diff --git a/src/cli_plugin/install/kibana.js b/src/cli_plugin/install/kibana.js
index c329992837c264..18f8d1cffc1991 100644
--- a/src/cli_plugin/install/kibana.js
+++ b/src/cli_plugin/install/kibana.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export async function rebuildCache(settings, logger) {
       },
       plugins: {
         initialize: false,
+        install: true,
         scanDirs: [settings.pluginDir, fromRoot('src/plugins')]
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/plugins/i18n/index.js b/src/plugins/i18n/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..53d2203ec0b1a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/i18n/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import _ from 'lodash';
+
+export default function ({ Plugin }) {
+  return new Plugin({
+
+    install(installContext) {
+      _.set(installContext, 'i18n.registerTranslations', function (dir) {
+        console.log(`Translation registered at ${dir}`);
+      });
+    }
+
+  });
+};
diff --git a/src/plugins/i18n/package.json b/src/plugins/i18n/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..060c459e22be8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/i18n/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "name": "i18n",
+  "version": "1.0.0"
+}
diff --git a/src/server/config/schema.js b/src/server/config/schema.js
index bb78856f1c72bc..9e22cd2d9760b7 100644
--- a/src/server/config/schema.js
+++ b/src/server/config/schema.js
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ module.exports = () => Joi.object({
   plugins: Joi.object({
     paths: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).default([]),
     scanDirs: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).default([]),
-    initialize: Joi.boolean().default(true)
+    initialize: Joi.boolean().default(true),
+    install: Joi.boolean().default(false)
   }).default(),
 
   path: Joi.object({
diff --git a/src/server/kbn_server.js b/src/server/kbn_server.js
index 8ad9d9c0709d80..7a240d98eac347 100644
--- a/src/server/kbn_server.js
+++ b/src/server/kbn_server.js
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ module.exports = class KbnServer {
       // tell the config we are done loading plugins
       require('./config/complete'),
 
+      // run plugin install hooks
+      require('./plugins/install'),
+
       // setup this.uiExports and this.bundles
       require('../ui'),
 
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/install.js b/src/server/plugins/install.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d1c244bb647226
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/plugins/install.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { includes } from 'lodash';
+
+export default async function (kbnServer, server, config) {
+
+  if (!config.get('plugins.install')) {
+    server.log(['info'], 'Plugin installation disabled.');
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  const installContext = {};
+  const { plugins } = kbnServer;
+
+
+  const path = [];
+
+  const initialize = async function (id) {
+    const plugin = plugins.byId[id];
+
+    if (includes(path, id)) {
+      throw new Error(`circular dependencies found: "${path.concat(id).join(' -> ')}"`);
+    }
+
+    path.push(id);
+
+    for (let reqId of plugin.requiredIds) {
+      if (!plugins.byId[reqId]) {
+        throw new Error(`Unmet requirement "${reqId}" for plugin "${id}"`);
+      }
+
+      await initialize(reqId);
+    }
+
+    await plugin.install(installContext);
+    path.pop();
+  };
+
+  const collection = plugins.toArray();
+
+  for (let { id } of collection) {
+    await initialize(id);
+  }
+};
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/plugin.js b/src/server/plugins/plugin.js
index 877ff2d887bb8b..49fcbd9e9389ee 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/plugin.js
+++ b/src/server/plugins/plugin.js
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ module.exports = class Plugin {
     this.version = opts.version || pkg.version;
     this.externalPreInit = opts.preInit || _.noop;
     this.externalInit = opts.init || _.noop;
+    this.externalInstall = opts.install || _.noop;
     this.configPrefix = opts.configPrefix || this.id;
     this.getConfigSchema = opts.config || _.noop;
     this.preInit = _.once(this.preInit);
@@ -157,6 +158,10 @@ module.exports = class Plugin {
     this[extendInitFns].push(fn);
   }
 
+  async install(installContext) {
+    return await this.externalInstall(installContext);
+  }
+
   toJSON() {
     return this.pkg;
   }