diff --git a/lib/jekyll/plugin_manager.rb b/lib/jekyll/plugin_manager.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc9b8955
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/jekyll/plugin_manager.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+module Jekyll
+  class PluginManager
+    attr_reader :site
+
+    # Create an instance of this class.
+    #
+    # site - the instance of Jekyll::Site we're concerned with
+    #
+    # Returns nothing
+    def initialize(site)
+      @site = site
+    end
+
+    # Require all the plugins which are allowed.
+    #
+    # Returns nothing
+    def conscientious_require
+      require_plugin_files
+      require_gems
+    end
+
+    # Require each of the gem plugins specified.
+    #
+    # Returns nothing.
+    def require_gems
+      site.gems.each do |gem|
+        if plugin_allowed?(gem)
+          require gem
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Check whether a gem plugin is allowed to be used during this build.
+    #
+    # gem_name - the name of the gem
+    #
+    # Returns true if the gem name is in the whitelist or if the site is not
+    #   in safe mode.
+    def plugin_allowed?(gem_name)
+      !site.safe || whitelist.include?(gem_name)
+    end
+
+    # Build an array of allowed plugin gem names.
+    #
+    # Returns an array of strings, each string being the name of a gem name
+    #   that is allowed to be used.
+    def whitelist
+      @whitelist ||= Array[site.config['whitelist']].flatten
+    end
+
+    # Require all .rb files if safe mode is off
+    #
+    # Returns nothing.
+    def require_plugin_files
+      # If safe mode is off, load in any Ruby files under the plugins
+      # directory.
+      unless site.safe
+        plugins.each do |plugins|
+          Dir[File.join(plugins, "**", "*.rb")].sort.each do |f|
+            require f
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Static: Setup the plugin search path
+    #
+    # path_from_site - the plugin path from the Site configuration
+    #
+    # Returns an Array of plugin search paths
+    def self.plugins_path(path_from_site)
+      if (path_from_site == Jekyll::Configuration::DEFAULTS['plugins'])
+        [File.join(source, path_from_site)]
+      else
+        Array(path_from_site).map { |d| File.expand_path(d) }
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/site.rb b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
index d909e0fe..1dbd37aa 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/site.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module Jekyll
 
       self.source = File.expand_path(config['source'])
       self.dest = File.expand_path(config['destination'])
-      self.plugins = plugins_path
+      self.plugins = Jekyll::PluginManager.plugins_path(config['plugins'])
       self.permalink_style = config['permalink'].to_sym
 
       self.file_read_opts = {}
@@ -63,17 +63,7 @@ module Jekyll
     def setup
       ensure_not_in_dest
 
-      # If safe mode is off, load in any Ruby files under the plugins
-      # directory.
-      unless safe
-        plugins.each do |plugins|
-          Dir[File.join(plugins, "**/*.rb")].sort.each do |f|
-            require f
-          end
-        end
-      end
-
-      require_gems
+      Jekyll::PluginManager.new(self).conscientious_require
 
       self.converters = instantiate_subclasses(Jekyll::Converter)
       self.generators = instantiate_subclasses(Jekyll::Generator)
@@ -90,33 +80,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    def require_gems
-      gems.each do |gem|
-        if plugin_allowed?(gem)
-          require gem
-        end
-      end
-    end
-
-    def plugin_allowed?(gem_name)
-      whitelist.include?(gem_name) || !safe
-    end
-
-    def whitelist
-      @whitelist ||= Array[config['whitelist']].flatten
-    end
-
-    # Internal: Setup the plugin search path
-    #
-    # Returns an Array of plugin search paths
-    def plugins_path
-      if (config['plugins'] == Jekyll::Configuration::DEFAULTS['plugins'])
-        [File.join(source, config['plugins'])]
-      else
-        Array(config['plugins']).map { |d| File.expand_path(d) }
-      end
-    end
-
     # Read Site data from disk and load it into internal data structures.
     #
     # Returns nothing.
@@ -307,7 +270,7 @@ module Jekyll
     #                  See Site#post_attr_hash for type info.
     def site_payload
       {"jekyll" => { "version" => Jekyll::VERSION },
-       "site" => config.merge({
+       "site"   => config.merge({
           "time"         => time,
           "posts"        => posts.sort { |a, b| b <=> a },
           "pages"        => pages,