diff --git a/pkg/cmd/grafana-server/server.go b/pkg/cmd/grafana-server/server.go
index b74046e542f..949d324ec50 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/grafana-server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/grafana-server/server.go
@@ -68,13 +68,12 @@ func (g *GrafanaServerImpl) Start() {
 	login.Init()
 	social.NewOAuthService()
 	plugins.Init()
-	client, err := tsdbplugins.Init()
-	defer client.Kill()
-
+	pluginClient, err := tsdbplugins.Init()
 	if err != nil {
 		g.log.Error("failed to start plugins", "error", err)
 		g.Shutdown(1, "Startup failed")
 	}
+	defer pluginClient.Kill()
 
 	if err := provisioning.Init(g.context, setting.HomePath, setting.Cfg); err != nil {
 		logger.Error("Failed to provision Grafana from config", "error", err)
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/log-wrapper.go b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/log-wrapper.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8a046f118a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/log-wrapper.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package plugins
+
+import (
+	"log"
+
+	glog "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
+	hclog "github.com/hashicorp/go-hclog"
+)
+
+type logWrapper struct {
+	logger glog.Logger
+}
+
+func (lw logWrapper) Trace(msg string, args ...interface{}) {}
+func (lw logWrapper) Debug(msg string, args ...interface{}) {}
+func (lw logWrapper) Info(msg string, args ...interface{})  {}
+func (lw logWrapper) Warn(msg string, args ...interface{})  {}
+func (lw logWrapper) Error(msg string, args ...interface{}) {}
+
+func (lw logWrapper) IsTrace() bool { return true }
+func (lw logWrapper) IsDebug() bool { return true }
+func (lw logWrapper) IsInfo() bool  { return true }
+func (lw logWrapper) IsWarn() bool  { return true }
+func (lw logWrapper) IsError() bool { return true }
+
+func (lw logWrapper) With(args ...interface{}) hclog.Logger {
+	return logWrapper{logger: glog.New("logger", args)}
+}
+func (lw logWrapper) Named(name string) hclog.Logger {
+	return logWrapper{logger: glog.New(name)}
+}
+func (lw logWrapper) ResetNamed(name string) hclog.Logger {
+	return logWrapper{logger: glog.New(name)}
+}
+
+func (lw logWrapper) StandardLogger(ops *hclog.StandardLoggerOptions) *log.Logger {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/Makefile b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b288077e604
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+all: build
+
+build: 
+	go build -o simple-plugin .
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/plugin.go b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/plugin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..78337d0225d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/plugin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+
+	"log"
+
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/tsdb/plugins/proto"
+	shared "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/tsdb/plugins/shared"
+	plugin "github.com/hashicorp/go-plugin"
+)
+
+type Tsdb struct {
+	plugin.NetRPCUnsupportedPlugin
+}
+
+func (Tsdb) Get(ctx context.Context, req *proto.TsdbRequest) (*proto.TsdbResponse, error) {
+	log.Print("Tsdb.Get() from plugin")
+
+	return &proto.TsdbResponse{
+		MetaJson: "from plugins! meta meta",
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func main() {
+	plugin.Serve(&plugin.ServeConfig{
+		HandshakeConfig: plugin.HandshakeConfig{
+			ProtocolVersion:  1,
+			MagicCookieKey:   "BASIC_PLUGIN",
+			MagicCookieValue: "hello",
+		},
+		Plugins: map[string]plugin.Plugin{
+			"tsdb_mock": &shared.TsdbPluginImpl{Plugin: &Tsdb{}},
+		},
+
+		// A non-nil value here enables gRPC serving for this plugin...
+		GRPCServer: plugin.DefaultGRPCServer,
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/simple-plugin b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/simple-plugin
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..7ad8b437777
Binary files /dev/null and b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/simple-plugin differ
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/plugins.go b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/plugins.go
index 50bb6dc21a8..e8db53610a1 100644
--- a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/plugins.go
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/plugins.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package plugins
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
@@ -20,47 +18,44 @@ func Init() (*plugin.Client, error) {
 		go get -u google.golang.org/grpc \
 		go get -u github.com/golang/protobuf/{proto,protoc-gen-go} \
 		go get -u github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/protoc-gen-grpc-gateway \
-
 	*/
 
 	/*
-		Generate
-
-		sudo protoc --go_out=. *.proto
 		protoc --go_out=plugins=grpc:. *.proto
 	*/
-	// initial goal: pass a string object back and forth over grpc.
-	// simplify tsdb req/res message/service
-
-	//lets be silly
-	//plugin path
+	logger := log.New("grafana.plugins")
 	client := plugin.NewClient(&plugin.ClientConfig{
-		HandshakeConfig:  shared.Handshake,
+		HandshakeConfig: plugin.HandshakeConfig{
+			ProtocolVersion:  1,
+			MagicCookieKey:   "BASIC_PLUGIN",
+			MagicCookieValue: "hello",
+		},
 		Plugins:          shared.PluginMap,
-		Cmd:              exec.Command("sh", "-c", "/home/carl/go/src/github.com/grafana/simple-plugin/simple-plugin"),
+		Cmd:              exec.Command("sh", "-c", "/home/carl/go/src/github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/tsdb/plugins/mock_tsdb_plugin/simple-plugin"),
 		AllowedProtocols: []plugin.Protocol{plugin.ProtocolGRPC},
+		Logger:           logWrapper{logger: logger},
 	})
 
 	// Connect via RPC
 	rpcClient, err := client.Client()
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println("Error:", err.Error())
-		os.Exit(1)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// Request the plugin
-	raw, err := rpcClient.Dispense("kv")
+	raw, err := rpcClient.Dispense("tsdb_mock")
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println("Error:", err.Error())
-		//os.Exit(1)
-		//client.Kill()
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	plugin := raw.(shared.TsdbPlugin)
 	response, err := plugin.Get(context.Background(), &proto.TsdbRequest{})
 
-	log.Error2("got response from plugin. ", "response", response)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Error("Response from plugin. ", "response", response)
+	} else {
+		logger.Info("Response from plugin. ", "response", response)
+	}
 
 	return client, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/shared/interface.go b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/shared/interface.go
index 128bf9a38a8..2e5f5260c27 100644
--- a/pkg/tsdb/plugins/shared/interface.go
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/plugins/shared/interface.go
@@ -12,12 +12,6 @@ var PluginMap = map[string]plugin.Plugin{
 	"tsdb_mock": &TsdbPluginImpl{},
 }
 
-var Handshake = plugin.HandshakeConfig{
-	ProtocolVersion:  1,
-	MagicCookieKey:   "BASIC_PLUGIN",
-	MagicCookieValue: "hello",
-}
-
 type TsdbPlugin interface {
 	Get(ctx context.Context, req *proto.TsdbRequest) (*proto.TsdbResponse, error)
 }