diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 96b09bc1b..2b600eb54 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -313,15 +313,24 @@ def defineBuildTargets(env, artifacts):
               + srcSubtree(env,'$SRCDIR/common')
               + srcSubtree(env,'$SRCDIR/lib')
               )
-    objplug = srcSubtree(env,'$SRCDIR/plugin', isShared=True)
     core  = ( env.StaticLibrary('$BINDIR/lumiback.la', objback)
             + env.StaticLibrary('$BINDIR/lumiproc.la', objproc)
             + env.StaticLibrary('$BINDIR/lumiera.la',  objlib)
             )
     
-    
     artifacts['lumiera'] = env.Program('$BINDIR/lumiera', ['$SRCDIR/lumiera/main.cpp']+ core )
-    artifacts['plugins'] = env.LoadableModule('$BINDIR/lumiera-plugin', objplug)
+    
+    # temporary solution to build the GuiStarterPlugin (TODO: implement plugin building as discussed on November meeting)
+    envplug = env.Clone()
+    envplug.Append(CPPPATH='$SRCDIR/plugin', CPPDEFINES='LUMIERA_PLUGIN')
+    
+#   objplug = srcSubtree(envplug,'$SRCDIR/plugin', isShared=True)
+#   guistarterplugin = envplug.LoadableModule('$BINDIR/guistart', objplug, SHLIBPREFIX='')
+    
+    objplug = envplug.SharedObject('$SRCDIR/plugin/guistarterplugin.cpp')
+    guistarterplugin = env.LoadableModule('#$BINDIR/guistart', objplug, SHLIBPREFIX='')
+    
+    artifacts['plugins'] = guistarterplugin 
     
     # the Lumiera GTK GUI
     envgtk  = env.Clone().mergeConf(['gtkmm-2.4','cairomm-1.0','gdl-1.0','librsvg-2.0','xv','xext','sm'])
diff --git a/src/lumiera/guifacade.cpp b/src/lumiera/guifacade.cpp
index d6a012643..8f06c507a 100644
--- a/src/lumiera/guifacade.cpp
+++ b/src/lumiera/guifacade.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,21 @@ namespace gui {
   using util::dispatchSequenced;
 
   
+  /** path to the dynamic module to load the GUI from
+   *  @todo we need an actual solution. Either find it in the same directory,
+   *  or the lib dir or otherwise retrieve the path from the config system */
+  const string LUMIERA_GuiStarterPlugin_path ("liblumiera-plugin.so");
+  
+  inline void
+  discover_GuiStarterPlugin ()
+    {
+      LumieraPlugin GuiP = lumiera_plugin_lookup (LUMIERA_GuiStarterPlugin_path.c_str());
+      if (!GuiP || lumiera_error_peek())
+        throw lumiera::error::Config("unable to load the GUI module from \""
+                                    +LUMIERA_GuiStarterPlugin_path+"\"");
+    }
+  
+  
   
   
   struct GuiRunner
@@ -102,6 +117,8 @@ namespace gui {
             //Lock guard (*this);
             if (facade) return false; // already started
             
+            discover_GuiStarterPlugin(); ////TODO temporary solution
+
             facade.reset (
               new GuiRunner (                            // trigger loading load the GuiStarterPlugin...
                 dispatchSequenced( closeOnTermination_  //  on termination call this->closeGuiModule(*) first
diff --git a/tests/SConscript b/tests/SConscript
index ef663da0b..38fe59e1f 100644
--- a/tests/SConscript
+++ b/tests/SConscript
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ env.Append(CPPPATH='#/.')  # add Rootdir to Includepath, so test/test.h is found
 
 def testExecutable(env,tree, exeName=None, obj=None):
     """ declare all targets needed to create a standalone
-        Test executalbe of the given Sub-tree. Note that
+        Test executable of the given Sub-tree. Note that
         each subdir is built in its own Environment.
     """
     env = env.Clone()