diff --git a/beets/ui/__init__.py b/beets/ui/__init__.py
index 8c35deca0..f2d298b41 100644
--- a/beets/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/ui/__init__.py
@@ -431,6 +431,20 @@ def get_replacements():
             ))
     return replacements
 
+def get_plugin_paths():
+    """Get the list of search paths for plugins from the config file.
+    The value for "pluginpath" may be a single string or a list of
+    strings.
+    """
+    pluginpaths = config['pluginpath'].get()
+    if isinstance(pluginpaths, basestring):
+        pluginpaths = [pluginpaths]
+    if not isinstance(pluginpaths, list):
+        raise confit.ConfigTypeError(
+            u'pluginpath must be string or a list of strings'
+        )
+    return map(util.normpath, pluginpaths)
+
 def _pick_format(album, fmt=None):
     """Pick a format string for printing Album or Item objects,
     falling back to config options and defaults.
@@ -640,8 +654,7 @@ def _raw_main(args, load_config=True):
     from beets.ui.commands import default_commands
 
     # Add plugin paths.
-    for plugpath in config['pluginpath'].as_str_seq():
-        sys.path.append(os.path.expanduser(plugpath))
+    sys.path += get_plugin_paths()
     # Load requested plugins.
     plugins.load_plugins(config['plugins'].as_str_seq())
     plugins.send("pluginload")
diff --git a/beets/ui/migrate.py b/beets/ui/migrate.py
index f00719bd1..fa4a46271 100644
--- a/beets/ui/migrate.py
+++ b/beets/ui/migrate.py
@@ -184,6 +184,10 @@ def transform_data(data):
                         replacements[pat] = repl
                     out['replace'] = replacements
 
+                elif key == 'pluginpath':
+                    # Used to be a colon-separated string. Now a list.
+                    out['pluginpath'] = value.split(':')
+
                 else:
                     out[key] = value
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/config.rst b/docs/reference/config.rst
index 265b29d21..4a8311f08 100644
--- a/docs/reference/config.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/config.rst
@@ -54,9 +54,15 @@ includes the BPD plugin for playing music.
 pluginpath
 ~~~~~~~~~~
 
-A colon-separated list of directories to search for plugins.  These paths
-are just added to ``sys.path`` before the plugins are loaded. The plugins
-still have to be contained in a ``beetsplug`` namespace package.
+Directories to search for plugins.  These paths are just added to ``sys.path``
+before the plugins are loaded. (The plugins still have to be contained in a
+``beetsplug`` namespace package.) This can either be a single string or a list
+of strings---so, if you have multiple paths, format them as a YAML list like
+so::
+
+    pluginpath:
+        - /path/one
+        - /path/two
 
 ignore
 ~~~~~~