diff --git a/plugins/python/python.c b/plugins/python/python.c
index e887ef8f..d1cdb1c8 100644
--- a/plugins/python/python.c
+++ b/plugins/python/python.c
@@ -385,11 +385,21 @@ Util_Autoload_from (const char *dir_name)
 static void
 Util_Autoload()
 {
+	const char *xdir;
+	char *sub_dir;
 	/* we need local filesystem encoding for chdir, opendir etc */
 
 	/* auto-load from ~/.xchat2/ or %APPDATA%\X-Chat 2\ */
+	xdir = xchat_get_info(ph, "xchatdirfs");
 	Util_Autoload_from(xchat_get_info(ph, "xchatdirfs"));
 
+	/* auto-load from subdirectory plugins */
+	sub_dir = malloc (strlen (xdir) + 9);
+	strcpy (sub_dir, xdir);
+	strcat (sub_dir, "/plugins");
+	Util_Autoload_from(sub_dir);
+	free (sub_dir);
+
 #ifdef WIN32	/* also auto-load C:\Program Files\XChat\Plugins\*.py */
 	Util_Autoload_from(HEXCHATLIBDIR"/plugins");
 #endif