diff --git a/r2/r2/config/middleware.py b/r2/r2/config/middleware.py
index 075f3f5cb..fbcd3107f 100644
--- a/r2/r2/config/middleware.py
+++ b/r2/r2/config/middleware.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from r2.lib.html_source import HTMLValidationParser
 from cStringIO import StringIO
 import sys, tempfile, urllib, re, os, sha, subprocess
 from httplib import HTTPConnection
+from threading import Lock
 
 # hack in Paste support for HTTP 429 "Too Many Requests"
 from paste import httpexceptions, wsgiwrappers
@@ -519,18 +520,29 @@ class CleanupMiddleware(object):
 
 #god this shit is disorganized and confusing
 class RedditApp(PylonsBaseWSGIApp):
-    def find_controller(self, controller):
-        if controller in self.controller_classes:
-            return self.controller_classes[controller]
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(RedditApp, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self._loading_lock = Lock()
+        self._controllers = None
 
-        full_module_name = self.package_name + '.controllers'
-        class_name = controller.capitalize() + 'Controller'
+    def load_controllers(self):
+        with self._loading_lock:
+            if not self._controllers:
+                controllers = __import__(self.package_name + '.controllers').controllers
+                controllers.load_controllers()
+                config['r2.plugins'].load_controllers()
+                self._controllers = controllers
 
-        __import__(self.package_name + '.controllers')
-        config['r2.plugins'].load_controllers()
-        mycontroller = getattr(sys.modules[full_module_name], class_name)
-        self.controller_classes[controller] = mycontroller
-        return mycontroller
+        return self._controllers
+
+    def find_controller(self, controller_name):
+        if controller_name in self.controller_classes:
+            return self.controller_classes[controller_name]
+
+        controllers = self.load_controllers()
+        controller_cls = controllers.get_controller(controller_name)
+        self.controller_classes[controller_name] = controller_cls
+        return controller_cls
 
 def make_app(global_conf, full_stack=True, **app_conf):
     """Create a Pylons WSGI application and return it
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/__init__.py b/r2/r2/controllers/__init__.py
index 68a93660b..4ebec0c3a 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/__init__.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/__init__.py
@@ -19,55 +19,72 @@
 # All portions of the code written by CondeNet are Copyright (c) 2006-2010
 # CondeNet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 ################################################################################
-from listingcontroller import ListingController
-from listingcontroller import HotController
-from listingcontroller import NewController
-from listingcontroller import BrowseController
-from listingcontroller import MessageController
-from listingcontroller import RedditsController
-from listingcontroller import ByIDController as ByidController
-from listingcontroller import RandomrisingController
-from listingcontroller import UserController
-from listingcontroller import CommentsController
 
-from listingcontroller import MyredditsController
+_reddit_controllers = {}
+_plugin_controllers = {}
 
-from feedback import FeedbackController
-from front import FormsController
-from front import FrontController
-from health import HealthController
-from buttons import ButtonsController
-from buttons import ButtonjsController
-from captcha import CaptchaController
-from embed import EmbedController
-from error import ErrorController
-from post import PostController
-from toolbar import ToolbarController
-from awards import AwardsController
-from ads import AdsController
-from usage import UsageController
-from errorlog import ErrorlogController
-from promotecontroller import PromoteController
-from mediaembed import MediaembedController
-from mediaembed import AdController
-
-from querycontroller import QueryController
-
-try:
-    from r2admin.controllers.adminapi import ApiController
-except ImportError:
-    from api import ApiController
-
-from api import ApiminimalController
-from api_docs import ApidocsController
-from apiv1 import APIv1Controller as Apiv1Controller
-from oauth2 import OAuth2FrontendController as Oauth2frontendController
-from oauth2 import OAuth2AccessController as Oauth2accessController
-from admin import AdminController
-from redirect import RedirectController
-from ipn import IpnController
+def get_controller(name):
+    name = name.lower() + 'controller'
+    if name in _reddit_controllers:
+        return _reddit_controllers[name]
+    elif name in _plugin_controllers:
+        return _plugin_controllers[name]
+    else:
+        raise KeyError(name)
 
 def add_controller(controller):
-    assert controller.__name__ not in globals()
-    globals()[controller.__name__] = controller
+    name = controller.__name__.lower()
+    assert name not in _plugin_controllers
+    _plugin_controllers[name] = controller
     return controller
+
+def load_controllers():
+    from listingcontroller import ListingController
+    from listingcontroller import HotController
+    from listingcontroller import NewController
+    from listingcontroller import BrowseController
+    from listingcontroller import MessageController
+    from listingcontroller import RedditsController
+    from listingcontroller import ByIDController
+    from listingcontroller import RandomrisingController
+    from listingcontroller import UserController
+    from listingcontroller import CommentsController
+
+    from listingcontroller import MyredditsController
+
+    from feedback import FeedbackController
+    from front import FormsController
+    from front import FrontController
+    from health import HealthController
+    from buttons import ButtonsController
+    from buttons import ButtonjsController
+    from captcha import CaptchaController
+    from embed import EmbedController
+    from error import ErrorController
+    from post import PostController
+    from toolbar import ToolbarController
+    from awards import AwardsController
+    from ads import AdsController
+    from usage import UsageController
+    from errorlog import ErrorlogController
+    from promotecontroller import PromoteController
+    from mediaembed import MediaembedController
+    from mediaembed import AdController
+
+    from querycontroller import QueryController
+
+    try:
+        from r2admin.controllers.adminapi import ApiController
+    except ImportError:
+        from api import ApiController
+
+    from api import ApiminimalController
+    from api_docs import ApidocsController
+    from apiv1 import APIv1Controller
+    from oauth2 import OAuth2FrontendController
+    from oauth2 import OAuth2AccessController
+    from admin import AdminController
+    from redirect import RedirectController
+    from ipn import IpnController
+
+    _reddit_controllers.update((name.lower(), obj) for name, obj in locals().iteritems())
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/promotecontroller.py b/r2/r2/controllers/promotecontroller.py
index fbf7e19ae..5b711b8a8 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/promotecontroller.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/promotecontroller.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from r2.lib.pages import *
 from r2.lib.pages.things import wrap_links
 from r2.lib.strings import strings
 from r2.lib.menus import *
-from r2.controllers import ListingController
+from r2.controllers.listingcontroller import ListingController
 from r2.lib.db import queries
 import sha
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/plugin.py b/r2/r2/lib/plugin.py
index ee00f5501..99dd9eab5 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/plugin.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/plugin.py
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ class Plugin(object):
 class PluginLoader(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.plugins = {}
-        self.controllers_loaded = False
 
     def __len__(self):
         return len(self.plugins)
@@ -78,11 +77,8 @@ class PluginLoader(object):
         return self
 
     def load_controllers(self):
-        if self.controllers_loaded:
-            return
         for plugin in self:
             plugin.load_controllers()
-        self.controllers_loaded = True
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if sys.argv[1] == 'list':