diff --git a/options/m_config.c b/options/m_config.c
index 68250c7e66..968999cb71 100644
--- a/options/m_config.c
+++ b/options/m_config.c
@@ -708,6 +708,16 @@ static void add_sub_group(struct m_config_shadow *shadow, const char *name_prefi
         }
     }
 
+    if (subopts->get_sub_options) {
+        for (int i = 0; ; i++) {
+            const struct m_sub_options *sub = NULL;
+            if (!subopts->get_sub_options(i, &sub))
+                break;
+            if (sub)
+                add_sub_group(shadow, NULL, group_index, -1, sub);
+        }
+    }
+
     shadow->groups[group_index].group_count = shadow->num_groups - group_index;
 }
 
diff --git a/options/m_option.h b/options/m_option.h
index 06b9c53350..7d7f9ba5da 100644
--- a/options/m_option.h
+++ b/options/m_option.h
@@ -204,6 +204,11 @@ struct m_sub_options {
     // Change flags passed to mp_option_change_callback() if any option that is
     // directly or indirectly part of this group is changed.
     int change_flags;
+    // Return further sub-options, for example for optional components. If set,
+    // this is called with increasing index (starting from 0), as long as true
+    // is returned. If true is returned and *sub is set in any of these calls,
+    // they are added as options.
+    bool (*get_sub_options)(int index, const struct m_sub_options **sub);
 };
 
 #define CONF_TYPE_FLAG          (&m_option_type_flag)