diff --git a/src/groovy/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilder.groovy b/src/groovy/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilder.groovy
index 8e3009c..61dfb6d 100644
--- a/src/groovy/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilder.groovy
+++ b/src/groovy/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilder.groovy
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ class RuntimeOptionsBuilder {
 
     RuntimeOptions init (RuntimeOptions options, Map<String, Object> args) {
         addTags (options)
+        clearDefaultPlugins (options)
         addFormatter (options, args.format as String)
+        addPlugins (options, args.plugin as String)
         addGluePaths (options)
         addFeaturePaths (options)
         addFilter (options, args.params as List<String> ?: [])
@@ -110,9 +112,12 @@ class RuntimeOptionsBuilder {
         }
     }
 
-    private void addFormatter (RuntimeOptions options, String format) {
+    private void clearDefaultPlugins (RuntimeOptions options) {
         options.clearDefaultPlugins ()
+    }
 
+    // compatibility with 1.0.1 and earlier
+    private void addFormatter (RuntimeOptions options, String format) {
         if (format) {
             options.addPlugin (format)
         }
@@ -123,6 +128,18 @@ class RuntimeOptionsBuilder {
         }
     }
 
+    // replaces formats/--format configuration
+    private void addPlugins (RuntimeOptions options, String plugin) {
+        if (plugin) {
+            options.addPlugin (plugin)
+        }
+        else {
+            configObject.cucumber.plugins.each {
+                options.addPlugin (it)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     private void addTags (RuntimeOptions options) {
         configObject.cucumber.tags.each {
             options.filters.add (it)
diff --git a/test/unit/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilderSpec.groovy b/test/unit/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilderSpec.groovy
index 250d128..eb75b11 100644
--- a/test/unit/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilderSpec.groovy
+++ b/test/unit/grails/plugin/cucumber/RuntimeOptionsBuilderSpec.groovy
@@ -331,4 +331,37 @@ class RuntimeOptionsBuilderSpec extends Specification {
         options.pluginNames.size () == 1
         options.pluginNames.containsAll (args.format)
     }
+
+    def "add plugin(s) from configuration to options" () {
+        given:
+        configObject.cucumber.plugins = [
+            "json:target/results.json",
+            "html:target/results"
+        ]
+
+        when:
+        def options = createRuntimeOptions (configObject)
+
+        then:
+        options.pluginNames.containsAll (configObject.cucumber.plugins)
+    }
+
+    @Deprecated
+    def "command line --plugin= overwrites config plugins" () {
+        given:
+        configObject.cucumber.plugins = [
+            "html:target/results"
+        ]
+        def args = [
+            'plugin': "json:target/override.json"
+        ]
+
+        when:
+        def options = createRuntimeOptions (configObject, args)
+
+        then:
+        options.pluginNames.size () == 1
+        options.pluginNames.containsAll (args.plugin)
+    }
+
 }