diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/api/ITestRunnerContributor.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/api/ITestRunnerContributor.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fe018238
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/api/ITestRunnerContributor.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package com.beust.kobalt.api
+
+import com.beust.kobalt.TaskResult
+
+/**
+ * Plugins that can run a project (task "run" or "test") should implement this interface.
+ */
+interface ITestRunnerContributor : IContributor, IAffinity {
+    /**
+     * Run the project.
+     */
+    fun run(project: Project, context: KobaltContext, classpath: List<IClasspathDependency>) : TaskResult
+}
+
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/GenericRunner.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/GenericRunner.kt
index ad834516..7512644c 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/GenericRunner.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/GenericRunner.kt
@@ -3,16 +3,16 @@ package com.beust.kobalt.internal
 import com.beust.kobalt.JavaInfo
 import com.beust.kobalt.SystemProperties
 import com.beust.kobalt.TaskResult
-import com.beust.kobalt.api.IRunnerContributor
+import com.beust.kobalt.api.IClasspathDependency
+import com.beust.kobalt.api.ITestRunnerContributor
 import com.beust.kobalt.api.KobaltContext
 import com.beust.kobalt.api.Project
-import com.beust.kobalt.api.IClasspathDependency
 import com.beust.kobalt.misc.KFiles
 import com.beust.kobalt.misc.log
 import java.io.File
 import java.net.URLClassLoader
 
-abstract class GenericTestRunner : IRunnerContributor {
+abstract class GenericTestRunner : ITestRunnerContributor {
     abstract val mainClass: String
     abstract fun args(project: Project, classpath: List<IClasspathDependency>) : List<String>
 
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt
index db2d412a..6f1f5316 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt
@@ -32,50 +32,11 @@ class KobaltPluginXml {
     @XmlElement @JvmField
     var name: String? = null
 
-    @XmlElement(name = "plugins") @JvmField
-    var plugins : ClassNameXml? = null
+    @XmlElement(name = "plugin-actors") @JvmField
+    var pluginActors : ClassNameXml? = null
 
     @XmlElement(name = "factory-class-name") @JvmField
     var factoryClassName: String? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "classpath-contributors") @JvmField
-    var classpathContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "project-contributors") @JvmField
-    var projectContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "init-contributors") @JvmField
-    var initContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "repo-contributors") @JvmField
-    var repoContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "compiler-flag-contributors") @JvmField
-    var compilerFlagContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "compiler-interceptors") @JvmField
-    var compilerInterceptors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "source-directories-interceptors") @JvmField
-    var sourceDirectoriesInterceptors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "build-directory-interceptors") @JvmField
-    var buildDirectoryInterceptors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "runner-contributors") @JvmField
-    var runnerContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "test-runner-contributors") @JvmField
-    var testRunnerContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "classpath-interceptors") @JvmField
-    var classpathInterceptors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "compiler-contributors") @JvmField
-    var compilerContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
-
-    @XmlElement(name = "doc-contributors") @JvmField
-    var docContributors: ClassNameXml? = null
 }
 
 class ContributorXml {
@@ -104,7 +65,7 @@ class PluginInfo(val xml: KobaltPluginXml, val classLoader: ClassLoader?) {
     val sourceDirectoriesInterceptors = arrayListOf<ISourceDirectoriesIncerceptor>()
     val buildDirectoryInterceptors = arrayListOf<IBuildDirectoryIncerceptor>()
     val runnerContributors = arrayListOf<IRunnerContributor>()
-    val testRunnerContributors = arrayListOf<IRunnerContributor>()
+    val testRunnerContributors = arrayListOf<ITestRunnerContributor>()
     val classpathInterceptors = arrayListOf<IClasspathInterceptor>()
     val compilerContributors = arrayListOf<ICompilerContributor>()
     val docContributors = arrayListOf<IDocContributor>()
@@ -154,50 +115,32 @@ class PluginInfo(val xml: KobaltPluginXml, val classLoader: ClassLoader?) {
             if (classLoader != null) classLoader.loadClass(className)
             else Class.forName(className)
 
-        xml.plugins?.className?.forEach {
-            plugins.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IPlugin)
-        }
-        xml.classpathContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            classpathContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IClasspathContributor)
-        }
-        xml.projectContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            projectContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IProjectContributor)
-        }
-        xml.initContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            initContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IInitContributor)
-        }
-        xml.repoContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            repoContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IRepoContributor)
-        }
-        xml.compilerFlagContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            compilerFlagContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as ICompilerFlagContributor)
-        }
-        xml.compilerInterceptors?.className?.forEach {
-            compilerInterceptors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as ICompilerInterceptor)
-        }
-        xml.sourceDirectoriesInterceptors?.className?.forEach {
-            sourceDirectoriesInterceptors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as ISourceDirectoriesIncerceptor)
-        }
-        xml.buildDirectoryInterceptors?.className?.forEach {
-            buildDirectoryInterceptors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IBuildDirectoryIncerceptor)
-        }
-        xml.runnerContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            runnerContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IRunnerContributor)
-        }
-        xml.testRunnerContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            testRunnerContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IRunnerContributor)
-        }
-        xml.classpathInterceptors?.className?.forEach {
-            classpathInterceptors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IClasspathInterceptor)
-        }
-        xml.compilerContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            compilerContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as ICompilerContributor)
-        }
-        xml.docContributors?.className?.forEach {
-            docContributors.add(factory.instanceOf(forName(it)) as IDocContributor)
+        //
+        // Populate pluginInfo with what was found in Kobalt's own kobalt-plugin.xml
+        //
+        xml.pluginActors?.className?.forEach {
+            with(factory.instanceOf(forName(it))) {
+                if (this is IPlugin) plugins.add(this)
+                if (this is IClasspathContributor) classpathContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is IProjectContributor) projectContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is IInitContributor) initContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is IRepoContributor) repoContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is ICompilerContributor) compilerContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is ICompilerInterceptor) compilerInterceptors.add(this)
+                if (this is ISourceDirectoriesIncerceptor) sourceDirectoriesInterceptors.add(this)
+                if (this is IBuildDirectoryIncerceptor) buildDirectoryInterceptors.add(this)
+                if (this is IRunnerContributor) runnerContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is ITestRunnerContributor) testRunnerContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is IClasspathInterceptor) classpathInterceptors.add(this)
+                if (this is ICompilerContributor) compilerContributors.add(this)
+                if (this is IDocContributor) docContributors.add(this)
+            }
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Populate pluginInfo with what was found in the plug-in's kobalt-plugin.xml
+     */
     fun addPluginInfo(pluginInfo: PluginInfo) {
         log(2, "Found new plug-in, adding it to pluginInfo: $pluginInfo")
 
@@ -206,6 +149,14 @@ class PluginInfo(val xml: KobaltPluginXml, val classLoader: ClassLoader?) {
         projectContributors.addAll(pluginInfo.projectContributors)
         initContributors.addAll(pluginInfo.initContributors)
         repoContributors.addAll(pluginInfo.repoContributors)
+        compilerInterceptors.addAll(pluginInfo.compilerInterceptors)
+        sourceDirectoriesInterceptors.addAll(pluginInfo.sourceDirectoriesInterceptors)
+        buildDirectoryInterceptors.addAll(pluginInfo.buildDirectoryInterceptors)
+        runnerContributors.addAll(pluginInfo.runnerContributors)
+        testRunnerContributors.addAll(pluginInfo.testRunnerContributors)
+        classpathInterceptors.addAll(pluginInfo.classpathInterceptors)
+        compilerContributors.addAll(pluginInfo.compilerContributors)
+        docContributors.addAll(pluginInfo.docContributors)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/resources/META-INF/kobalt-plugin.xml b/src/main/resources/META-INF/kobalt-plugin.xml
index b7d695cd..d1e464ef 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/META-INF/kobalt-plugin.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/META-INF/kobalt-plugin.xml
@@ -1,58 +1,25 @@
 <kobalt-plugin>
     <name>kobalt</name>
     <factory-class-name>com.beust.kobalt.internal.GuiceFactory</factory-class-name>
-    <plugins>
+    <plugin-actors>
+        <!-- Classes within this tag are instantiated and the introspected by Kobalt. Whenever they -->
+        <!-- are found to implement one of IPluginActor's interfaces, they are added as such -->
+        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.java.JavaPlugin</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.application.ApplicationPlugin</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.KobaltPlugin</class-name>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.java.JavaPlugin</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.kotlin.KotlinPlugin</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.packaging.PackagingPlugin</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.publish.PublishPlugin</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.apt.AptPlugin</class-name>
-    </plugins>
-    <classpath-contributors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.kotlin.KotlinPlugin</class-name>
-    </classpath-contributors>
-    <project-contributors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.java.JavaPlugin</class-name>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.kotlin.KotlinPlugin</class-name>
-    </project-contributors>
-    <init-contributors>
+
+        <!-- These classes manage -init for Java and Kotlin -->
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.java.JavaBuildGenerator</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.kotlin.KotlinBuildGenerator</class-name>
-    </init-contributors>
-    <repo-contributors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
-    </repo-contributors>
-    <compiler-flag-contributors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.apt.AptPlugin</class-name>
-    </compiler-flag-contributors>
-    <build-directory-interceptors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
-    </build-directory-interceptors>
-    <compiler-interceptors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
-    </compiler-interceptors>
-    <runner-contributors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.application.ApplicationPlugin</class-name>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
-    </runner-contributors>
-    <test-runner-contributors>
+
+        <!-- These classes run TestNG or JUnit depending on which one the user picked -->
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.internal.JUnitRunner</class-name>
         <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.internal.TestNgRunner</class-name>
-    </test-runner-contributors>
-    <classpath-interceptors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.android.AndroidPlugin</class-name>
-    </classpath-interceptors>
-    <compiler-contributors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.java.JavaPlugin</class-name>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.kotlin.KotlinPlugin</class-name>
-    </compiler-contributors>
-    <doc-contributors>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.java.JavaPlugin</class-name>
-        <class-name>com.beust.kobalt.plugin.kotlin.KotlinPlugin</class-name>
-    </doc-contributors>
+
+    </plugin-actors>
 </kobalt-plugin>
\ No newline at end of file