diff --git a/platypush/context/__init__.py b/platypush/context/__init__.py
index 982926e7..9b22d9c0 100644
--- a/platypush/context/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/context/__init__.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from typing import Optional, Any
 
 from ..bus import Bus
 from ..config import Config
-from ..utils import get_enabled_plugins
+from ..utils import get_enabled_plugins, get_plugin_name_by_class
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('platypush:context')
 
@@ -108,32 +108,50 @@ def get_backend(name):
     return _ctx.backends.get(name)
 
 
-def get_plugin(plugin_name, reload=False):
+# pylint: disable=too-many-branches
+def get_plugin(plugin, plugin_name=None, reload=False):
     """
     Registers a plugin instance by name if not registered already, or returns
     the registered plugin instance.
+
+    :param plugin: Plugin name or class type.
+    :param plugin_name: Plugin name, kept only for backwards compatibility.
+    :param reload: If ``True``, the plugin will be reloaded if it's already
+        been registered.
     """
-    if plugin_name not in plugins_init_locks:
-        plugins_init_locks[plugin_name] = RLock()
+    from ..plugins import Plugin
 
-    if plugin_name in _ctx.plugins and not reload:
-        return _ctx.plugins[plugin_name]
+    if isinstance(plugin, str):
+        name = plugin
+    elif plugin_name:
+        name = plugin_name
+    elif issubclass(plugin, Plugin):
+        name = get_plugin_name_by_class(plugin)  # type: ignore
+    else:
+        raise TypeError(f'Invalid plugin type/name: {plugin}')
 
-    try:
-        plugin = importlib.import_module('platypush.plugins.' + plugin_name)
-    except ImportError as e:
-        logger.warning('No such plugin: %s', plugin_name)
-        raise RuntimeError(e) from e
+    if name not in plugins_init_locks:
+        plugins_init_locks[name] = RLock()
+
+    if name in _ctx.plugins and not reload:
+        return _ctx.plugins[name]
+
+    if isinstance(plugin, str):
+        try:
+            plugin = importlib.import_module(
+                'platypush.plugins.' + name
+            )  # type: ignore
+        except ImportError as e:
+            logger.warning('No such plugin: %s', name)
+            raise RuntimeError(e) from e
 
     # e.g. plugins.music.mpd main class: MusicMpdPlugin
     cls_name = ''
-    for token in plugin_name.split('.'):
+    for token in name.split('.'):
         cls_name += token.title()
     cls_name += 'Plugin'
 
-    plugin_conf = (
-        Config.get_plugins()[plugin_name] if plugin_name in Config.get_plugins() else {}
-    )
+    plugin_conf = Config.get_plugins()[name] if name in Config.get_plugins() else {}
 
     if 'disabled' in plugin_conf:
         if plugin_conf['disabled'] is True:
@@ -148,15 +166,15 @@ def get_plugin(plugin_name, reload=False):
     try:
         plugin_class = getattr(plugin, cls_name)
     except AttributeError as e:
-        logger.warning('No such class in %s: %s [error: %s]', plugin_name, cls_name, e)
+        logger.warning('No such class in %s: %s [error: %s]', name, cls_name, e)
         raise RuntimeError(e) from e
 
-    with plugins_init_locks[plugin_name]:
-        if _ctx.plugins.get(plugin_name) and not reload:
-            return _ctx.plugins[plugin_name]
-        _ctx.plugins[plugin_name] = plugin_class(**plugin_conf)
+    with plugins_init_locks[name]:
+        if _ctx.plugins.get(name) and not reload:
+            return _ctx.plugins[name]
+        _ctx.plugins[name] = plugin_class(**plugin_conf)
 
-    return _ctx.plugins[plugin_name]
+    return _ctx.plugins[name]
 
 
 def get_bus() -> Bus: