diff --git a/old-makefile b/old-makefile
index 1d3b45a8cc..b54c147eb6 100644
--- a/old-makefile
+++ b/old-makefile
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ SOURCES = audio/audio.c \
           player/osd.c \
           player/playloop.c \
           player/screenshot.c \
+          player/scripting.c \
           player/sub.c \
           player/video.c \
           player/timeline/tl_matroska.c \
diff --git a/options/options.c b/options/options.c
index 5674c7dc0d..d3a10457a8 100644
--- a/options/options.c
+++ b/options/options.c
@@ -680,7 +680,9 @@ const struct MPOpts mp_default_opts = {
     .osd_bar_h = 3.125,
     .osd_scale = 1,
     .osd_scale_by_window = 1,
+#if HAVE_LUA
     .lua_load_osc = 1,
+#endif
     .auto_load_scripts = 1,
     .loop_times = -1,
     .ordered_chapters = 1,
diff --git a/player/client.c b/player/client.c
index 45ba680e84..31a32b5616 100644
--- a/player/client.c
+++ b/player/client.c
@@ -205,6 +205,11 @@ struct mp_log *mp_client_get_log(struct mpv_handle *ctx)
     return ctx->log;
 }
 
+struct MPContext *mp_client_get_core(struct mpv_handle *ctx)
+{
+    return ctx->mpctx;
+}
+
 static void wakeup_client(struct mpv_handle *ctx)
 {
     pthread_cond_signal(&ctx->wakeup);
diff --git a/player/client.h b/player/client.h
index 6e078e9d7b..e9d41d8c09 100644
--- a/player/client.h
+++ b/player/client.h
@@ -21,5 +21,6 @@ void mp_client_property_change(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char **list);
 
 struct mpv_handle *mp_new_client(struct mp_client_api *clients, const char *name);
 struct mp_log *mp_client_get_log(struct mpv_handle *ctx);
+struct MPContext *mp_client_get_core(struct mpv_handle *ctx);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/player/command.c b/player/command.c
index ec05e8cc40..512f2b478a 100644
--- a/player/command.c
+++ b/player/command.c
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@
 #include "osdep/io.h"
 
 #include "core.h"
-#include "lua.h"
 
 struct command_ctx {
     double last_seek_time;
diff --git a/player/core.h b/player/core.h
index 18a749376b..891c14792d 100644
--- a/player/core.h
+++ b/player/core.h
@@ -449,6 +449,13 @@ void idle_loop(struct MPContext *mpctx);
 void handle_force_window(struct MPContext *mpctx, bool reconfig);
 void add_frame_pts(struct MPContext *mpctx, double pts);
 
+// scripting.c
+struct mp_scripting {
+    const char *file_ext;   // e.g. "lua"
+    int (*load)(struct mpv_handle *client, const char *filename);
+};
+void mp_load_scripts(struct MPContext *mpctx);
+
 // sub.c
 void reset_subtitles(struct MPContext *mpctx, int order);
 void uninit_subs(struct demuxer *demuxer);
diff --git a/player/lua.c b/player/lua.c
index 0c8c415630..1c8a5c6cb5 100644
--- a/player/lua.c
+++ b/player/lua.c
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 #include "command.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "libmpv/client.h"
-#include "lua.h"
 
 // List of builtin modules and their contents as strings.
 // All these are generated from player/lua/*.lua
@@ -55,7 +54,7 @@ static const char *builtin_lua_scripts[][2] = {
     {"mp.assdraw",
 #   include "player/lua/assdraw.inc"
     },
-    {"@osc",
+    {"@osc.lua",
 #   include "player/lua/osc.inc"
     },
     {0}
@@ -140,27 +139,6 @@ static int run_event_loop(lua_State *L)
 
 static void add_functions(struct script_ctx *ctx);
 
-static char *script_name_from_filename(void *talloc_ctx, const char *fname)
-{
-    fname = mp_basename(fname);
-    if (fname[0] == '@')
-        fname += 1;
-    char *name = talloc_strdup(talloc_ctx, fname);
-    // Drop .lua extension
-    char *dot = strrchr(name, '.');
-    if (dot)
-        *dot = '\0';
-    // Turn it into a safe identifier - this is used with e.g. dispatching
-    // input via: "send scriptname ..."
-    for (int n = 0; name[n]; n++) {
-        char c = name[n];
-        if (!(c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z') && !(c >= 'a' && c <= 'z') &&
-            !(c >= '0' && c <= '9'))
-            name[n] = '_';
-    }
-    return talloc_asprintf(talloc_ctx, "%s", name);
-}
-
 static int load_file(struct script_ctx *ctx, const char *fname)
 {
     int r = 0;
@@ -206,20 +184,10 @@ static bool require(lua_State *L, const char *name)
     return true;
 }
 
-struct thread_arg {
-    struct MPContext *mpctx;
-    mpv_handle *client;
-    const char *fname;
-};
-
-static void *lua_thread(void *p)
+static int load_lua(struct mpv_handle *client, const char *fname)
 {
-    pthread_detach(pthread_self());
-
-    struct thread_arg *arg = p;
-    struct MPContext *mpctx = arg->mpctx;
-    const char *fname = arg->fname;
-    mpv_handle *client = arg->client;
+    struct MPContext *mpctx = mp_client_get_core(client);
+    int r = -1;
 
     struct script_ctx *ctx = talloc_ptrtype(NULL, ctx);
     *ctx = (struct script_ctx) {
@@ -301,40 +269,15 @@ static void *lua_thread(void *p)
     if (mp_cpcall(L, run_event_loop, 0) != 0)
         report_error(L);
 
+    r = 0;
+
 error_out:
-    MP_VERBOSE(ctx, "exiting.\n");
     if (ctx->suspended)
         mpv_resume(ctx->client);
     if (ctx->state)
         lua_close(ctx->state);
-    mpv_destroy(ctx->client);
     talloc_free(ctx);
-    talloc_free(arg);
-    return NULL;
-}
-
-static void mp_lua_load_script(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *fname)
-{
-    struct thread_arg *arg = talloc_ptrtype(NULL, arg);
-    char *name = script_name_from_filename(arg, fname);
-    *arg = (struct thread_arg){
-        .mpctx = mpctx,
-        .fname = talloc_strdup(arg, fname),
-        // Create the client before creating the thread; otherwise a race
-        // condition could happen, where MPContext is destroyed while the
-        // thread tries to create the client.
-        .client = mp_new_client(mpctx->clients, name),
-    };
-    if (!arg->client) {
-        talloc_free(arg);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    pthread_t thread;
-    if (pthread_create(&thread, NULL, lua_thread, arg))
-        talloc_free(arg);
-
-    return;
+    return r;
 }
 
 static int check_loglevel(lua_State *L, int arg)
@@ -1099,53 +1042,7 @@ static void add_functions(struct script_ctx *ctx)
     lua_setfield(L, -2, "get_property_osd");
 }
 
-static int compare_filename(const void *pa, const void *pb)
-{
-    char *a = (char *)pa;
-    char *b = (char *)pb;
-    return strcmp(a, b);
-}
-
-static char **list_lua_files(void *talloc_ctx, char *path)
-{
-    char **files = NULL;
-    int count = 0;
-    DIR *dp = opendir(path);
-    if (!dp)
-        return NULL;
-    struct dirent *ep;
-    while ((ep = readdir(dp))) {
-        char *ext = mp_splitext(ep->d_name, NULL);
-        if (!ext || strcasecmp(ext, "lua") != 0)
-            continue;
-        char *fname = mp_path_join(talloc_ctx, bstr0(path), bstr0(ep->d_name));
-        MP_TARRAY_APPEND(talloc_ctx, files, count, fname);
-    }
-    closedir(dp);
-    qsort(files, count, sizeof(char *), compare_filename);
-    MP_TARRAY_APPEND(talloc_ctx, files, count, NULL);
-    return files;
-}
-
-void mp_lua_init(struct MPContext *mpctx)
-{
-    // Load scripts from options
-    if (mpctx->opts->lua_load_osc)
-        mp_lua_load_script(mpctx, "@osc");
-    char **files = mpctx->opts->lua_files;
-    for (int n = 0; files && files[n]; n++) {
-        if (files[n][0])
-            mp_lua_load_script(mpctx, files[n]);
-    }
-    if (!mpctx->opts->auto_load_scripts)
-        return;
-    // Load ~/.mpv/lua/*
-    void *tmp = talloc_new(NULL);
-    char *lua_path = mp_find_user_config_file(tmp, mpctx->global, "lua");
-    if (lua_path) {
-        files = list_lua_files(tmp, lua_path);
-        for (int n = 0; files && files[n]; n++)
-            mp_lua_load_script(mpctx, files[n]);
-    }
-    talloc_free(tmp);
-}
+const struct mp_scripting mp_scripting_lua = {
+    .file_ext = "lua",
+    .load = load_lua,
+};
diff --git a/player/lua.h b/player/lua.h
deleted file mode 100644
index cb4a7f95ec..0000000000
--- a/player/lua.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef MP_LUA_H
-#define MP_LUA_H
-
-#include <stdbool.h>
-
-struct MPContext;
-
-void mp_lua_init(struct MPContext *mpctx);
-
-#endif
diff --git a/player/main.c b/player/main.c
index 097e51e11c..8c5e90a0d7 100644
--- a/player/main.c
+++ b/player/main.c
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@
 
 #include "core.h"
 #include "client.h"
-#include "lua.h"
 #include "command.h"
 #include "screenshot.h"
 
@@ -450,11 +449,9 @@ int mp_initialize(struct MPContext *mpctx)
         mpctx->initialized_flags |= INITIALIZED_VO;
     }
 
-#if HAVE_LUA
-    // Lua user scripts can call arbitrary functions. Load them at a point
+    // Lua user scripts (etc.) can call arbitrary functions. Load them at a point
     // where this is safe.
-    mp_lua_init(mpctx);
-#endif
+    mp_load_scripts(mpctx);
 
     if (opts->shuffle)
         playlist_shuffle(mpctx->playlist);
diff --git a/player/scripting.c b/player/scripting.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ed7a1c2d3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/player/scripting.c
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of mpv.
+ *
+ * mpv is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * mpv is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with mpv.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <dirent.h>
+#include <math.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <assert.h>
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "osdep/io.h"
+
+#include "common/common.h"
+#include "common/msg.h"
+#include "options/path.h"
+#include "bstr/bstr.h"
+#include "core.h"
+#include "client.h"
+#include "libmpv/client.h"
+
+extern const struct mp_scripting mp_scripting_lua;
+
+static const struct mp_scripting *scripting_backends[] = {
+#if HAVE_LUA
+    &mp_scripting_lua,
+#endif
+    NULL
+};
+
+static char *script_name_from_filename(void *talloc_ctx, const char *fname)
+{
+    fname = mp_basename(fname);
+    if (fname[0] == '@')
+        fname += 1;
+    char *name = talloc_strdup(talloc_ctx, fname);
+    // Drop file extension
+    char *dot = strrchr(name, '.');
+    if (dot)
+        *dot = '\0';
+    // Turn it into a safe identifier - this is used with e.g. dispatching
+    // input via: "send scriptname ..."
+    for (int n = 0; name[n]; n++) {
+        char c = name[n];
+        if (!(c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z') && !(c >= 'a' && c <= 'z') &&
+            !(c >= '0' && c <= '9'))
+            name[n] = '_';
+    }
+    return talloc_asprintf(talloc_ctx, "%s", name);
+}
+
+struct thread_arg {
+    const struct mp_scripting *backend;
+    mpv_handle *client;
+    const char *fname;
+};
+
+static void *script_thread(void *p)
+{
+    pthread_detach(pthread_self());
+
+    struct thread_arg *arg = p;
+    struct mp_log *log = mp_client_get_log(arg->client);
+
+    mp_verbose(log, "Loading script...\n");
+
+    if (arg->backend->load(arg->client, arg->fname) < 0)
+        mp_err(log, "Could not load script %s\n", arg->fname);
+
+    mp_verbose(log, "Exiting...\n");
+
+    mpv_destroy(arg->client);
+    talloc_free(arg);
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+static void mp_load_script(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *fname)
+{
+    char *ext = mp_splitext(fname, NULL);
+    const struct mp_scripting *backend = NULL;
+    for (int n = 0; scripting_backends[n]; n++) {
+        const struct mp_scripting *b = scripting_backends[n];
+        if (ext && strcasecmp(ext, b->file_ext) == 0) {
+            backend = b;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!backend) {
+        MP_WARN(mpctx, "Can't load unknown script: %s\n", fname);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    struct thread_arg *arg = talloc_ptrtype(NULL, arg);
+    char *name = script_name_from_filename(arg, fname);
+    *arg = (struct thread_arg){
+        .fname = talloc_strdup(arg, fname),
+        .backend = backend,
+        // Create the client before creating the thread; otherwise a race
+        // condition could happen, where MPContext is destroyed while the
+        // thread tries to create the client.
+        .client = mp_new_client(mpctx->clients, name),
+    };
+    if (!arg->client) {
+        talloc_free(arg);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    pthread_t thread;
+    if (pthread_create(&thread, NULL, script_thread, arg))
+        talloc_free(arg);
+
+    return;
+}
+
+static int compare_filename(const void *pa, const void *pb)
+{
+    char *a = (char *)pa;
+    char *b = (char *)pb;
+    return strcmp(a, b);
+}
+
+static char **list_script_files(void *talloc_ctx, char *path)
+{
+    char **files = NULL;
+    int count = 0;
+    DIR *dp = opendir(path);
+    if (!dp)
+        return NULL;
+    struct dirent *ep;
+    while ((ep = readdir(dp))) {
+        char *fname = mp_path_join(talloc_ctx, bstr0(path), bstr0(ep->d_name));
+        struct stat s;
+        if (!mp_stat(fname, &s) && S_ISREG(s.st_mode))
+            MP_TARRAY_APPEND(talloc_ctx, files, count, fname);
+    }
+    closedir(dp);
+    qsort(files, count, sizeof(char *), compare_filename);
+    MP_TARRAY_APPEND(talloc_ctx, files, count, NULL);
+    return files;
+}
+
+void mp_load_scripts(struct MPContext *mpctx)
+{
+    // Load scripts from options
+    if (mpctx->opts->lua_load_osc)
+        mp_load_script(mpctx, "@osc.lua");
+    char **files = mpctx->opts->lua_files;
+    for (int n = 0; files && files[n]; n++) {
+        if (files[n][0])
+            mp_load_script(mpctx, files[n]);
+    }
+    if (!mpctx->opts->auto_load_scripts)
+        return;
+    // Load ~/.mpv/lua/*
+    void *tmp = talloc_new(NULL);
+    char *script_path = mp_find_user_config_file(tmp, mpctx->global, "lua");
+    if (script_path) {
+        files = list_script_files(tmp, script_path);
+        for (int n = 0; files && files[n]; n++)
+            mp_load_script(mpctx, files[n]);
+    }
+    talloc_free(tmp);
+}
diff --git a/wscript_build.py b/wscript_build.py
index c8058b6fe6..fe711b554f 100644
--- a/wscript_build.py
+++ b/wscript_build.py
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ def build(ctx):
         ( "player/osd.c" ),
         ( "player/playloop.c" ),
         ( "player/screenshot.c" ),
+        ( "player/scripting.c" ),
         ( "player/sub.c" ),
         ( "player/timeline/tl_cue.c" ),
         ( "player/timeline/tl_mpv_edl.c" ),