diff --git a/pkg/plugin/backup_item_action.go b/pkg/plugin/backup_item_action.go
index 28dd561e2..076045dc3 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/backup_item_action.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/backup_item_action.go
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ func NewBackupItemActionPlugin(itemAction arkbackup.ItemAction) *BackupItemActio
 	}
 }
 
+func (p *BackupItemActionPlugin) Kind() PluginKind {
+	return PluginKindBackupItemAction
+}
+
 // GRPCServer registers a BackupItemAction gRPC server.
 func (p *BackupItemActionPlugin) GRPCServer(s *grpc.Server) error {
 	proto.RegisterBackupItemActionServer(s, &BackupItemActionGRPCServer{impl: p.impl})
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/block_store.go b/pkg/plugin/block_store.go
index ce52d1df6..4c0fcc580 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/block_store.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/block_store.go
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ func NewBlockStorePlugin(blockStore cloudprovider.BlockStore) *BlockStorePlugin
 	}
 }
 
+func (p *BlockStorePlugin) Kind() PluginKind {
+	return PluginKindBlockStore
+}
+
 // GRPCServer registers a BlockStore gRPC server.
 func (p *BlockStorePlugin) GRPCServer(s *grpc.Server) error {
 	proto.RegisterBlockStoreServer(s, &BlockStoreGRPCServer{impl: p.impl})
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/interface.go b/pkg/plugin/interface.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..961bfc034
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/plugin/interface.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2017 the Heptio Ark contributors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package plugin
+
+import plugin "github.com/hashicorp/go-plugin"
+
+// Interface represents an Ark plugin.
+type Interface interface {
+	plugin.Plugin
+
+	// Kind returns the PluginKind for the plugin.
+	Kind() PluginKind
+}
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/object_store.go b/pkg/plugin/object_store.go
index 17108bedc..8896881d4 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/object_store.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/object_store.go
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ func NewObjectStorePlugin(objectStore cloudprovider.ObjectStore) *ObjectStorePlu
 	}
 }
 
+func (p *ObjectStorePlugin) Kind() PluginKind {
+	return PluginKindObjectStore
+}
+
 // GRPCServer registers an ObjectStore gRPC server.
 func (p *ObjectStorePlugin) GRPCServer(s *grpc.Server) error {
 	proto.RegisterObjectStoreServer(s, &ObjectStoreGRPCServer{impl: p.impl})
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/restore_item_action.go b/pkg/plugin/restore_item_action.go
index 832a36ecb..53953ba80 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/restore_item_action.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/restore_item_action.go
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ func NewRestoreItemActionPlugin(itemAction restore.ItemAction) *RestoreItemActio
 	}
 }
 
+func (p *RestoreItemActionPlugin) Kind() PluginKind {
+	return PluginKindRestoreItemAction
+}
+
 // GRPCServer registers a RestoreItemAction gRPC server.
 func (p *RestoreItemActionPlugin) GRPCServer(s *grpc.Server) error {
 	proto.RegisterRestoreItemActionServer(s, &RestoreItemActionGRPCServer{impl: p.impl})
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/shared.go b/pkg/plugin/shared.go
index 0b92621cb..969490aa0 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/shared.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/shared.go
@@ -25,3 +25,14 @@ var Handshake = plugin.HandshakeConfig{
 	MagicCookieKey:   "ARK_PLUGIN",
 	MagicCookieValue: "hello",
 }
+
+// Serve serves the plugin p.
+func Serve(p Interface) {
+	plugin.Serve(&plugin.ServeConfig{
+		HandshakeConfig: Handshake,
+		Plugins: map[string]plugin.Plugin{
+			string(p.Kind()): p,
+		},
+		GRPCServer: plugin.DefaultGRPCServer,
+	})
+}