diff --git a/collada_parser/package.xml b/collada_parser/package.xml
index b6c7b80..c72e073 100644
--- a/collada_parser/package.xml
+++ b/collada_parser/package.xml
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@
   <build_depend>collada-dom</build_depend>
   <build_depend>roscpp</build_depend>
   <build_depend>urdfdom_headers</build_depend>
+  <build_depend>urdf</build_depend>
 
   <run_depend>collada-dom</run_depend>
   <run_depend>roscpp</run_depend>
   <run_depend>urdfdom_headers</run_depend>
+  <run_depend>urdf</run_depend>
 
 </package>
 
diff --git a/urdf/src/model.cpp b/urdf/src/model.cpp
index aee833f..eda704a 100644
--- a/urdf/src/model.cpp
+++ b/urdf/src/model.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@
 /* we include the default parser for plain URDF files; 
    other parsers are loaded via plugins (if available) */
 #include <urdf_parser/urdf_parser.h>
+#include <urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h>
+#include <pluginlib/class_loader.h>
+
 #include <collada_parser/collada_parser.h>
 
 #include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
diff --git a/urdf_parser_plugin/CMakeLists.txt b/urdf_parser_plugin/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d193fe6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/urdf_parser_plugin/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.3)
+project(urdf_parser_plugin)
+
+find_package(catkin REQUIRED urdfdom_headers)
+
+catkin_package(
+  INCLUDE_DIRS include
+  DEPENDS urdfdom_headers 
+)
+
+include_directories(include)
+
+install(DIRECTORY include/${PROJECT_NAME}/
+  DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_INCLUDE_DESTINATION})
diff --git a/urdf_parser_plugin/include/urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h b/urdf_parser_plugin/include/urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd04dbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/urdf_parser_plugin/include/urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*********************************************************************
+* Software License Agreement (BSD License)
+*
+*  Copyright (c) 2013, Willow Garage, Inc.
+*  All rights reserved.
+*
+*  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+*  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+*  are met:
+*
+*   * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+*     notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+*   * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+*     copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+*     disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+*     with the distribution.
+*   * Neither the name of the Willow Garage nor the names of its
+*     contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+*     from this software without specific prior written permission.
+*
+*  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+*  "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+*  LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+*  FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+*  COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+*  INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+*  BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+*  LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+*  CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+*  LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
+*  ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+*  POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+*********************************************************************/
+
+/* Author: Ioan Sucan */
+
+#include <urdf_model/model.h>
+
+namespace urdf
+{
+
+/** \brief Base class for URDF parsers */
+class URDFParser 
+{
+public:
+  URDFParser()
+  {
+  }
+  virtual ~URDFParser()
+  {
+  }
+
+  /// \brief Load Model from string
+  virtual boost::shared_ptr<ModelInterface> parse(const std::string &xml_string) = 0;
+};
+  
+}
diff --git a/urdf_parser_plugin/package.xml b/urdf_parser_plugin/package.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3fb5acc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/urdf_parser_plugin/package.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<package>
+  <name>urdf_parser_plugin</name>
+  <version>1.10.9</version>
+  <description>
+    This package contains a C++ base class for URDF parsers.
+  </description>
+
+  <author email="isucan@willowgarage.com">Ioan Sucan</author>
+  <maintainer email="isucan@willowgarage.com">Ioan Sucan</maintainer>
+
+  <license>BSD</license>
+
+  <url type="website">http://ros.org/wiki/urdf</url>
+  <url type="repository">https://github.com/ros/robot_model</url>
+  <url type="bugtracker">https://github.com/ros/robot_model/issues</url>
+
+  <buildtool_depend>catkin</buildtool_depend>
+  <build_depend>urdfdom_headers</build_depend>
+  <run_depend>urdfdom_headers</run_depend>
+
+</package>