diff --git a/libs/plugins.lunar b/libs/plugins.lunar
index 81c0f4371..1d22f79ac 100644
--- a/libs/plugins.lunar
+++ b/libs/plugins.lunar
@@ -71,33 +71,43 @@ plugin_call() {
 
 
 update_plugin() {
-	local SECTION PLUGIN
+	local MODULE SECTION PLUGIN UPDATE_COMMAND
 	debug_msg "update_plugin($@)"
 	# update plugins of all modules or a specific one
 	#
 	# $1 - module name
-	# $2 - forced removal of plugin
+	# $2 - forced installation/removal of plugin
 	#
 	# scan module for plugins, and add/delete them as needed
-	if SECTION=$(find_section $1); then
-		if [ -d $MOONBASE/$SECTION/$1/plugin.d ]; then
-			if [ "$2" == "install" ] ; then
-				for PLUGIN in $MOONBASE/$SECTION/$1/plugin.d/*.plugin; do
-					debug_msg "Installed \"$(basename $PLUGIN)\""
-					install -m644 $PLUGIN $PLUGIN_DIR/
-				done
-			elif [ "$2" == "remove" ] || ! module_installed $1 ; then
-				for PLUGIN in $MOONBASE/$SECTION/$1/plugin.d/*.plugin; do
-					debug_msg "Removed \"$(basename $PLUGIN)\""
-					rm -f $PLUGIN_DIR/$(basename $PLUGIN)
-				done
-			else
-				for PLUGIN in $MOONBASE/$SECTION/$1/plugin.d/*.plugin; do
-					debug_msg "Installed \"$(basename $PLUGIN)\""
-					install -m644 $PLUGIN $PLUGIN_DIR/
-				done
-			fi
+	MODULE=$1
+	UPDATE_COMMAND=$2
+
+	# if an explicit command isn't given, figure out automatically
+	# whether to install plugins (for installed modules) or clean up
+	# plugins (for removed modules)
+	if [[ -z "$UPDATE_COMMAND" ]]; then
+		if module_installed $MODULE; then
+			UPDATE_COMMAND=install
+		else
+			UPDATE_COMMAND=remove
 		fi
+	fi
+
+	if SECTION=$(find_section $MODULE); then
+		for PLUGIN in $MOONBASE/$SECTION/$1/plugin.d/*.plugin
+		do
+			case $UPDATE_COMMAND in
+			install)
+				debug_msg "Installed \"$(basename $PLUGIN)\""
+				install -m 644 $PLUGIN $PLUGIN_DIR
+			;;
+
+			remove)
+				debug_msg "Removed \"$(basename $PLUGIN)\""
+				rm -f $PLUGIN_DIR/$(basename $PLUGIN)
+			;;
+			esac
+		done
 		reload_plugins
 	fi
 }
@@ -108,8 +118,9 @@ update_plugins() {
 	debug_msg "update_plugins($@)"
 	# find all plugins in moonbase and run update_plugin() on them
 	verbose_msg "Updating plugins"
-	find $MOONBASE -wholename "*/plugin.d/*.plugin" | while read PLUGIN ; do
-		update_plugin `basename $(echo $PLUGIN | sed 's/\/plugin.d\/.*//g')`
+	find $MOONBASE -wholename "*/plugin.d/*.plugin" | while read PLUGIN
+	do
+		update_plugin $(basename ${PLUGIN%/plugin.d/*})
 	done
 }