diff --git a/Nuclex.Support.csproj b/Nuclex.Support.csproj
index 3d2726a..57a2698 100644
--- a/Nuclex.Support.csproj
+++ b/Nuclex.Support.csproj
@@ -123,16 +123,14 @@
     <Compile Include="Source\PathHelper.Test.cs">
       <DependentUpon>PathHelper.cs</DependentUpon>
     </Compile>
-    <Compile Include="Source\Plugins\AbstractFactory.cs" />
-    <Compile Include="Source\Plugins\AbstractFactory.Test.cs">
-      <DependentUpon>AbstractFactory.cs</DependentUpon>
-    </Compile>
+    <Compile Include="Source\Plugins\IAbstractFactory.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Source\Plugins\Employer.Test.cs">
       <DependentUpon>Employer.cs</DependentUpon>
     </Compile>
     <Compile Include="Source\Plugins\FactoryEmployer.Test.cs">
       <DependentUpon>FactoryEmployer.cs</DependentUpon>
     </Compile>
+    <Compile Include="Source\Plugins\IAssemblyLoader.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Source\Plugins\InstanceEmployer.Test.cs">
       <DependentUpon>InstanceEmployer.cs</DependentUpon>
     </Compile>
diff --git a/Source/Plugins/AbstractFactory.cs b/Source/Plugins/IAbstractFactory.cs
similarity index 100%
rename from Source/Plugins/AbstractFactory.cs
rename to Source/Plugins/IAbstractFactory.cs
diff --git a/Source/Plugins/AbstractFactory.Test.cs b/Source/Plugins/IAssemblyLoader.cs
similarity index 54%
rename from Source/Plugins/AbstractFactory.Test.cs
rename to Source/Plugins/IAssemblyLoader.cs
index ca07177..c8c84d8 100644
--- a/Source/Plugins/AbstractFactory.Test.cs
+++ b/Source/Plugins/IAssemblyLoader.cs
@@ -19,21 +19,22 @@ License along with this library
 #endregion
 
 using System;
-using System.IO;
-
-#if UNITTEST
-
-using NUnit.Framework;
-using NUnit.Framework.SyntaxHelpers;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Reflection;
 
 namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
 
-  /// <summary>Unit Test for the abstract factory interface</summary>
-  [TestFixture]
-  public class AbtractFactoryTest {
+  /// <summary>Interface for an assembly loading helper</summary>
+  public interface IAssemblyLoader {
+
+    /// <summary>Tries to loads an assembly from a file</summary>
+    /// <param name="path">Path to the file that is loaded as an assembly</param>
+    /// <param name="loadedAssembly">
+    ///   Output parameter that receives the loaded assembly or null
+    /// </param>
+    /// <returns>True if the assembly was loaded successfully, otherwise false</returns>
+    bool TryLoadFile(string path, out Assembly loadedAssembly);
 
   }
 
 } // namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins
-
-#endif // UNITTEST
diff --git a/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.Test.cs b/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.Test.cs
index 503d5a3..63e1fa7 100644
--- a/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.Test.cs
+++ b/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.Test.cs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ License along with this library
 
 using System;
 using System.IO;
+using System.Reflection;
 
 #if UNITTEST
 
@@ -29,8 +30,133 @@ using NUnit.Framework.SyntaxHelpers;
 namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
 
   /// <summary>Unit Test for the plugin host class</summary>
-  [TestFixture]
+  [TestFixture, NoPlugin] // NoPlugin is used in one of the unit tests
   public class PluginHostTest {
+
+    #region class FailingEmployer
+
+    /// <summary>Employer that unexpectedly fails to employ a given type</summary>
+    private class FailingEmployer : Employer {
+
+      /// <summary>Employs the specified plugin type</summary>
+      /// <param name="type">Type to be employed</param>
+      public override void Employ(Type type) {
+        if(type.Equals(typeof(PluginRepository))) {
+          throw new InvalidOperationException();
+        }
+      }
+
+    }
+
+    #endregion // class FailingEmployer
+
+    /// <summary>Tests whether the simple constructor is working</summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestSimpleConstructor() {
+      new PluginHost(new FactoryEmployer<PluginHostTest>());
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Tests whether the full constructor is working</summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestFullConstructor() {
+      new PluginHost(new FactoryEmployer<PluginHostTest>(), new PluginRepository());
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Tests whether the AddAssembly() method works by adding the test assembly
+    ///   itself to the repository
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestFullConstructorWithPreloadedAssembly() {
+      PluginRepository testRepository = new PluginRepository();
+      FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository> testEmployer = new FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository>();
+
+      // Might also use Assembly.GetCallingAssembly() here, but this leads to the exe of
+      // the unit testing tool
+      Assembly self = Assembly.GetAssembly(GetType());
+      testRepository.AddAssembly(self);
+
+      PluginHost testHost = new PluginHost(testEmployer, testRepository);
+
+      Assert.AreEqual(1, testEmployer.Factories.Count);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Verifies that the plugin host correctly stores the provided repository
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestRepositoryStorage() {
+      PluginRepository testRepository = new PluginRepository();
+      FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository> testEmployer = new FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository>();
+      PluginHost testHost = new PluginHost(testEmployer, testRepository);
+
+      Assert.AreSame(testRepository, testHost.Repository);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Verifies that the plugin host correctly stores the provided employer
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestEmployerStorage() {
+      PluginRepository testRepository = new PluginRepository();
+      FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository> testEmployer = new FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository>();
+      PluginHost testHost = new PluginHost(testEmployer, testRepository);
+
+      Assert.AreSame(testEmployer, testHost.Employer);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Tests whether the plugin host noticed when new assemblies are loaded into
+    ///   the repository
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestAssemblyLoading() {
+      PluginRepository testRepository = new PluginRepository();
+      FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository> testEmployer = new FactoryEmployer<PluginRepository>();
+
+      PluginHost testHost = new PluginHost(testEmployer, testRepository);
+
+      // Might also use Assembly.GetCallingAssembly() here, but this leads to the exe of
+      // the unit testing tool
+      Assembly self = Assembly.GetAssembly(GetType());
+      testRepository.AddAssembly(self);
+
+      Assert.AreEqual(1, testEmployer.Factories.Count);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Tests whether the plugin host isolates the caller from an exception when the
+    ///   employer fails to employ a type in the assembly
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestAssemblyLoadingWithEmployFailure() {
+      PluginRepository testRepository = new PluginRepository();
+      PluginHost testHost = new PluginHost(new FailingEmployer(), testRepository);
+
+      // Might also use Assembly.GetCallingAssembly() here, but this leads to the exe of
+      // the unit testing tool
+      Assembly self = Assembly.GetAssembly(GetType());
+      testRepository.AddAssembly(self);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Verifies that the plugin host ignores types which have the NoPluginAttribute
+    ///   assigned to them
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestAssemblyLoadingWithNoPluginAttribute() {
+      PluginRepository testRepository = new PluginRepository();
+      FactoryEmployer<PluginHostTest> testEmployer = new FactoryEmployer<PluginHostTest>();
+      PluginHost testHost = new PluginHost(testEmployer, testRepository);
+
+      // Might also use Assembly.GetCallingAssembly() here, but this leads to the exe of
+      // the unit testing tool
+      Assembly self = Assembly.GetAssembly(GetType());
+      testRepository.AddAssembly(self);
+
+      Assert.AreEqual(0, testEmployer.Factories.Count);
+    }
+
   }
 
 } // namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins
diff --git a/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.cs b/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.cs
index e45e660..c0b5601 100644
--- a/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.cs
+++ b/Source/Plugins/PluginHost.cs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ License along with this library
 #endregion
 
 using System;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Reflection;
 
 namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
@@ -83,10 +84,8 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
 
         // Types that have been tagged with the [NoPlugin] attribute will be ignored
         object[] attributes = type.GetCustomAttributes(true);
-        for(int index = 0; index < attributes.Length; ++index) {
-          if(attributes[index] is NoPluginAttribute) {
-            continue;
-          }
+        if(containsNoPluginAttribute(attributes)) {
+          continue;
         }
 
         // Type seems to be acceptable, assess and possibly employ it
@@ -96,14 +95,26 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
           }
         }
         catch(Exception exception) {
-          System.Console.WriteLine(
-            "Could not employ " + type.ToString() + ": " + exception.Message
-          );
+          Trace.WriteLine("Could not employ " + type.ToString() + ": " + exception.Message);
         }
 
       }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Determines whether the specifies list of attributes contains a NoPluginAttribute
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="attributes">List of attributes to check</param>
+    /// <returns>True if the list contained a NoPluginAttribute, false otherwise</returns>
+    private static bool containsNoPluginAttribute(object[] attributes) {
+      for(int index = 0; index < attributes.Length; ++index) {
+        if(attributes[index] is NoPluginAttribute) {
+          return true;
+        }
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Employs and manages types in the loaded plugin assemblies</summary>
     private Employer employer;
     /// <summary>Repository containing all plugins loaded, shared with other hosts</summary>
diff --git a/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.Test.cs b/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.Test.cs
index 56910f1..dfa2525 100644
--- a/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.Test.cs
+++ b/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.Test.cs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ License along with this library
 #endregion
 
 using System;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Reflection;
 
@@ -53,6 +54,40 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
 
     #endregion // interface IProgressTrackerSubscriber
 
+    #region class TestAssemblyLoader
+
+    /// <summary>Special assembly loader for the unit test</summary>
+    public class TestAssemblyLoader : PluginRepository.DefaultAssemblyLoader {
+
+      /// <summary>Loads an assembly from a file system path</summary>
+      /// <param name="path">Path the assembly will be loaded from</param>
+      /// <returns>The loaded assembly</returns>
+      protected override Assembly LoadAssemblyFromFile(string path) {
+        switch(path) {
+          case "DllNotFound": {
+            Trace.WriteLine("Simulating DllNotFoundException for unit test");
+            throw new DllNotFoundException();
+          }
+          case "UnauthorizedAccess": {
+            Trace.WriteLine("Simulating UnauthorizedAccessException for unit test");
+            throw new UnauthorizedAccessException();
+          }
+          case "BadImageFormat": {
+            Trace.WriteLine("Simulating BadImageFormatException for unit test");
+            throw new BadImageFormatException();
+          }
+          case "IO": {
+            Trace.WriteLine("Simulating IOException for unit test");
+            throw new IOException();
+          }
+          default: { return Assembly.LoadFile(path); }
+        }
+      }
+
+    }
+
+    #endregion // class TestAssemblyLoader
+
     /// <summary>
     ///   Tests whether the default constructor of the plugin repository class works
     /// </summary>
@@ -81,6 +116,8 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
 
       Assembly self = Assembly.GetAssembly(GetType());
       testRepository.AddFiles(self.Location);
+
+      Assert.AreEqual(1, testRepository.LoadedAssemblies.Count);
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -118,6 +155,50 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
       mockery.VerifyAllExpectationsHaveBeenMet();
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Verifies that no exceptions come through when a DllNotFoundException is thrown
+    ///   during assembly loading
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestDllNotFoundExceptionDuringAssemblyLoad() {
+      TestAssemblyLoader loader = new TestAssemblyLoader();
+      Assembly loadedAssembly;
+      Assert.IsFalse(loader.TryLoadFile("DllNotFound", out loadedAssembly));
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Verifies that no exceptions come through when a UnauthorizedAccessException is
+    ///   thrown during assembly loading
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestUnauthorizedAccessExceptionDuringAssemblyLoad() {
+      TestAssemblyLoader loader = new TestAssemblyLoader();
+      Assembly loadedAssembly;
+      Assert.IsFalse(loader.TryLoadFile("UnauthorizedAccess", out loadedAssembly));
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Verifies that no exceptions come through when a BadImageFormatException is
+    ///   thrown during assembly loading
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestBadImageFormatExceptionDuringAssemblyLoad() {
+      TestAssemblyLoader loader = new TestAssemblyLoader();
+      Assembly loadedAssembly;
+      Assert.IsFalse(loader.TryLoadFile("BadImageFormat", out loadedAssembly));
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///   Verifies that no exceptions come through when an IOException is
+    ///   thrown during assembly loading
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void TestIOExceptionDuringAssemblyLoad() {
+      TestAssemblyLoader loader = new TestAssemblyLoader();
+      Assembly loadedAssembly;
+      Assert.IsFalse(loader.TryLoadFile("IO", out loadedAssembly));
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Mocks a subscriber for the events of a plugin repository</summary>
     /// <param name="mockery">Mockery to create an event subscriber in</param>
     /// <param name="repository">Repository to subscribe the mocked subscriber to</param>
diff --git a/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.cs b/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.cs
index b59e35a..b11a5e1 100644
--- a/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.cs
+++ b/Source/Plugins/PluginRepository.cs
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@ License along with this library
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
-using System.Reflection;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.IO;
+using System.Reflection;
 
 namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
 
@@ -33,12 +34,94 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
   /// </remarks>
   public class PluginRepository {
 
+    #region class DefaultAssemblyLoader
+
+    /// <summary>Default assembly loader used to read assemblies from files</summary>
+    public class DefaultAssemblyLoader : IAssemblyLoader {
+
+      /// <summary>Initializes a new default assembly loader</summary>
+      /// <remarks>
+      ///   Made protected to provide users with a small incentive for using
+      ///   the Instance property instead of creating new instances all around.
+      /// </remarks>
+      protected DefaultAssemblyLoader() { }
+
+      /// <summary>Loads an assembly from a file system path</summary>
+      /// <param name="path">Path the assembly will be loaded from</param>
+      /// <returns>The loaded assembly</returns>
+      protected virtual Assembly LoadAssemblyFromFile(string path) {
+        return Assembly.LoadFile(path);
+      }
+
+      /// <summary>Tries to loads an assembly from a file</summary>
+      /// <param name="path">Path to the file that is loaded as an assembly</param>
+      /// <param name="loadedAssembly">
+      ///   Output parameter that receives the loaded assembly or null
+      /// </param>
+      /// <returns>True if the assembly was loaded successfully, otherwise false</returns>
+      public bool TryLoadFile(string path, out Assembly loadedAssembly) {
+
+        // A lot of errors can occur when attempting to load an assembly...
+        try {
+          loadedAssembly = LoadAssemblyFromFile(path);
+          return true;
+        }
+        // File not found - Most likely a missing dependency of the assembly we
+        // attempted to load since the assembly itself has been found by the GetFiles() method
+        catch(DllNotFoundException) {
+          Trace.WriteLine(
+            "Assembly '" + path + "' or one of its dependencies is missing"
+          );
+        }
+        // Unauthorized acccess - Either the assembly is not trusted because it contains
+        // code that imposes a security risk on the system or a user rights problem
+        catch(UnauthorizedAccessException) {
+          Trace.WriteLine(
+            "Not authorized to load assembly '" + path + "', " +
+            "possible rights problem"
+          );
+        }
+        // Bad image format - This exception is often thrown when the assembly we
+        // attempted to load requires a different version of the .NET framework
+        catch(BadImageFormatException) {
+          Trace.WriteLine(
+            "'" + path + "' is not a .NET assembly, requires a different version " +
+            "of the .NET Runtime or does not support the current instruction set (x86/x64)"
+          );
+        }
+        // Unknown error - Our last resort is to show a default error message
+        catch(Exception exception) {
+          Trace.WriteLine(
+            "Failed to load plugin assembly '" + path + "': " + exception.Message
+          );
+        }
+
+        loadedAssembly = null;
+        return false;
+
+      }
+
+      /// <summary>The only instance of the DefaultAssemblyLoader</summary>
+      public static readonly DefaultAssemblyLoader Instance =
+        new DefaultAssemblyLoader();
+
+    }
+
+    #endregion // class DefaultAssemblyLoader
+
     /// <summary>Triggered whenever a new assembly is loaded into this repository</summary>
     public event AssemblyLoadEventHandler AssemblyLoaded;
 
     /// <summary>Initializes a new instance of the plugin repository</summary>
-    public PluginRepository() {
+    public PluginRepository() : this(DefaultAssemblyLoader.Instance) { }
+
+    /// <summary>Initializes a new instance of the plugin repository</summary>
+    /// <param name="loader">
+    ///   Loader to use for loading assemblies into this repository
+    /// </param>
+    public PluginRepository(IAssemblyLoader loader) {
       this.assemblies = new List<Assembly>();
+      this.assemblyLoader = loader;
     }
 
     /// <summary>Loads all plugins matching a wildcard specification</summary>
@@ -63,38 +146,9 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
       string[] assemblyFiles = Directory.GetFiles(directory, search);
       foreach(string assemblyFile in assemblyFiles) {
 
-        // A lot of errors can occur when attempting to load an assembly...
-        try {
-          AddAssembly(Assembly.LoadFile(assemblyFile));
-        }
-        // File not found - Most likely a missing dependency of the assembly we
-        // attempted to load since the assembly itself has been found by the GetFiles() method
-        catch(DllNotFoundException) {
-          Console.WriteLine(
-            "Assembly '" + assemblyFile + "' or one of its dependencies is missing"
-          );
-        }
-        // Unauthorized acccess - Either the assembly is not trusted because it contains
-        // code that imposes a security risk on the system or a user rights problem
-        catch(UnauthorizedAccessException) {
-          Console.WriteLine(
-            "Not authorized to load assembly '" + assemblyFile + "', " +
-            "possible rights problem"
-          );
-        }
-        // Bad image format - This exception is often thrown when the assembly we
-        // attempted to load requires a different version of the .NET framework
-        catch(BadImageFormatException) {
-          Console.WriteLine(
-            "'" + assemblyFile +"' is not a .NET assembly, requires a different version " +
-            "of the .NET Runtime or does not support the current instruction set (x86/x64)"
-          );
-        }
-        // Unknown error - Our last resort is to show a default error message
-        catch(Exception exception) {
-          Console.WriteLine(
-            "Failed to load plugin assembly '" + assemblyFile + "': " + exception.Message
-          );
+        Assembly loadedAssembly;
+        if(this.assemblyLoader.TryLoadFile(assemblyFile, out loadedAssembly)) {
+          AddAssembly(loadedAssembly);
         }
 
       }
@@ -121,6 +175,8 @@ namespace Nuclex.Support.Plugins {
 
     /// <summary>Loaded plugin assemblies</summary>
     private List<Assembly> assemblies;
+    /// <summary>Takes care of loading assemblies for the repositories</summary>
+    private IAssemblyLoader assemblyLoader;
 
   }