diff --git a/src/node/hooks/express/adminplugins.js b/src/node/hooks/express/adminplugins.js
index 7e221cf1e..d8f19bba9 100644
--- a/src/node/hooks/express/adminplugins.js
+++ b/src/node/hooks/express/adminplugins.js
@@ -27,49 +27,84 @@ exports.socketio = function (hook_name, args, cb) {
   io.on('connection', function (socket) {
     if (!socket.handshake.session.user || !socket.handshake.session.user.is_admin) return;
 
-    socket.on("load", function (query) {
+    socket.on("getInstalled", function (query) {
       // send currently installed plugins
-      socket.emit("installed-results", {results: plugins.plugins});
-      socket.emit("progress", {progress:1});
+      var installed = Object.keys(plugins.plugins).map(function(plugin) {
+        return plugins.plugins[plugin].package
+      })
+      socket.emit("results:installed", {installed: installed});
     });
     
     socket.on("checkUpdates", function() {
-      socket.emit("progress", {progress:0, message:'Checking for plugin updates...'});
       // Check plugins for updates
-      installer.search({offset: 0, pattern: '', limit: 500}, /*useCache:*/true, function(data) { // hacky
-        if (!data.results) return;
+      installer.getAvailablePlugins(/*maxCacheAge:*/60*10, function(er, results) {
+        if(er) {
+          console.warn(er);
+          socket.emit("results:updatable", {updatable: {}});
+          return;
+        }
         var updatable = _(plugins.plugins).keys().filter(function(plugin) {
-          if(!data.results[plugin]) return false;
-          var latestVersion = data.results[plugin]['dist-tags'].latest
+          if(!results[plugin]) return false;
+          var latestVersion = results[plugin].version
           var currentVersion = plugins.plugins[plugin].package.version
           return semver.gt(latestVersion, currentVersion)
         });
-        socket.emit("updatable", {updatable: updatable});
-        socket.emit("progress", {progress:1});
+        socket.emit("results:updatable", {updatable: updatable});
       });
     })
+    
+    socket.on("getAvailable", function (query) {
+        installer.getAvailablePlugins(/*maxCacheAge:*/false, function (er, results) {
+          if(er) {
+            console.error(er)
+            results = {}
+          }
+          socket.emit("results:available", results);
+      });
+    });
 
     socket.on("search", function (query) {
-      socket.emit("progress", {progress:0, message:'Fetching results...'});
-        installer.search(query, true, function (progress) {
-        if (progress.results)
-          socket.emit("search-result", progress);
-        socket.emit("progress", progress);
+      installer.search(query.searchTerm, /*maxCacheAge:*/60*10, function (er, results) {
+        if(er) {
+          console.error(er)
+          results = {}
+        }
+        var res = Object.keys(results)
+          .map(function(pluginName) {
+            return results[pluginName]
+          })
+          .filter(function(plugin) {
+            return !plugins.plugins[plugin.name]
+          });
+        res = sortPluginList(res, query.sortBy, query.sortDir)
+          .slice(query.offset, query.offset+query.limit);
+        socket.emit("results:search", {results: res, query: query});
       });
     });
 
     socket.on("install", function (plugin_name) {
-      socket.emit("progress", {progress:0, message:'Downloading and installing ' + plugin_name + "..."});
-      installer.install(plugin_name, function (progress) {
-        socket.emit("progress", progress);
+      installer.install(plugin_name, function (er) {
+        if(er) console.warn(er)
+        socket.emit("finished:install", {plugin: plugin_name, error: er? er.message : null});
       });
     });
 
     socket.on("uninstall", function (plugin_name) {
-      socket.emit("progress", {progress:0, message:'Uninstalling ' + plugin_name + "..."});
-      installer.uninstall(plugin_name, function (progress) {
-        socket.emit("progress", progress);
+      installer.uninstall(plugin_name, function (er) {
+        if(er) console.warn(er)
+        socket.emit("finished:uninstall", {plugin: plugin_name, error: er? er.message : null});
       });
     });
   });
 }
+
+function sortPluginList(plugins, property, /*ASC?*/dir) {
+  return plugins.sort(function(a, b) {
+    if (a[property] < b[property])
+       return dir? -1 : 1;
+    if (a[property] > b[property])
+       return dir? 1 : -1;
+    // a must be equal to b
+    return 0;
+  })
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/package.json b/src/package.json
index 822676a38..24f15ca9b 100644
--- a/src/package.json
+++ b/src/package.json
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@
                       "nodemailer"              : "0.3.x",
                       "jsdom-nocontextifiy"     : "0.2.10",
                       "async-stacktrace"        : "0.0.2",
-                      "npm"                     : "1.1.x",
-                      "npm-registry-client"     : "0.2.10",
+                      "npm"                     : "1.2.x",
                       "ejs"                     : "0.6.1",
                       "graceful-fs"             : "1.1.5",
                       "slide"                   : "1.1.3",
diff --git a/src/static/css/admin.css b/src/static/css/admin.css
index b68238425..2260e27df 100644
--- a/src/static/css/admin.css
+++ b/src/static/css/admin.css
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ div.innerwrapper {
   box-shadow: 0px 1px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
   margin: auto;
   max-width: 1150px;
-  min-height: 100%;
+  min-height: 101%;/*always display a scrollbar*/
 }
 
 h1 {
@@ -102,12 +102,26 @@ input[type="text"] {
   max-width: 500px;
 }
 
+.sort {
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.sort:after {
+  content: '▲▼'
+}
+.sort.up:after {
+  content:'▲'
+}
+.sort.down:after {
+  content:'▼'
+}
+
 table {
   border: 1px solid #ddd;
   border-radius: 3px;
   border-spacing: 0;
   width: 100%;
   margin: 20px 0;
+  position:relative; /* Allows us to position the loading indicator relative to the table */
 }
 
 table thead tr {
@@ -122,13 +136,40 @@ td, th {
   display: none;
 }
 
-#progress {
-  position: absolute;
-  bottom: 50px;
+#installed-plugins td>div {
+  position: relative;/* Allows us to position the loading indicator relative to this row */
+  display: inline-block; /*make this fill the whole cell*/
+  width:100%;
 }
 
-#progress img {
-  vertical-align: top;
+.messages td>* {
+  display: none;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+.messages .fetching {
+  display: block;
+}
+
+.progress {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 0; left: 0; bottom:0; right:0;
+  padding: auto;
+  
+  background: rgb(255,255,255);
+  display: none;
+}
+
+#search-progress.progress {
+  padding-top: 20%;
+  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.7);
+}
+
+.progress * {
+  display: block;
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  text-align: center;
+  color: #666;
 }
 
 .settings {
@@ -147,7 +188,25 @@ a:link, a:visited, a:hover, a:focus {
 }
 
 a:focus, a:hover {
-  border-bottom: #333333 1px solid;
+  text-decoration: underline;
+}
+
+.installed-results a:link,
+.search-results a:link,
+.installed-results a:visited,
+.search-results a:visited,
+.installed-results a:hover,
+.search-results a:hover,
+.installed-results a:focus,
+.search-results a:focus  {
+  text-decoration: underline;
+}
+
+.installed-results a:focus,
+.search-results a:focus,
+.installed-results a:hover,
+.search-results a:hover {
+  text-decoration: none;
 }
 
 pre {
diff --git a/src/static/js/admin/plugins.js b/src/static/js/admin/plugins.js
index a973875ce..41affa745 100644
--- a/src/static/js/admin/plugins.js
+++ b/src/static/js/admin/plugins.js
@@ -12,176 +12,248 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
   //connect
   socket = io.connect(url, {resource : resource}).of("/pluginfw/installer");
 
-  $('.search-results').data('query', {
-    pattern: '',
-    offset: 0,
-    limit: 12,
-  });
-
-  var doUpdate = false;
-
-  var search = function () {
-    socket.emit("search", $('.search-results').data('query'));
-    tasks++;
+  function search(searchTerm, limit) {
+    if(search.searchTerm != searchTerm) {
+      search.offset = 0
+      search.results = []
+      search.end = false
+    }
+    limit = limit? limit : search.limit
+    search.searchTerm = searchTerm;
+    socket.emit("search", {searchTerm: searchTerm, offset:search.offset, limit: limit, sortBy: search.sortBy, sortDir: search.sortDir});
+    search.offset += limit;
+    $('#search-progress').show()
+  }
+  search.offset = 0;
+  search.limit = 12;
+  search.results = [];
+  search.sortBy = 'name';
+  search.sortDir = /*DESC?*/true;
+  search.end = true;// have we received all results already?
+  search.messages = {
+    show: function(msg) {
+      $('.search-results .messages').show()
+      $('.search-results .messages .'+msg+'').show()
+    },
+    hide: function(msg) {
+      $('.search-results .messages').hide()
+      $('.search-results .messages .'+msg+'').hide()
+    }
   }
 
-  function updateHandlers() {
-    $("form").submit(function(){
-      var query = $('.search-results').data('query');
-      query.pattern = $("#search-query").val();
-      query.offset = 0;
-      search();
-      return false;
-    });
-    
-    $("#search-query").unbind('keyup').keyup(function () {
-      var query = $('.search-results').data('query');
-      query.pattern = $("#search-query").val();
-      query.offset = 0;
-      search();
-    });
-
-    $(".do-install, .do-update").unbind('click').click(function (e) {
-      var row = $(e.target).closest("tr");
-      doUpdate = true;
-      socket.emit("install", row.find(".name").text());
-      tasks++;
-    });
-
-    $(".do-uninstall").unbind('click').click(function (e) {
-      var row = $(e.target).closest("tr");
-      doUpdate = true;
-      socket.emit("uninstall", row.find(".name").text());
-      tasks++;
-    });
-
-    $(".do-prev-page").unbind('click').click(function (e) {
-      var query = $('.search-results').data('query');
-      query.offset -= query.limit;
-      if (query.offset < 0) {
-        query.offset = 0;
+  var installed = {
+    progress: {
+      show: function(plugin, msg) {
+        $('.installed-results .'+plugin+' .progress').show()
+        $('.installed-results .'+plugin+' .progress .message').text(msg)
+        if($(window).scrollTop() > $('.'+plugin).offset().top)$(window).scrollTop($('.'+plugin).offset().top-100)
+      },
+      hide: function(plugin) {
+        $('.installed-results .'+plugin+' .progress').hide()
+        $('.installed-results .'+plugin+' .progress .message').text('')
       }
-      search();
-    });
-    $(".do-next-page").unbind('click').click(function (e) {
-      var query = $('.search-results').data('query');
-      var total = $('.search-results').data('total');
-      if (query.offset + query.limit < total) {
-        query.offset += query.limit;
+    },
+    messages: {
+      show: function(msg) {
+        $('.installed-results .messages').show()
+        $('.installed-results .messages .'+msg+'').show()
+      },
+      hide: function(msg) {
+        $('.installed-results .messages').hide()
+        $('.installed-results .messages .'+msg+'').hide()
       }
-      search();
-    });
+    },
+    list: []
   }
 
-  updateHandlers();
-
-  var tasks = 0;
-  socket.on('progress', function (data) {
-    $("#progress").show();
-    $('#progress').data('progress', data.progress);
-
-    var message = "Unknown status";
-    if (data.message) {
-      message = data.message.toString();
-    }
-    if (data.error) {
-      data.progress = 1;
-    }
-    
-    $("#progress .message").html(message);
-
-    if (data.progress >= 1) {
-      tasks--;
-      if (tasks <= 0) {
-        // Hide the activity indicator once all tasks are done
-        $("#progress").hide();
-        tasks = 0;
-      }
-      
-      if (data.error) {
-        alert('An error occurred: '+data.error+' -- the server log might know more...');
-      }else {
-        if (doUpdate) {
-          doUpdate = false;
-          socket.emit("load");
-          tasks++;
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  });
-
-  socket.on('search-result', function (data) {
-    var widget=$(".search-results");
-
-    widget.data('query', data.query);
-    widget.data('total', data.total);
-
-    widget.find('.offset').html(data.query.offset);
-    if (data.query.offset + data.query.limit > data.total){
-      widget.find('.limit').html(data.total);
-    }else{
-      widget.find('.limit').html(data.query.offset + data.query.limit);
-    }
-    widget.find('.total').html(data.total);
-
-    widget.find(".results *").remove();
-    for (plugin_name in data.results) {
-      var plugin = data.results[plugin_name];
-      var row = widget.find(".template tr").clone();
+  function displayPluginList(plugins, container, template) {
+    plugins.forEach(function(plugin) {
+      var row = template.clone();
       
       for (attr in plugin) {
         if(attr == "name"){ // Hack to rewrite URLS into name
-          row.find(".name").html("<a target='_blank' href='https://npmjs.org/package/"+plugin['name']+"'>"+plugin[attr]+"</a>");
+          row.find(".name").html("<a target='_blank' title='Plugin details' href='https://npmjs.org/package/"+plugin['name']+"'>"+plugin['name'].substr(3)+"</a>"); // remove 'ep_'
         }else{
           row.find("." + attr).html(plugin[attr]);
         }
       }
-      row.find(".version").html( data.results[plugin_name]['dist-tags'].latest );
-      
-      widget.find(".results").append(row);
-    }
-
+      row.find(".version").html( plugin.version );
+      row.addClass(plugin.name)
+      row.data('plugin', plugin.name)
+      container.append(row);
+    })
     updateHandlers();
+  }
+  
+  function sortPluginList(plugins, property, /*ASC?*/dir) {
+    return plugins.sort(function(a, b) {
+      if (a[property] < b[property])
+         return dir? -1 : 1;
+      if (a[property] > b[property])
+         return dir? 1 : -1;
+      // a must be equal to b
+      return 0;
+    })
+  }
+
+  // Infinite scroll
+  $(window).scroll(checkInfiniteScroll)
+  function checkInfiniteScroll() {
+    if(search.end) return;// don't keep requesting if there are no more results
+    try{
+      var top = $('.search-results .results > tr:last').offset().top
+      if($(window).scrollTop()+$(window).height() > top) search(search.searchTerm)
+    }catch(e){}
+  }
+
+  function updateHandlers() {
+    // Search
+    $("#search-query").unbind('keyup').keyup(function () {
+      search($("#search-query").val());
+    });
+
+    // update & install
+    $(".do-install, .do-update").unbind('click').click(function (e) {
+      var $row = $(e.target).closest("tr")
+        , plugin = $row.data('plugin');
+      if($(this).hasClass('do-install')) {
+        $row.remove().appendTo('#installed-plugins')
+        installed.progress.show(plugin, 'Installing')
+      }else{
+        installed.progress.show(plugin, 'Updating')
+      }
+      socket.emit("install", plugin);
+      installed.messages.hide("nothing-installed")
+    });
+
+    // uninstall
+    $(".do-uninstall").unbind('click').click(function (e) {
+      var $row = $(e.target).closest("tr")
+        , pluginName = $row.data('plugin');
+      socket.emit("uninstall", pluginName);
+      installed.progress.show(pluginName, 'Uninstalling')
+      installed.list = installed.list.filter(function(plugin) {
+        return plugin.name != pluginName
+      })
+    });
+
+    // Sort
+    $('.sort.up').unbind('click').click(function() {
+      search.sortBy = $(this).text().toLowerCase();
+      search.sortDir = false;
+      search.offset = 0;
+      search(search.searchTerm, search.results.length);
+      search.results = [];
+    })
+    $('.sort.down, .sort.none').unbind('click').click(function() {
+      search.sortBy = $(this).text().toLowerCase();
+      search.sortDir = true;
+      search.offset = 0;
+      search(search.searchTerm, search.results.length);
+      search.results = [];
+    })
+  }
+
+  socket.on('results:search', function (data) {
+    if(!data.results.length) search.end = true;
+    search.messages.hide('nothing-found')
+    search.messages.hide('fetching')
+    $("#search-query").removeAttr('disabled')
+    
+    console.log('got search results', data)
+
+    // add to results
+    search.results = search.results.concat(data.results);
+
+    // Update sorting head
+    $('.sort')
+      .removeClass('up down')
+      .addClass('none');
+    $('.search-results thead th[data-label='+data.query.sortBy+']')
+      .removeClass('none')
+      .addClass(data.query.sortDir? 'up' : 'down');
+
+    // re-render search results
+    var searchWidget = $(".search-results");
+    searchWidget.find(".results *").remove();
+    if(search.results.length > 0) {
+      displayPluginList(search.results, searchWidget.find(".results"), searchWidget.find(".template tr"))
+    }else {
+      search.messages.show('nothing-found')
+    }
+    $('#search-progress').hide()
+    checkInfiniteScroll()
   });
 
-  socket.on('installed-results', function (data) {
-    $("#installed-plugins *").remove();
+  socket.on('results:installed', function (data) {
+    installed.messages.hide("fetching")
+    installed.messages.hide("nothing-installed")
 
-    for (plugin_name in data.results) {
-      if (plugin_name == "ep_etherpad-lite") continue; // Hack...
-      var plugin = data.results[plugin_name];
-      var row = $("#installed-plugin-template").clone();
+    installed.list = data.installed
+    sortPluginList(installed.list, 'name', /*ASC?*/true);
 
-      for (attr in plugin.package) {
-        if(attr == "name"){ // Hack to rewrite URLS into name
-          row.find(".name").html("<a target='_blank' href='https://npmjs.org/package/"+plugin.package['name']+"'>"+plugin.package[attr]+"</a>");
-        }else{
-          row.find("." + attr).html(plugin.package[attr]);
-        }
-      }
-      $("#installed-plugins").append(row);
+    // filter out epl
+    installed.list = installed.list.filter(function(plugin) {
+      return plugin.name != 'ep_etherpad-lite'
+    })
+
+    // remove all installed plugins (leave plugins that are still being installed)
+    installed.list.forEach(function(plugin) {
+      $('#installed-plugins .'+plugin.name).remove()
+    })
+
+    if(installed.list.length > 0) {
+      displayPluginList(installed.list, $("#installed-plugins"), $("#installed-plugin-template"));
+      socket.emit('checkUpdates');
+    }else {
+      installed.messages.show("nothing-installed")
     }
-    updateHandlers();
-
-    socket.emit('checkUpdates');
-    tasks++;
   });
   
-  socket.on('updatable', function(data) {
-    $('#installed-plugins>tr').each(function(i,tr) {
-      var pluginName = $(tr).find('.name').text()
-      
-      if (data.updatable.indexOf(pluginName) >= 0) {
-        var actions = $(tr).find('.actions')
-        actions.append('<input class="do-update" type="button" value="Update" />')
-        actions.css('width', 200)
-      }
+  socket.on('results:updatable', function(data) {
+    data.updatable.forEach(function(pluginName) {
+      var $row = $('#installed-plugins > tr.'+pluginName)
+        , actions = $row.find('.actions')
+      actions.append('<input class="do-update" type="button" value="Update" />')
     })
     updateHandlers();
   })
 
-  socket.emit("load");
-  tasks++;
-  
-  search();
+  socket.on('finished:install', function(data) {
+    if(data.error) {
+      alert('An error occured while installing '+data.plugin+' \n'+data.error)
+      $('#installed-plugins .'+data.plugin).remove()
+    }
+
+    socket.emit("getInstalled");
+
+    // update search results
+    search.offset = 0;
+    search(search.searchTerm, search.results.length);
+    search.results = [];
+  })
+
+  socket.on('finished:uninstall', function(data) {
+    if(data.error) alert('An error occured while uninstalling the '+data.plugin+' \n'+data.error)
+
+    // remove plugin from installed list
+    $('#installed-plugins .'+data.plugin).remove()
+    
+    socket.emit("getInstalled");
+
+    // update search results
+    search.offset = 0;
+    search(search.searchTerm, search.results.length);
+    search.results = [];
+  })
+
+  // init
+  updateHandlers();
+  socket.emit("getInstalled");
+  search('');
+
+  // check for updates every 5mins
+  setInterval(function() {
+    socket.emit('checkUpdates');
+  }, 1000*60*5)
 });
diff --git a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
index 15d879409..377be35e9 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
@@ -1,118 +1,77 @@
 var plugins = require("ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/pluginfw/plugins");
 var hooks = require("ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/pluginfw/hooks");
 var npm = require("npm");
-var RegClient = require("npm-registry-client")
 
-var registry = new RegClient(
-{ registry: "http://registry.npmjs.org"
-, cache: npm.cache }
-);
-
-var withNpm = function (npmfn, final, cb) {
+var npmIsLoaded = false;
+var withNpm = function (npmfn) {
+  if(npmIsLoaded) return npmfn();
   npm.load({}, function (er) {
-    if (er) return cb({progress:1, error:er});
+    if (er) return npmfn(er);
+    npmIsLoaded = true;
     npm.on("log", function (message) {
-      cb({progress: 0.5, message:message.msg + ": " + message.pref});
-    });
-    npmfn(function (er, data) {
-      if (er) {
-        console.error(er);
-        return cb({progress:1, error: er.message});
-      }
-      if (!data) data = {};
-      data.progress = 1;
-      data.message = "Done.";
-      cb(data);
-      final();
+      console.log('npm: ',message)
     });
+    npmfn();
   });
 }
 
-// All these functions call their callback multiple times with
-// {progress:[0,1], message:STRING, error:object}. They will call it
-// with progress = 1 at least once, and at all times will either
-// message or error be present, not both. It can be called multiple
-// times for all values of propgress except for 1.
-
 exports.uninstall = function(plugin_name, cb) {
-  withNpm(
-    function (cb) {
-      npm.commands.uninstall([plugin_name], function (er) {
+  withNpm(function (er) {
+    if (er) return cb && cb(er);
+    npm.commands.uninstall([plugin_name], function (er) {
+      if (er) return cb && cb(er);
+      hooks.aCallAll("pluginUninstall", {plugin_name: plugin_name}, function (er, data) {
         if (er) return cb(er);
-        hooks.aCallAll("pluginUninstall", {plugin_name: plugin_name}, function (er, data) {
-          if (er) return cb(er);
-          plugins.update(cb);
-        });
+        plugins.update(cb);
+        hooks.aCallAll("restartServer", {}, function () {});
       });
-    },
-    function () {
-      hooks.aCallAll("restartServer", {}, function () {});                
-    },
-    cb
-  );
+    });
+  });
 };
 
 exports.install = function(plugin_name, cb) {
-  withNpm(
-    function (cb) {
-      npm.commands.install([plugin_name], function (er) {
+  withNpm(function (er) {
+    if (er) return cb && cb(er);
+    npm.commands.install([plugin_name], function (er) {
+      if (er) return cb && cb(er);
+      hooks.aCallAll("pluginInstall", {plugin_name: plugin_name}, function (er, data) {
         if (er) return cb(er);
-        hooks.aCallAll("pluginInstall", {plugin_name: plugin_name}, function (er, data) {
-          if (er) return cb(er);
-          plugins.update(cb);
-        });
+        plugins.update(cb);
+        hooks.aCallAll("restartServer", {}, function () {});
       });
-    },
-    function () {
-      hooks.aCallAll("restartServer", {}, function () {});                
-    },
-    cb
-  );
+    });
+  });
 };
 
-exports.searchCache = null;
+exports.availablePlugins = null;
+var cacheTimestamp = 0;
 
-exports.search = function(query, cache, cb) {
-  withNpm(
-    function (cb) {
-      var getData = function (cb) {
-        if (cache && exports.searchCache) {
-          cb(null, exports.searchCache);
-        } else {
-          registry.get(
-            "/-/all", 600, false, true,
-            function (er, data) {
-              if (er) return cb(er);
-              exports.searchCache = data;
-              cb(er, data);
-            }
-          );
-        }
-      }
-      getData(
-        function (er, data) {
-          if (er) return cb(er);
-          var res = {};
-          var i = 0;
-          var pattern = query.pattern.toLowerCase();
-          for (key in data) { // for every plugin in the data from npm
-            if (   key.indexOf(plugins.prefix) == 0
-                && key.indexOf(pattern) != -1
-                || key.indexOf(plugins.prefix) == 0
-                && data[key].description.indexOf(pattern) != -1
-              ) { // If the name contains ep_ and the search string is in the name or description
-              i++;
-              if (i > query.offset
-                  && i <= query.offset + query.limit) {
-                res[key] = data[key];
-              }
-            }
-          }
-          cb(null, {results:res, query: query, total:i});
-        }
-      );
-    },
-    function () { },
-    cb
-  );
+exports.getAvailablePlugins = function(maxCacheAge, cb) {
+  withNpm(function (er) {
+    if (er) return cb && cb(er);
+    if(exports.availablePlugins && maxCacheAge && Math.round(+new Date/1000)-cacheTimestamp <= maxCacheAge) {
+      return cb && cb(null, exports.availablePlugins)
+    }
+    npm.commands.search(['ep_'], /*silent?*/true, function(er, results) {
+      if(er) return cb && cb(er);
+      exports.availablePlugins = results;
+      cacheTimestamp = Math.round(+new Date/1000);
+      cb && cb(null, results)
+    })
+  });
+};
+
+
+exports.search = function(searchTerm, maxCacheAge, cb) {
+  exports.getAvailablePlugins(maxCacheAge, function(er, results) {
+    if(er) return cb && cb(er);
+    var res = {};
+    searchTerm = searchTerm.toLowerCase();
+    for (var pluginName in results) { // for every available plugin
+      if (pluginName.indexOf(plugins.prefix) != 0) continue; // TODO: Also search in keywords here!
+      if(pluginName.indexOf(searchTerm) < 0 && results[pluginName].description.indexOf(searchTerm) < 0) continue;
+      res[pluginName] = results[pluginName];
+    }
+    cb && cb(null, res)
+  })
 };
diff --git a/src/templates/admin/plugins.html b/src/templates/admin/plugins.html
index 7c2a7abf2..44e6f7a51 100644
--- a/src/templates/admin/plugins.html
+++ b/src/templates/admin/plugins.html
@@ -28,43 +28,11 @@
           <li><a href="plugins/info">Troubleshooting information</a> </li>
           <% e.end_block(); %>
         </ul>
-        <div id="progress"><img src="../static/img/loading.gif">&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="message"></span></div>
       </div>
 
       <div class="innerwrapper">
-      <h2>Installed plugins</h2>
-      <table>
-        <thead>
-          <tr>
-            <th>Name</th>
-            <th>Description</th>
-            <th>Version</th>
-            <td></td>
-          </tr>
-        </thead>
-        <tbody class="template">
-          <tr id="installed-plugin-template">
-            <td class="name" data-label="Name"></td>
-            <td class="description" data-label="Description"></td>
-            <td class="version" data-label="Version"></td>
-            <td class="actions">
-              <input type="button" value="Uninstall" class="do-uninstall">
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-        </tbody>
-        <tbody id="installed-plugins">
-        </tbody>
-      </table>
-
-      <div class="paged listing search-results">
-        <div class="separator"></div>
-        
-        <h2>Available plugins</h2>
-        <form>
-          <input type="text" name="search" placeholder="Search for plugins to install" id="search-query">
-        </form>
-
-        <table>
+        <h2>Installed plugins</h2>
+        <table class="installed-results">
           <thead>
             <tr>
               <th>Name</th>
@@ -74,23 +42,70 @@
             </tr>
           </thead>
           <tbody class="template">
-            <tr>
+            <tr id="installed-plugin-template">
               <td class="name" data-label="Name"></td>
               <td class="description" data-label="Description"></td>
               <td class="version" data-label="Version"></td>
-              <td class="actions">
-                <input type="button" value="Install" class="do-install">
-             </td>
+              <td>
+                <div class="actions">
+                  <input type="button" value="Uninstall" class="do-uninstall">
+                  <div class="progress"><p><img src="../static/img/loading.gif"/></p><p><span class="message"></span></p></div>
+                </div>
+              </td>
             </tr>
           </tbody>
-          <tbody class="results">
+          <tbody id="installed-plugins">
           </tbody>
+          <tbody class="messages">
+              <tr><td></td><td>
+                <p class="nothing-installed">You haven't installed any plugins yet.</p>
+                <p class="fetching"><img src="../static/img/loading.gif"/><br/>Fetching installed plugins...</p>
+              </td><td></td></tr>
+            </tbody>
         </table>
-        <input type="button" value="<<" class="do-prev-page">
-        <span class="offset"></span>..<span class="limit"></span> of <span class="total"></span>.
-        <input type="button" value=">>" class="do-next-page">
-      </div>
-      
+
+        <div class="paged listing search-results">
+          <div class="separator"></div>
+          
+          <h2>Available plugins</h2>
+          <form>
+            <input type="text" name="search" disabled placeholder="Search for plugins to install" id="search-query">
+          </form>
+
+          <table>
+            <thead>
+              <tr>
+                <th class="sort up"   data-label="name">Name</th>
+                <th class="sort none" data-label="description">Description</th>
+                <th class="sort none" data-label="version">Version</th>
+                <td></td>
+              </tr>
+            </thead>
+            <tbody class="template">
+              <tr>
+                <td class="name" data-label="Name"></td>
+                <td class="description" data-label="Description"></td>
+                <td class="version" data-label="Version"></td>
+                <td>
+                  <div class="actions">
+                    <input type="button" value="Install" class="do-install">
+                    <div class="progress"><p><img src="../static/img/loading.gif"/></p><p><span class="message"></span></p></div>
+                  </div>
+               </td>
+              </tr>
+            </tbody>
+            <tbody class="results">
+            </tbody>
+            <tbody class="messages">
+              <tr><td></td><td>
+                <div class="search-progress" class="progress"><img src="../static/img/loading.gif"/></div>
+                <p class="nothing-found">No plugins found.</p>
+                <p class="fetching"><img src="../static/img/loading.gif"/><br/>Fetching catalogue...</p>
+              </td><td></td></tr>
+            </tbody>
+          </table>
+        </div>
+
       </div>
     </div>
   </body>