diff --git a/contrib/pylightning/lightning/plugin.py b/contrib/pylightning/lightning/plugin.py
index 4440f3185..402f3cccf 100644
--- a/contrib/pylightning/lightning/plugin.py
+++ b/contrib/pylightning/lightning/plugin.py
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ class Method(object):
      - RPC exposed by RPC passthrough
      - HOOK registered to be called synchronously by lightningd
     """
-    def __init__(self, name, func, mtype=MethodType.RPCMETHOD):
+    def __init__(self, name, func, mtype=MethodType.RPCMETHOD, category=None):
         self.name = name
         self.func = func
         self.mtype = mtype
+        self.category = category
         self.background = False
 
 
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ class Plugin(object):
 
         self.write_lock = RLock()
 
-    def add_method(self, name, func, background=False):
+    def add_method(self, name, func, background=False, category=None):
         """Add a plugin method to the dispatch table.
 
         The function will be expected at call time (see `_dispatch`)
@@ -145,6 +146,9 @@ class Plugin(object):
         `request.set_result` or `result.set_exception` to return a result or
         raise an exception for the call.
 
+        The `category` argument can be used to specify the category of the
+        newly created rpc command.
+
         """
         if name in self.methods:
             raise ValueError(
@@ -152,7 +156,7 @@ class Plugin(object):
             )
 
         # Register the function with the name
-        method = Method(name, func, MethodType.RPCMETHOD)
+        method = Method(name, func, MethodType.RPCMETHOD, category)
         method.background = background
         self.methods[name] = method
 
@@ -211,23 +215,23 @@ class Plugin(object):
         else:
             return self.options[name]['default']
 
-    def async_method(self, method_name):
+    def async_method(self, method_name, category=None):
         """Decorator to add an async plugin method to the dispatch table.
 
         Internally uses add_method.
         """
         def decorator(f):
-            self.add_method(method_name, f, background=True)
+            self.add_method(method_name, f, background=True, category=category)
             return f
         return decorator
 
-    def method(self, method_name):
+    def method(self, method_name, category=None):
         """Decorator to add a plugin method to the dispatch table.
 
         Internally uses add_method.
         """
         def decorator(f):
-            self.add_method(method_name, f, background=False)
+            self.add_method(method_name, f, background=False, category=category)
             return f
         return decorator
 
@@ -473,6 +477,7 @@ class Plugin(object):
 
             methods.append({
                 'name': method.name,
+                'category': method.category if method.category else "plugin",
                 'usage': " ".join(args),
                 'description': doc
             })