diff --git a/data/org.gnome.shell.gschema.xml.in b/data/org.gnome.shell.gschema.xml.in
index 698ebc1ea..050c4130b 100644
--- a/data/org.gnome.shell.gschema.xml.in
+++ b/data/org.gnome.shell.gschema.xml.in
@@ -15,8 +15,18 @@
       <default>[]</default>
       <_summary>Uuids of extensions to disable</_summary>
       <_description>
-        GNOME Shell extensions have a uuid property;
-        this key lists extensions which should not be loaded.
+        GNOME Shell extensions have a uuid property; this key lists extensions
+        which should not be loaded.  This setting overrides enabled-extensions
+        for extensions that appear in both lists.
+      </_description>
+    </key>
+    <key name="enabled-extensions" type="as">
+      <default>[]</default>
+      <_summary>Uuids of extensions to enable</_summary>
+      <_description>
+        GNOME Shell extensions have a uuid property; this key lists extensions
+        which should be loaded.  disabled-extensions overrides this setting for
+        extensions that appear in both lists.
       </_description>
     </key>
     <key name="enable-app-monitoring" type="b">
diff --git a/js/ui/extensionSystem.js b/js/ui/extensionSystem.js
index 9dd3a47ef..f722007fc 100644
--- a/js/ui/extensionSystem.js
+++ b/js/ui/extensionSystem.js
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ const ExtensionType = {
 const extensionMeta = {};
 // Maps uuid -> importer object (extension directory tree)
 const extensions = {};
-// Array of uuids
+// Arrays of uuids
 var disabledExtensions;
+var enabledExtensions;
 // GFile for user extensions
 var userExtensionsDir = null;
 
@@ -178,6 +179,7 @@ function init() {
     }
 
     disabledExtensions = global.settings.get_strv('disabled-extensions', -1);
+    enabledExtensions = global.settings.get_strv('enabled-extensions', -1);
 }
 
 function _loadExtensionsIn(dir, type) {
@@ -195,7 +197,10 @@ function _loadExtensionsIn(dir, type) {
         if (fileType != Gio.FileType.DIRECTORY)
             continue;
         let name = info.get_name();
-        let enabled = disabledExtensions.indexOf(name) < 0;
+	// Enable all but disabled extensions if enabledExtensions is not set.
+	// If it is set, enable one those, except they are disabled as well.
+        let enabled = (enabledExtensions.length == 0 || enabledExtensions.indexOf(name) >= 0)
+	    && disabledExtensions.indexOf(name) < 0;
         let child = dir.get_child(name);
         loadExtension(child, enabled, type);
     }