diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/AssetInventoryServer.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/AssetInventoryServer.cs
index 07cbadefaa..5e8a6f11c0 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/AssetInventoryServer.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/AssetInventoryServer.cs
@@ -75,15 +75,16 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer
                 return false;
             }
 
-            IConfig pluginConfig = ConfigFile.Configs["Plugins"];
-
-            StorageProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/AssetStorageProvider", pluginConfig.GetString("asset_storage_provider")) as IAssetStorageProvider;
+            StorageProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/AssetStorageProvider",
+                                                             "asset_storage_provider", false) as IAssetStorageProvider;
             m_backends.Add(StorageProvider);
 
-            InventoryProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/InventoryStorageProvider", pluginConfig.GetString("inventory_storage_provider")) as IInventoryStorageProvider;
+            InventoryProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/InventoryStorageProvider",
+                                                               "inventory_storage_provider", false) as IInventoryStorageProvider;
             m_backends.Add(InventoryProvider);
 
-            MetricsProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/MetricsProvider", pluginConfig.GetString("metrics_provider")) as IMetricsProvider;
+            MetricsProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/MetricsProvider",
+                                                             "metrics_provider", false) as IMetricsProvider;
             m_backends.Add(MetricsProvider);
 
             try
@@ -97,13 +98,19 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer
                 return false;
             }
 
-            AuthenticationProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/AuthenticationProvider", pluginConfig.GetString("authentication_provider")) as IAuthenticationProvider;
+            AuthenticationProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/AuthenticationProvider",
+                                                                    "authentication_provider", false) as IAuthenticationProvider;
             m_backends.Add(AuthenticationProvider);
 
-            AuthorizationProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/AuthorizationProvider", pluginConfig.GetString("authorization_provider")) as IAuthorizationProvider;
+            AuthorizationProvider = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/AuthorizationProvider",
+                                                                   "authorization_provider", false) as IAuthorizationProvider;
             m_backends.Add(AuthorizationProvider);
 
-            m_frontends.AddRange(LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugins("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/Frontend", pluginConfig.GetString("frontends")));
+            m_frontends.AddRange(LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugins("/OpenSim/AssetInventoryServer/Frontend", "frontends"));
+
+            // Inform the user if we don't have any frontends at this point.
+            if (m_frontends.Count == 0)
+                m_log.Info("[ASSETINVENTORY]: Starting with no frontends loaded, which isn't extremely useful. Did you set the 'frontends' configuration parameter?");
 
             return true;
         }
@@ -148,32 +155,47 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer
             m_log.Info("[ASSETINVENTORY]: AssetInventory server is listening on port " + port);
         }
 
-        private IAssetInventoryServerPlugin LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin(string addinPath, string provider)
+        private IAssetInventoryServerPlugin LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugin(string addinPath, string configParam, bool optional)
         {
-            PluginLoader<IAssetInventoryServerPlugin> loader = new PluginLoader<IAssetInventoryServerPlugin>(new AssetInventoryServerPluginInitialiser(this));
+            IAssetInventoryServerPlugin result = null;
+            List<IAssetInventoryServerPlugin> plugins = LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugins(addinPath, configParam);
 
-            if (provider == String.Empty)
-                loader.Add(addinPath);
-            else
-                loader.Add(addinPath, new PluginIdFilter(provider));
-            //loader.Add(addinPath, new PluginCountConstraint(1));
+            if (plugins.Count == 1)
+            {
+                result = plugins[0];
+            }
+            else if (plugins.Count > 1)
+            {
+                m_log.ErrorFormat("[ASSETINVENTORY]: Only 1 plugin expected for extension point '{0}', {1} plugins loaded. Check the '{2}' parameter in the config file.",
+                                  addinPath, plugins.Count, configParam);
+                Shutdown();
+                Environment.Exit(0);
+            }
+            else if (!optional)
+            {
+                m_log.ErrorFormat("[ASSETINVENTORY]: The extension point '{0}' is not optional. Check the '{1}' parameter in the config file.", addinPath, configParam);
+                Shutdown();
+                Environment.Exit(0);
+            }
 
-            loader.Load();
-
-            return loader.Plugin;
+            return result;
         }
 
-        private List<IAssetInventoryServerPlugin> LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugins(string addinPath, string provider)
+        private List<IAssetInventoryServerPlugin> LoadAssetInventoryServerPlugins(string addinPath, string configParam)
         {
             PluginLoader<IAssetInventoryServerPlugin> loader = new PluginLoader<IAssetInventoryServerPlugin>(new AssetInventoryServerPluginInitialiser(this));
+            loader.Add(addinPath, new PluginIdFilter(ConfigFile.Configs["Plugins"].GetString(configParam)));
 
-            if (provider == String.Empty)
-                loader.Add(addinPath);
-            else
-                loader.Add(addinPath, new PluginIdFilter(provider));
-            //loader.Add(addinPath, new PluginCountConstraint(1));
-
-            loader.Load();
+            try
+            {
+                loader.Load();
+            }
+            catch (PluginNotInitialisedException e)
+            {
+                m_log.ErrorFormat("[ASSETINVENTORY]: Error initialising plugin '{0}' for extension point '{1}'.", e.Message, addinPath);
+                Shutdown();
+                Environment.Exit(0);
+            }
 
             return loader.Plugins;
         }
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/AuthorizeAllPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/AuthorizeAllPlugin.cs
index 9e3a421e94..7fd1ee8d03 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/AuthorizeAllPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/AuthorizeAllPlugin.cs
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer Authorize All"; }
+            get { return "AuthorizeAll"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/BrowseFrontendPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/BrowseFrontendPlugin.cs
index 6c9861228d..4ed8d876cc 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/BrowseFrontendPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/BrowseFrontendPlugin.cs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer Browse asset frontend"; }
+            get { return "BrowseFrontend"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullAuthenticationPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullAuthenticationPlugin.cs
index 1fbe78063d..e958591ef1 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullAuthenticationPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullAuthenticationPlugin.cs
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer Null authentication"; }
+            get { return "NullAuthentication"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullMetricsPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullMetricsPlugin.cs
index eef98dc05d..84e526a12a 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullMetricsPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/NullMetricsPlugin.cs
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer Null Metrics"; }
+            get { return "NullMetrics"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetFrontendPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetFrontendPlugin.cs
index d2a87e6376..887ab681be 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetFrontendPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetFrontendPlugin.cs
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.OpenSim
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer OpenSim asset frontend"; }
+            get { return "OpenSimAssetFrontend"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetStoragePlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetStoragePlugin.cs
index 69dcff3a41..ad68c5734a 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetStoragePlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimAssetStoragePlugin.cs
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.OpenSim
             catch (Exception e)
             {
                 m_log.WarnFormat("[OPENSIMASSETSTORAGE]: Failure loading data plugin: {0}", e.ToString());
+                throw new PluginNotInitialisedException(Name);
             }
         }
 
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.OpenSim
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer OpenSim asset storage provider"; }
+            get { return "OpenSimAssetStorage"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryFrontendPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryFrontendPlugin.cs
index 76d712299b..5e7f0c6d5d 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryFrontendPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryFrontendPlugin.cs
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.OpenSim
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer OpenSim inventory frontend"; }
+            get { return "OpenSimInventoryFrontend"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryStoragePlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryStoragePlugin.cs
index 2f5d2ca5c5..1ead422b71 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryStoragePlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/OpenSim/OpenSimInventoryStoragePlugin.cs
@@ -815,6 +815,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.OpenSim
             catch (Exception e)
             {
                 m_log.WarnFormat("[OPENSIMINVENTORYSTORAGE]: Failure loading data plugin: {0}", e.ToString());
+                throw new PluginNotInitialisedException(Name);
             }
         }
 
@@ -839,7 +840,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.OpenSim
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer OpenSim inventory storage provider"; }
+            get { return "OpenSimInventoryStorage"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/ReferenceFrontendPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/ReferenceFrontendPlugin.cs
index af10393bd5..f4111279c1 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/ReferenceFrontendPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/ReferenceFrontendPlugin.cs
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer Reference asset frontend"; }
+            get { return "ReferenceFrontend"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleAssetStoragePlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleAssetStoragePlugin.cs
index 26c34e9984..4e5526b3a1 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleAssetStoragePlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleAssetStoragePlugin.cs
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.Simple
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer Simple asset storage provider"; }
+            get { return "SimpleAssetStorage"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleInventoryStoragePlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleInventoryStoragePlugin.cs
index fee8837487..a48be2e707 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleInventoryStoragePlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/AssetInventoryServer/Plugins/Simple/SimpleInventoryStoragePlugin.cs
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.AssetInventoryServer.Plugins.Simple
 
         public string Name
         {
-            get { return "AssetInventoryServer Simple inventory storage provider"; }
+            get { return "SimpleInventoryStorage"; }
         }
 
         #endregion IPlugin implementation
diff --git a/bin/AssetInventoryServer.ini.example b/bin/AssetInventoryServer.ini.example
index a004818f4d..619495c81d 100644
--- a/bin/AssetInventoryServer.ini.example
+++ b/bin/AssetInventoryServer.ini.example
@@ -101,12 +101,12 @@ frontends = ReferenceFrontend,OpenSimAssetFrontend,OpenSimInventoryFrontend,Brow
 
 ; The database provider determines which database to use. Any database backend
 ; supported by OpenSim is supported.
-;asset_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.SQLite.dll"
-asset_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.MySQL.dll"
+asset_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.SQLite.dll"
+;asset_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.MySQL.dll"
 ;asset_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.NHibernate.dll"
 
-;inventory_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.SQLite.dll"
-inventory_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.MySQL.dll"
+inventory_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.SQLite.dll"
+;inventory_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.MySQL.dll"
 ;inventory_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.NHibernate.dll"
 
 ; Database connection string used by the OpenSim MySQL backend. If these lines
@@ -117,12 +117,12 @@ inventory_database_provider = "OpenSim.Data.MySQL.dll"
 ; modification.
 
 ; For SQLite
-;asset_database_connect = "URI=file:Asset.db,version=3"
-;inventory_database_connect = "URI=file:Inventory.db,version=3"
+asset_database_connect = "URI=file:Asset.db,version=3"
+inventory_database_connect = "URI=file:Inventory.db,version=3"
 
 ; For MySQL
-asset_database_connect = "Server=localhost; Database=opensim; User=changeme; Password=changeme;"
-inventory_database_connect = "Server=localhost; Database=opensim; User=changeme; Password=changeme;"
+;asset_database_connect = "Server=localhost; Database=opensim; User=changeme; Password=changeme;"
+;inventory_database_connect = "Server=localhost; Database=opensim; User=changeme; Password=changeme;"
 
 ; For NHibernate
 ;asset_database_connect = "SQLiteDialect;SQLite20Driver;Data Source=file:Asset.db;Version=3"