diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index db70906ef..d829071ea 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ ARG_ENABL_SET([fast],           [enable libfast (FastCGI Application Server w/ t
 ARG_ENABL_SET([manager],        [enable web management console (proof of concept).])
 ARG_ENABL_SET([mediation],      [enable IKEv2 Mediation Extension.])
 ARG_ENABL_SET([integrity-test], [enable integrity testing of libstrongswan and plugins.])
+ARG_DISBL_SET([load-warning],   [disable the charon/pluto plugin load option warning in starter.])
 ARG_DISBL_SET([pluto],          [disable the IKEv1 keying daemon pluto.])
 ARG_DISBL_SET([xauth],          [disable xauth plugin.])
 ARG_DISBL_SET([threads],        [disable the use of threads in pluto. Charon always uses threads.])
@@ -880,6 +881,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_FAST, test x$fast = xtrue)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_MANAGER, test x$manager = xtrue)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_ME, test x$mediation = xtrue)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_INTEGRITY_TEST, test x$integrity_test = xtrue)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_LOAD_WARNING, test x$load_warning = xtrue)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_PLUTO, test x$pluto = xtrue)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_THREADS, test x$threads = xtrue)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_CHARON, test x$charon = xtrue)
diff --git a/src/starter/Makefile.am b/src/starter/Makefile.am
index b0941bcbd..9813a0c06 100644
--- a/src/starter/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/starter/Makefile.am
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ if USE_CHARON
   AM_CFLAGS += -DSTART_CHARON
 endif
 
+if USE_LOAD_WARNING
+  AM_CFLAGS += -DLOAD_WARNING
+endif
+
 ipsec.conf.5:	ipsec.conf.5.in
 		sed \
 		-e "s:@IPSEC_VERSION@:$(PACKAGE_VERSION):" \
diff --git a/src/starter/starter.c b/src/starter/starter.c
index 50ef9c07b..c3ba54f1d 100644
--- a/src/starter/starter.c
+++ b/src/starter/starter.c
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 	time_t last_reload;
 	bool no_fork = FALSE;
 	bool attach_gdb = FALSE;
+	bool load_warning = FALSE;
 
 	/* global variables defined in log.h */
 	log_to_stderr = TRUE;
@@ -300,6 +301,21 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 
 	plog("Starting strongSwan "VERSION" IPsec [starter]...");
 
+#ifdef LOAD_WARNING
+	load_warning = TRUE;
+#endif
+
+	if (lib->settings->get_bool(lib->settings, "starter.load_warning", load_warning))
+	{
+		if (lib->settings->get_str(lib->settings, "charon.load", NULL) ||
+			lib->settings->get_str(lib->settings, "pluto.load", NULL))
+		{
+			plog("!! Your strongswan.conf contains manual plugin load options for");
+			plog("!! pluto and/or charon. This is recommended for experts only, see");
+			plog("!! http://wiki.strongswan.org/projects/strongswan/wiki/PluginLoad");
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* verify that we can start */
 	if (getuid() != 0)
 	{