   +projectId: string,
   +timelineCred: TimelineCred,
+  +pluginDeclarations: PluginDeclarations,
   +loading: LoadingState,
 |};
 export type PagerankEvaluated = {|
   +type: "PAGERANK_EVALUATED",
   +timelineCred: TimelineCred,
+  +pluginDeclarations: PluginDeclarations,
   +projectId: string,
   +pagerankNodeDecomposition: PagerankNodeDecomposition,
   +loading: LoadingState,
@@ -58,12 +63,7 @@ export function createStateTransitionMachine(
   getState: () => AppState,
   setState: (AppState) => void
 ): StateTransitionMachine {
-  return new StateTransitionMachine(
-    getState,
-    setState,
-    doLoadTimelineCred,
-    pagerank
-  );
+  return new StateTransitionMachine(getState, setState, doLoad, pagerank);
 }
 
 // Exported for testing purposes.
@@ -83,10 +83,7 @@ export interface StateTransitionMachineInterface {
 export class StateTransitionMachine implements StateTransitionMachineInterface {
   getState: () => AppState;
   setState: (AppState) => void;
-  doLoadTimelineCred: (
-    assets: Assets,
-    projectId: string
-  ) => Promise<TimelineCred>;
+  doLoad: (assets: Assets, projectId: string) => Promise<LoadSuccess>;
   pagerank: (
     Graph,
     EdgeEvaluator,
@@ -96,10 +93,7 @@ export class StateTransitionMachine implements StateTransitionMachineInterface {
   constructor(
     getState: () => AppState,
     setState: (AppState) => void,
-    doLoadTimelineCred: (
-      assets: Assets,
-      projectId: string
-    ) => Promise<TimelineCred>,
+    doLoad: (assets: Assets, projectId: string) => Promise<LoadSuccess>,
     pagerank: (
       Graph,
       EdgeEvaluator,
@@ -108,7 +102,7 @@ export class StateTransitionMachine implements StateTransitionMachineInterface {
   ) {
     this.getState = getState;
     this.setState = setState;
-    this.doLoadTimelineCred = doLoadTimelineCred;
+    this.doLoad = doLoad;
     this.pagerank = pagerank;
   }
 
@@ -124,10 +118,14 @@ export class StateTransitionMachine implements StateTransitionMachineInterface {
     let newState: ?AppState;
     let success = true;
     try {
-      const timelineCred = await this.doLoadTimelineCred(assets, projectId);
+      const {pluginDeclarations, timelineCred} = await this.doLoad(
+        assets,
+        projectId
+      );
       newState = {
         type: "READY_TO_RUN_PAGERANK",
         timelineCred,
+        pluginDeclarations,
         projectId,
         loading: "NOT_LOADING",
       };
@@ -159,7 +157,7 @@ export class StateTransitionMachine implements StateTransitionMachineInterface {
     this.setState(loadingState);
     const graph = state.timelineCred.weightedGraph().graph;
     let newState: ?AppState;
-    const types = combineTypes(state.timelineCred.plugins());
+    const types = combineTypes(state.pluginDeclarations);
     try {
       const pagerankNodeDecomposition = await this.pagerank(
         graph,
@@ -173,6 +171,7 @@ export class StateTransitionMachine implements StateTransitionMachineInterface {
         type: "PAGERANK_EVALUATED",
         pagerankNodeDecomposition,
         timelineCred: state.timelineCred,
+        pluginDeclarations: state.pluginDeclarations,
         projectId: state.projectId,
         loading: "NOT_LOADING",
       };
@@ -213,13 +212,13 @@ export class StateTransitionMachine implements StateTransitionMachineInterface {
   }
 }
 
-export async function doLoadTimelineCred(
+export async function doLoad(
   assets: Assets,
   projectId: string
-): Promise<TimelineCred> {
+): Promise<LoadSuccess> {
   const loadResult = await defaultLoader(assets, projectId);
   if (loadResult.type !== "SUCCESS") {
     throw new Error(loadResult);
   }
-  return loadResult.timelineCred;
+  return loadResult;
 }
diff --git a/src/explorer/legacy/state.test.js b/src/explorer/legacy/state.test.js
index 0f5c149..54288ba 100644
--- a/src/explorer/legacy/state.test.js
+++ b/src/explorer/legacy/state.test.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import type {
 } from "../../analysis/pagerank";
 import {TimelineCred} from "../../analysis/timeline/timelineCred";
 import {defaultParams} from "../../analysis/timeline/params";
+import {type LoadSuccess} from "../TimelineApp";
 
 describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
   function example(startingState: AppState) {
@@ -21,9 +22,9 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
     const setState = (appState) => {
       stateContainer.appState = appState;
     };
-    const loadTimelineCredMock: JestMockFn<
+    const loadMock: JestMockFn<
       [Assets, string],
-      Promise<TimelineCred>
+      Promise<LoadSuccess>
     > = jest.fn();
 
     const pagerankMock: JestMockFn<
@@ -33,10 +34,10 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
     const stm = new StateTransitionMachine(
       getState,
       setState,
-      loadTimelineCredMock,
+      loadMock,
       pagerankMock
     );
-    return {getState, stm, loadTimelineCredMock, pagerankMock};
+    return {getState, stm, loadMock, pagerankMock};
   }
   function readyToLoadGraph(): AppState {
     return {
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
         defaultParams(),
         []
       ),
+      pluginDeclarations: [],
     };
   }
   function pagerankEvaluated(): AppState {
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
         defaultParams(),
         []
       ),
+      pluginDeclarations: [],
       pagerankNodeDecomposition: pagerankNodeDecomposition(),
       loading: "NOT_LOADING",
     };
@@ -92,12 +95,12 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
       }
     });
     it("passes along the projectId", () => {
-      const {stm, loadTimelineCredMock} = example(readyToLoadGraph());
-      expect(loadTimelineCredMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+      const {stm, loadMock} = example(readyToLoadGraph());
+      expect(loadMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
       const assets = new Assets("/my/gateway/");
       stm.loadTimelineCred(assets);
-      expect(loadTimelineCredMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      expect(loadTimelineCredMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(assets, "foo/bar");
+      expect(loadMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(loadMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(assets, "foo/bar");
     });
     it("immediately sets loading status", () => {
       const {getState, stm} = example(readyToLoadGraph());
@@ -107,7 +110,7 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
       expect(getState().type).toBe("READY_TO_LOAD_GRAPH");
     });
     it("transitions to READY_TO_RUN_PAGERANK on success", async () => {
-      const {getState, stm, loadTimelineCredMock} = example(readyToLoadGraph());
+      const {getState, stm, loadMock} = example(readyToLoadGraph());
 
       const timelineCred = new TimelineCred(
         WeightedGraph.empty(),
@@ -116,7 +119,12 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
         defaultParams(),
         []
       );
-      loadTimelineCredMock.mockReturnValue(Promise.resolve(timelineCred));
+      const loadResult = {
+        type: "SUCCESS",
+        timelineCred,
+        pluginDeclarations: [],
+      };
+      loadMock.mockReturnValue(Promise.resolve(loadResult));
       const succeeded = await stm.loadTimelineCred(new Assets("/my/gateway/"));
       expect(succeeded).toBe(true);
       const state = getState();
@@ -128,11 +136,11 @@ describe("explorer/legacy/state", () => {
       expect(state.timelineCred).toBe(timelineCred);
     });
     it("sets loading state FAILED on reject", async () => {
-      const {getState, stm, loadTimelineCredMock} = example(readyToLoadGraph());
+      const {getState, stm, loadMock} = example(readyToLoadGraph());
       const error = new Error("Oh no!");
       // $ExpectFlowError
       console.error = jest.fn();
-      loadTimelineCredMock.mockReturnValue(Promise.reject(error));
+      loadMock.mockReturnValue(Promise.reject(error));
       const succeeded = await stm.loadTimelineCred(new Assets("/my/gateway/"));
       expect(succeeded).toBe(false);
       const state = getState();