diff --git a/data/examples/init/onMapLoad_dreamfort.init b/data/examples/init/onMapLoad_dreamfort.init
index fe2b1d54e..8f341cf7e 100644
--- a/data/examples/init/onMapLoad_dreamfort.init
+++ b/data/examples/init/onMapLoad_dreamfort.init
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ enable seedwatch
 seedwatch all 30
 
 # ensures important tasks get assigned to workers.
-# otherwise these job types can get ignored in busy forts.
-prioritize -aq defaults
+# otherwise many job types can get ignored in busy forts.
+on-new-fortress prioritize -aq defaults
 
 # autobutcher settings are saved in the savegame, so we only need to set them once.
 # this way, any custom settings you set during gameplay are not overwritten
diff --git a/docs/builtins/enable.rst b/docs/builtins/enable.rst
index 7af10a9f3..8525214b3 100644
--- a/docs/builtins/enable.rst
+++ b/docs/builtins/enable.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ and disabled plugins, and shows whether that can be changed through the same
 commands. Passing plugin names to these commands will enable or disable the
 specified plugins.
 
+If you are a script developer, see `script-enable-api` for how to expose whether
+your script is currently enabled or disabled.
+
 Usage
 -----
 
diff --git a/docs/dev/Lua API.rst b/docs/dev/Lua API.rst
index 022d24de6..c20514279 100644
--- a/docs/dev/Lua API.rst	
+++ b/docs/dev/Lua API.rst	
@@ -5532,6 +5532,8 @@ Importing scripts
   not declare support as described above, although it is preferred to update
   such scripts so that ``reqscript()`` can be used instead.
 
+.. _script-enable-api:
+
 Enabling and disabling scripts
 ==============================
 
@@ -5546,18 +5548,64 @@ table passed to the script will have the following fields set:
 * ``enable``: Always ``true`` if the script is being enabled *or* disabled
 * ``enable_state``: ``true`` if the script is being enabled, ``false`` otherwise
 
+If you declare a global function named ``isEnabled`` that returns a boolean
+indicating whether your script is enabled, then your script will be listed among
+the other enableable scripts and plugins when the player runs the `enable`
+command.
+
 Example usage::
 
     --@ enable = true
+
+    enabled = enabled or false
+    function isEnabled()
+        return enabled
+    end
+
     -- (function definitions...)
+
     if dfhack_flags.enable then
         if dfhack_flags.enable_state then
             start()
+            enabled = true
         else
             stop()
+            enabled = false
         end
     end
 
+If the state of your script can be tied to an active savegame, then your script
+should hook the appropriate events to load persisted state when a savegame is
+loaded. For example::
+
+    local json = require('json')
+    local persist = require('persist-table')
+
+    local GLOBAL_KEY = 'my-script-name'
+    g_state = g_state or {}
+
+    dfhack.onStateChange[GLOBAL_KEY] = function(sc)
+        if sc ~= SC_MAP_LOADED or df.global.gamemode ~= df.game_mode.DWARF then
+            return
+        end
+        local state = json.decode(persist.GlobalTable[GLOBAL_KEY] or '')
+        g_state = state or {}
+    end
+
+The attachment to ``dfhack.onStateChange`` should appear in your script code
+outside of any function. DFHack will load your script as a module just before
+the ``SC_DFHACK_INITIALIZED`` state change event is sent, giving your code an
+opportunity to run and attach hooks before the game is loaded.
+
+If an enableable script is added to a DFHack `script path <script-paths>` while
+DF is running, then it will miss the initial sweep that loads all the module
+scripts and any ``onStateChange`` handlers the script may want to register will
+not be registered until the script is loaded via some means, either by running
+it or loading it as a module. If you just added new scripts that you want to
+load so they can attach their ``onStateChange`` handlers, run ``enable`` without
+parameters or call ``:lua require('script-manager').reload()`` to scan and load
+all script modules.
+
 Save init script
 ================
 
diff --git a/library/Core.cpp b/library/Core.cpp
index 836772c04..eed2de30a 100644
--- a/library/Core.cpp
+++ b/library/Core.cpp
@@ -826,9 +826,13 @@ command_result Core::runCommand(color_ostream &con, const std::string &first_, v
                     "%20s\t%-3s%s\n",
                     (plug->getName()+":").c_str(),
                     plug->is_enabled() ? "on" : "off",
-                    plug->can_set_enabled() ? "" : " (controlled elsewhere)"
+                    plug->can_set_enabled() ? "" : " (controlled internally)"
                 );
             }
+
+            auto L = Lua::Core::State;
+            Lua::StackUnwinder top(L);
+            Lua::CallLuaModuleFunction(con, L, "script-manager", "list");
         }
     }
     else if (first == "ls" || first == "dir")
@@ -1833,8 +1837,12 @@ void Core::doUpdate(color_ostream &out, bool first_update)
 {
     Lua::Core::Reset(out, "DF code execution");
 
-    if (first_update)
+    if (first_update) {
+        auto L = Lua::Core::State;
+        Lua::StackUnwinder top(L);
+        Lua::CallLuaModuleFunction(out, L, "script-manager", "reload");
         onStateChange(out, SC_CORE_INITIALIZED);
+    }
 
     // find the current viewscreen
     df::viewscreen *screen = NULL;
diff --git a/library/lua/script-manager.lua b/library/lua/script-manager.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..008e9443e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/lua/script-manager.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+local _ENV = mkmodule('script-manager')
+
+local utils = require('utils')
+
+-- for each script that can be loaded as a module, calls cb(script_name, env)
+function foreach_module_script(cb)
+    for _,script_path in ipairs(dfhack.internal.getScriptPaths()) do
+        local files = dfhack.filesystem.listdir_recursive(
+                                            script_path, nil, false)
+        if not files then goto skip_path end
+        for _,f in ipairs(files) do
+            if not f.isdir and
+                    f.path:endswith('.lua') and
+                    not f.path:startswith('test/') and
+                    not f.path:startswith('internal/') then
+                local script_name = f.path:sub(1, #f.path - 4) -- remove '.lua'
+                local ok, script_env = pcall(reqscript, script_name)
+                if ok then
+                    cb(script_name, script_env)
+                end
+            end
+        end
+        ::skip_path::
+    end
+end
+
+local enabled_map = {}
+
+local function process_script(env_name, env)
+    local global_name = 'isEnabled'
+    local fn = env[global_name]
+    if not fn then return end
+    if type(fn) ~= 'function' then
+        dfhack.printerr(
+                ('error registering %s() from "%s": global' ..
+                ' value is not a function'):format(global_name, env_name))
+        return
+    end
+    enabled_map[env_name] = fn
+end
+
+function reload()
+    enabled_map = utils.OrderedTable()
+    foreach_module_script(process_script)
+end
+
+function list()
+    -- call reload every time we list to make sure we get scripts that have
+    -- just been added
+    reload()
+    for name,fn in pairs(enabled_map) do
+        print(('%20s\t%-3s'):format(name..':', fn() and 'on' or 'off'))
+    end
+end
+
+return _ENV
diff --git a/plugins/lua/overlay.lua b/plugins/lua/overlay.lua
index d63041993..9f2c9029b 100644
--- a/plugins/lua/overlay.lua
+++ b/plugins/lua/overlay.lua
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ local _ENV = mkmodule('plugins.overlay')
 
 local gui = require('gui')
 local json = require('json')
+local scriptmanager = require('script-manager')
 local utils = require('utils')
 local widgets = require('gui.widgets')
 
@@ -250,11 +251,9 @@ local function load_widget(name, widget_class)
     end
 end
 
-local function load_widgets(env_prefix, provider, env_fn)
-    local env_name = env_prefix .. provider
-    local ok, provider_env = pcall(env_fn, env_name)
-    if not ok or not provider_env[OVERLAY_WIDGETS_VAR] then return end
-    local overlay_widgets = provider_env[OVERLAY_WIDGETS_VAR]
+local function load_widgets(env_name, env)
+    local overlay_widgets = env[OVERLAY_WIDGETS_VAR]
+    if not overlay_widgets then return end
     if type(overlay_widgets) ~= 'table' then
         dfhack.printerr(
                 ('error loading overlay widgets from "%s": %s map is malformed')
@@ -262,7 +261,7 @@ local function load_widgets(env_prefix, provider, env_fn)
         return
     end
     for widget_name,widget_class in pairs(overlay_widgets) do
-        local name = provider .. '.' .. widget_name
+        local name = env_name .. '.' .. widget_name
         if not safecall(load_widget, name, widget_class) then
             dfhack.printerr(('error loading overlay widget "%s"'):format(name))
         end
@@ -274,23 +273,13 @@ function reload()
     reset()
 
     for _,plugin in ipairs(dfhack.internal.listPlugins()) do
-        load_widgets('plugins.', plugin, require)
-    end
-    for _,script_path in ipairs(dfhack.internal.getScriptPaths()) do
-        local files = dfhack.filesystem.listdir_recursive(
-                                            script_path, nil, false)
-        if not files then goto skip_path end
-        for _,f in ipairs(files) do
-            if not f.isdir and
-                    f.path:endswith('.lua') and
-                    not f.path:startswith('test/') and
-                    not f.path:startswith('internal/') then
-                local script_name = f.path:sub(1, #f.path - 4) -- remove '.lua'
-                load_widgets('', script_name, reqscript)
-            end
+        local env_name = 'plugins.' .. plugin
+        local ok, plugin_env = pcall(require, env_name)
+        if ok then
+            load_widgets(plugin, plugin_env)
         end
-        ::skip_path::
     end
+    scriptmanager.foreach_module_script(load_widgets)
 
     for name in pairs(widget_db) do
         table.insert(widget_index, name)