diff --git a/lib/prepare.js b/lib/prepare.js
index 2d0fc56db2..d32a6bde08 100644
--- a/lib/prepare.js
+++ b/lib/prepare.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const yamlParser = require('js-yaml')
 const tomlParser = require('toml')
 const createMarkdown = require('./markdown')
 const tempPath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'app/.temp')
-const { inferTitle, extractHeaders, parseFrontmatter } = require('./util')
+const { inferTitle, extractHeaders, parseFrontmatter, loadPlugin, cloneOptions } = require('./util')
 
 fs.ensureDirSync(tempPath)
 
@@ -74,6 +74,30 @@ if (!Object.assign) Object.assign = require('object-assign')`
     fs.existsSync(options.themeEnhanceAppPath)
   )
 
+  // 7. handle user plugins
+  if (options.siteConfig.plugins && Array.isArray(options.siteConfig.plugins)) {
+    const { plugins } = options.siteConfig
+
+    for (const plugin of plugins) {
+      let pluginRequired
+      let pluginOptions
+      const exposedOptions = cloneOptions(options)
+      if (typeof plugin === 'string') {
+        pluginRequired = loadPlugin(plugin, sourceDir)
+      } else if (Array.isArray(plugin)) {
+        pluginRequired = loadPlugin(plugin[0], sourceDir)
+        pluginOptions = plugin[1]
+      }
+      if (pluginRequired) {
+        try {
+          await pluginRequired({ exposedOptions, pluginOptions })
+        } catch (e) {
+          throw e
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   return options
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/util/index.js b/lib/util/index.js
index 01ef6ac77f..f5179a96f9 100644
--- a/lib/util/index.js
+++ b/lib/util/index.js
@@ -84,3 +84,43 @@ exports.extractHeaders = (content, include = [], md) => {
   cache.set(key, res)
   return res
 }
+
+exports.loadPlugin = (pluginPath, sourceDir) => {
+  const fs = require('fs-extra')
+  const path = require('path')
+  const vuepressDir = path.resolve(sourceDir, '.vuepress')
+  let plugin
+  try {
+    if (fs.existsSync(path.resolve(vuepressDir, pluginPath))) {
+      plugin = require(path.resolve(vuepressDir, pluginPath))
+    } else {
+      plugin = require(pluginPath)
+    }
+  } catch (e) {
+    throw e
+  }
+  return plugin
+}
+
+exports.cloneOptions = (options) => {
+  const optionClone = {}
+  const readonlyProperties = ['sourceDir', 'outDir', 'publicPath', 'markdown', 'themePath', 'useDefaultTheme', 'notFoundPath']
+  const writableProperties = ['siteConfig', 'pageFiles', 'siteData']
+
+  readonlyProperties.forEach(prop => {
+    Object.defineProperty(optionClone, prop, {
+      value: options[prop],
+      enumerable: true
+    })
+  })
+
+  writableProperties.forEach(prop => {
+    Object.defineProperty(optionClone, prop, {
+      value: options[prop],
+      writable: true,
+      enumerable: true
+    })
+  })
+
+  return optionClone
+}