diff --git a/ChangeList.txt b/ChangeList.txt
index ce1922c..49c4b2d 100644
--- a/ChangeList.txt
+++ b/ChangeList.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-= 1.9.0 (Forthcoming) =
+= 1.9.0 =
  * Branch from 1.8.0
 
  * [[collada_parser]]
diff --git a/collada_parser/CMakeLists.txt b/collada_parser/CMakeLists.txt
index 1737882..25e912c 100644
--- a/collada_parser/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/collada_parser/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ project(collada_parser)
 
 find_package(Boost REQUIRED system)
 
-find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS urdfdom_headers urdf_parser_plugin roscpp)
+find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS urdfdom_headers urdf_parser_plugin roscpp class_loader)
 
 catkin_package( 
   LIBRARIES ${PROJECT_NAME}
@@ -31,12 +31,18 @@ if(HAVE_MKSTEMPS)
   add_definitions("-DHAVE_MKSTEMPS")
 endif()
 
-#common commands for building c++ executables and libraries
+# build the parser lib
 add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} src/collada_parser.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}
   ${COLLADA_DOM_LIBRARIES} ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${catkin_LIBRARIES}
 )
 
+# build the plugin for the parser
+add_library(${PROJECT_NAME}_plugin src/collada_parser_plugin.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}_plugin
+  ${PROJECT_NAME} ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${catkin_LIBRARIES}
+)
+
 set_target_properties(${PROJECT_NAME}
   PROPERTIES COMPILER_FLAGS "${COLLADA_DOM_CFLAGS_OTHER}"
 )
@@ -51,8 +57,11 @@ else()
   )
 endif()
 
-install(TARGETS ${PROJECT_NAME} 
+install(TARGETS ${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_NAME}_plugin
   DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_LIB_DESTINATION})
 
 install(DIRECTORY include/${PROJECT_NAME}/
   DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_INCLUDE_DESTINATION})
+
+install(FILES collada_parser_plugin_description.xml
+  DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_SHARE_DESTINATION})
diff --git a/collada_parser/collada_parser_plugin_description.xml b/collada_parser/collada_parser_plugin_description.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57f16b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collada_parser/collada_parser_plugin_description.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<library path="lib/libcollada_parser_plugin">
+  <class name="urdf/ColladaURDFParser" type="urdf::ColladaURDFParser" base_class_type="urdf::URDFParser">
+    <description>
+      Parse models as URDF from Collada files.
+    </description>
+  </class>
+</library>
diff --git a/collada_parser/include/collada_parser/collada_parser_plugin.h b/collada_parser/include/collada_parser/collada_parser_plugin.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32974db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collada_parser/include/collada_parser/collada_parser_plugin.h
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/*********************************************************************
+* 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 */
+
+#ifndef COLLADA_PARSER_COLLADA_PARSER_PLUGIN_H
+#define COLLADA_PARSER_COLLADA_PARSER_PLUGIN_H
+
+#include <urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h>
+
+namespace urdf
+{
+
+class ColladaURDFParser : public URDFParser
+{
+public:
+
+  virtual boost::shared_ptr<ModelInterface> parse(const std::string &xml_string);    
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/collada_parser/package.xml b/collada_parser/package.xml
index 00048af..1cb3aa1 100644
--- a/collada_parser/package.xml
+++ b/collada_parser/package.xml
@@ -23,11 +23,13 @@
   <build_depend>roscpp</build_depend>
   <build_depend>urdfdom_headers</build_depend>
   <build_depend>urdf_parser_plugin</build_depend>
+  <build_depend>class_loader</build_depend>
 
   <run_depend>collada-dom</run_depend>
   <run_depend>roscpp</run_depend>
   <run_depend>urdfdom_headers</run_depend>
   <run_depend>urdf_parser_plugin</run_depend>
+  <run_depend>class_loader</run_depend>
 
 </package>
 
diff --git a/collada_parser/src/collada_parser_plugin.cpp b/collada_parser/src/collada_parser_plugin.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4d98b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collada_parser/src/collada_parser_plugin.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*********************************************************************
+* 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 "collada_parser/collada_parser_plugin.h"
+#include "collada_parser/collada_parser.h"
+#include <class_loader/class_loader.h>
+
+boost::shared_ptr<urdf::ModelInterface> urdf::ColladaURDFParser::parse(const std::string &xml_string)
+{
+  return urdf::parseCollada(xml_string);
+}
+
+CLASS_LOADER_REGISTER_CLASS(urdf::ColladaURDFParser, urdf::URDFParser)
diff --git a/robot_model/package.xml b/robot_model/package.xml
index 74983d5..26276ff 100644
--- a/robot_model/package.xml
+++ b/robot_model/package.xml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
   <run_depend>ros_comm</run_depend>
   <run_depend>rosconsole_bridge</run_depend>
   <run_depend>urdf</run_depend>
-  <run_depend>urdf_parser</run_depend>
+  <run_depend>urdf_parser_plugin</run_depend>
   <run_depend>urdfdom</run_depend>
   <run_depend>urdfdom_headers</run_depend>
   <run_depend>joint_state_publisher</run_depend>
diff --git a/urdf_parser_plugin/include/urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h b/urdf_parser_plugin/include/urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h
index dd04dbf..7032b13 100644
--- a/urdf_parser_plugin/include/urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h
+++ b/urdf_parser_plugin/include/urdf_parser_plugin/parser.h
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
 
 /* Author: Ioan Sucan */
 
+#ifndef URDF_PARSER_PLUGIN_H
+#define URDF_PARSER_PLUGIN_H
+
 #include <urdf_model/model.h>
 
 namespace urdf
@@ -55,3 +58,5 @@ public:
 };
   
 }
+
+#endif