diff --git a/src/ScreensaverPlugin.cpp b/src/ScreensaverPlugin.cpp
index 2d5de93..950f75d 100644
--- a/src/ScreensaverPlugin.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreensaverPlugin.cpp
@@ -94,3 +94,17 @@ void ScreensaverPlugin::rounded_rect(const cairo_rectangle_t& rect, double radiu
     cairo_line_to(_c, x0, y1);
     cairo_arc(_c, x1, y1, radius, M_PI, 1.5 * M_PI);
 }
+
+void ScreensaverPlugin::config(const nlohmann::json& data) {
+    _j = data;
+    configure();
+}
+
+void ScreensaverPlugin::config(nlohmann::json&& data) {
+    _j = data;
+    configure();
+}
+
+void ScreensaverPlugin::configure() {
+    // empty default implementation
+}
diff --git a/src/ScreensaverPlugin.hpp b/src/ScreensaverPlugin.hpp
index 148c960..ddd761a 100644
--- a/src/ScreensaverPlugin.hpp
+++ b/src/ScreensaverPlugin.hpp
@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@ class ScreensaverPlugin {
         virtual ~ScreensaverPlugin() = default;
 
         virtual void setup(cairo_t* context, const cairo_rectangle_t& rect);
+        virtual void configure();
         virtual int fps() const;
 
         virtual void update() = 0; // advance state for next frame
         virtual void render() = 0; // draw next frame
 
-        void config(const nlohmann::json& data) { _j = data; }
-        void config(nlohmann::json&& data) { _j = data; }
+        void config(const nlohmann::json& data);
+        void config(nlohmann::json&& data);
         const nlohmann::json& config() const { return _j; }
 
     protected: