diff --git a/site/docs/configuration.md b/site/docs/configuration.md
index 31bf7048..c94656db 100644
--- a/site/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/site/docs/configuration.md
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ layouts:     ./_layouts
 include:     ['.htaccess']
 exclude:     []
 keep_files:  ['.git','.svn']
+gems:        []
 timezone:    nil
 encoding:    nil
 
diff --git a/site/docs/plugins.md b/site/docs/plugins.md
index a61d903e..c9e0c5ad 100644
--- a/site/docs/plugins.md
+++ b/site/docs/plugins.md
@@ -25,9 +25,27 @@ having to modify the Jekyll source itself.
 
 ## Installing a plugin
 
-In your site source root, make a `_plugins` directory. Place your plugins here.
-Any file ending in `*.rb` inside this directory will be loaded before Jekyll
-generates your site.
+You have 2 options for installing plugins:
+
+1. In your site source root, make a `_plugins` directory. Place your plugins here.
+    Any file ending in `*.rb` inside this directory will be loaded before Jekyll
+    generates your site.
+2. In your `_config.yml` file, add a new array with the key `gems` and the values
+    of the gem names of the plugins you'd like to use. An example:
+
+        gems: [jekyll-test-plugin, jekyll-jsonify, jekyll-assets]
+        # This will require each of these gems automatically.
+
+<div class="note info">
+  <h5>
+    <code>_plugins</code> and <code>gems</code>
+    can be used simultaneously
+  </h5>
+  <p>
+    You may use both of the aforementioned plugin options simultaneously in the
+    same site if you so choose. Use of one does not restrict the use of the other
+  </p>
+</div>
 
 In general, plugins you make will fall into one of three categories:
 
@@ -67,7 +85,7 @@ module Reading
   class Generator < Jekyll::Generator
     def generate(site)
       ongoing, done = Book.all.partition(&:ongoing?)
-  
+
       reading = site.pages.detect {|page| page.name == 'reading.html'}
       reading.data['ongoing'] = ongoing
       reading.data['done'] = done
@@ -394,7 +412,7 @@ You can find a few useful plugins at the following locations:
 
 - [ArchiveGenerator by Ilkka Laukkanen](https://gist.github.com/707909): Uses [this archive page](https://gist.github.com/707020) to generate archives.
 - [LESS.js Generator by Andy Fowler](https://gist.github.com/642739): Renders LESS.js files during generation.
-- [Version Reporter by Blake Smith](https://gist.github.com/449491): Creates a version.html file containing the Jekyll version. 
+- [Version Reporter by Blake Smith](https://gist.github.com/449491): Creates a version.html file containing the Jekyll version.
 - [Sitemap.xml Generator by Michael Levin](https://github.com/kinnetica/jekyll-plugins): Generates a sitemap.xml file by traversing all of the available posts and pages.
 - [Full-text search by Pascal Widdershoven](https://github.com/PascalW/jekyll_indextank): Adds full-text search to your Jekyll site with a plugin and a bit of JavaScript.
 - [AliasGenerator by Thomas Mango](https://github.com/tsmango/jekyll_alias_generator): Generates redirect pages for posts when an alias is specified in the YAML Front Matter.