diff --git a/src/charon-nm/charon-nm.c b/src/charon-nm/charon-nm.c
index 2e781c08a..d847d1e83 100644
--- a/src/charon-nm/charon-nm.c
+++ b/src/charon-nm/charon-nm.c
@@ -264,6 +264,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		DBG1(DBG_DMN, "daemon 'charon-nm': passed file integrity test");
 	}
 
+	/* register NM backend to be loaded with plugins */
+	nm_backend_register();
+
 	/* initialize daemon */
 	if (!charon->initialize(charon,
 			lib->settings->get_str(lib->settings, "charon-nm.load", PLUGINS)))
@@ -272,17 +275,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		goto deinit;
 	}
 
-	/* load NM backend */
-	if (!nm_backend_init())
-	{
-		DBG1(DBG_DMN, "failed to initialize NetworkManager backend - aborting charon-nm");
-		goto deinit_nm;
-	}
-
 	if (!drop_capabilities())
 	{
 		DBG1(DBG_DMN, "capability dropping failed - aborting charon-nm");
-		goto deinit_nm;
+		goto deinit;
 	}
 
 	/* add handler for SEGV and ILL,
@@ -308,8 +304,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	status = 0;
 
-deinit_nm:
-	nm_backend_deinit();
 deinit:
 	libcharon_deinit();
 	libhydra_deinit();
diff --git a/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.c b/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.c
index 19d095935..f8ed23ef1 100644
--- a/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.c
+++ b/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.c
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ static bool cancel(nm_backend_t *this)
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-/*
- * see header file
+/**
+ * Deinitialize NetworkManager backend
  */
-void nm_backend_deinit()
+static void nm_backend_deinit()
 {
 	nm_backend_t *this = nm_backend;
 
@@ -107,10 +107,10 @@ void nm_backend_deinit()
 	nm_backend = NULL;
 }
 
-/*
- * see header file
+/**
+ * Initialize NetworkManager backend
  */
-bool nm_backend_init()
+static bool nm_backend_init()
 {
 	nm_backend_t *this;
 
@@ -145,3 +145,29 @@ bool nm_backend_init()
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Initialize/deinitialize NetworkManager backend
+ */
+static bool nm_backend_cb(void *plugin,
+						  plugin_feature_t *feature, bool reg, void *data)
+{
+	if (reg)
+	{
+		return nm_backend_init();
+	}
+	nm_backend_deinit();
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+/*
+ * see header file
+ */
+void nm_backend_register()
+{
+	static plugin_feature_t features[] = {
+		PLUGIN_CALLBACK((plugin_feature_callback_t)nm_backend_cb, NULL),
+			PLUGIN_PROVIDE(CUSTOM, "NetworkManager backend"),
+	};
+	lib->plugins->add_static_features(lib->plugins, "nm-backend", features,
+									  countof(features), TRUE);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.h b/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.h
index bff9d4d6f..89dc536f6 100644
--- a/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.h
+++ b/src/charon-nm/nm/nm_backend.h
@@ -31,11 +31,6 @@
  *
  * @return		TRUE, if initialization was successful
  */
-bool nm_backend_init();
-
-/**
- * Deinitialize the NetworkManager backend.
- */
-void nm_backend_deinit();
+void nm_backend_register();
 
 #endif /** NM_BACKEND_H_ @}*/