diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index d1d60218f3..924660f8dc 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -855,14 +855,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 	     ! (id_name || bst_file) && ! command_line_policy && ! print_plugins )
 		add_input_file("-");
 
-	// Process remaining arguments.  X=Y arguments indicate script
-	// variable/parameter assignments.  The remainder are treated
-	// as scripts to load.
+	// Process remaining arguments. X=Y arguments indicate script
+	// variable/parameter assignments. X::Y arguments indicate plugins to
+	// activate/query. The remainder are treated as scripts to load.
 	while ( optind < argc )
 		{
 		if ( strchr(argv[optind], '=') )
 			params.push_back(argv[optind++]);
-		else if ( print_plugins && strstr(argv[optind], "::") )
+		else if ( strstr(argv[optind], "::") )
 			requested_plugins.insert(argv[optind++]);
 		else
 			add_input_file(argv[optind++]);
@@ -890,6 +890,10 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 	file_mgr->InitPreScript();
 	broxygen_mgr->InitPreScript();
 
+	for ( set<string>::const_iterator i = requested_plugins.begin();
+	      i != requested_plugins.end(); i++ )
+		plugin_mgr->ActivateDynamicPlugin(*i);
+
 	plugin_mgr->ActivateDynamicPlugins(! bare_mode);
 
 	if ( events_file )
diff --git a/src/plugin/Manager.cc b/src/plugin/Manager.cc
index efe7e0aea3..657050df77 100644
--- a/src/plugin/Manager.cc
+++ b/src/plugin/Manager.cc
@@ -146,6 +146,10 @@ bool Manager::ActivateDynamicPluginInternal(const std::string& name, bool ok_if_
 		return false;
                 }
 
+	if ( m->second == "" )
+		// Already activated.
+		return true;
+
 	std::string dir = m->second + "/";
 
 	if ( dir.empty() )
@@ -283,6 +287,8 @@ void Manager::UpdateInputFiles()
 	for ( file_list::const_reverse_iterator i = scripts_to_load.rbegin();
 	      i != scripts_to_load.rend(); i++ )
 		add_input_file_at_front((*i).c_str());
+
+	scripts_to_load.clear();
 	}
 
 static bool plugin_cmp(const Plugin* a, const Plugin* b)
diff --git a/testing/btest/Baseline/plugins.bifs-and-scripts/output b/testing/btest/Baseline/plugins.bifs-and-scripts/output
index 82daee1d7e..ef591e92aa 100644
--- a/testing/btest/Baseline/plugins.bifs-and-scripts/output
+++ b/testing/btest/Baseline/plugins.bifs-and-scripts/output
@@ -18,3 +18,7 @@ calling bif, Hello from the plugin!
 plugin: automatically loaded at startup
 calling bif, Hello from the plugin!
 plugin: manually loaded
+===
+plugin: automatically loaded at startup
+calling bif, Hello from the plugin!
+plugin: manually loaded
diff --git a/testing/btest/plugins/bifs-and-scripts.sh b/testing/btest/plugins/bifs-and-scripts.sh
index 5df9972c95..9975da21c6 100644
--- a/testing/btest/plugins/bifs-and-scripts.sh
+++ b/testing/btest/plugins/bifs-and-scripts.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@
 # @TEST-EXEC: echo === >>output
 # @TEST-EXEC: BRO_PLUGIN_PATH=`pwd` bro -b ./activate.bro  demo/foo -r $TRACES/empty.trace >>output
 
+# @TEST-EXEC: echo === >>output
+# @TEST-EXEC: BRO_PLUGIN_PATH=`pwd` bro -b Demo::Foo  demo/foo -r $TRACES/empty.trace >>output
+
 # @TEST-EXEC: TEST_DIFF_CANONIFIER= btest-diff output
 
 cat >scripts/__load__.bro <<EOF