diff --git a/docs/sources/plugins/installation.md b/docs/sources/plugins/installation.md
index d3a8013ce2b..7a4ed1889f9 100644
--- a/docs/sources/plugins/installation.md
+++ b/docs/sources/plugins/installation.md
@@ -17,30 +17,30 @@ On Linux systems the grafana-cli will assume that the grafana plugin directory i
 
 List available plugins
 ```
-grafana-cli list-remote
+grafana-cli plugins list-remote
 ```
 
 Install a plugin type
 ```
-grafana-cli install <plugin-id>
+grafana-cli plugins install <plugin-id>
 ```
 
 List installed plugins
 ```
-grafana-cli ls
+grafana-cli plugins ls
 ```
 
 Upgrade all installed plugins
 ```
-grafana-cli upgrade-all
+grafana-cli plugins upgrade-all
 ```
 
 Upgrade one plugin
 ```
-grafana-cli upgrade <plugin-id>
+grafana-cli plugins upgrade <plugin-id>
 ```
 
 Remove one plugin
 ```
-grafana-cli remove <plugin-id>
+grafana-cli plugins remove <plugin-id>
 ```
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/commands/commands.go b/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/commands/commands.go
index f1b36c90ef2..55a0e2660ec 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/commands/commands.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/commands/commands.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func runCommand(command func(commandLine CommandLine) error) func(context *cli.C
 	}
 }
 
-var Commands = []cli.Command{
+var pluginCommands = []cli.Command{
 	{
 		Name:   "install",
 		Usage:  "install <plugin name>",
@@ -49,3 +49,11 @@ var Commands = []cli.Command{
 		Action: runCommand(removeCommand),
 	},
 }
+
+var Commands = []cli.Command{
+	{
+		Name:        "plugins",
+		Usage:       "Manage plugins for grafana",
+		Subcommands: pluginCommands,
+	},
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/main.go b/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/main.go
index b277714fe9b..2b3b94f1751 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/main.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/grafana-cli/main.go
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ import (
 var version = "master"
 
 func getGrafanaPluginPath() string {
-	if os.Getenv("GF_PLUGIN_DIR") != "" {
-		return os.Getenv("GF_PLUGIN_DIR")
-	}
-
 	os := runtime.GOOS
 	if os == "windows" {
 		return "C:\\opt\\grafana\\plugins"
@@ -34,14 +30,16 @@ func main() {
 	app.Version = version
 	app.Flags = []cli.Flag{
 		cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "path",
-			Usage: "path to the grafana installation",
-			Value: getGrafanaPluginPath(),
+			Name:   "path",
+			Usage:  "path to the grafana installation",
+			Value:  getGrafanaPluginPath(),
+			EnvVar: "GF_PLUGIN_DIR",
 		},
 		cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "repo",
-			Usage: "url to the plugin repository",
-			Value: "https://grafana-net.raintank.io/api/plugins",
+			Name:   "repo",
+			Usage:  "url to the plugin repository",
+			Value:  "https://grafana-net.raintank.io/api/plugins",
+			EnvVar: "GF_PLUGIN_REPO",
 		},
 		cli.BoolFlag{
 			Name:  "debug, d",
diff --git a/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.js b/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.js
index 6d0d112ba26..ff3784ab45e 100644
--- a/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.js
+++ b/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.js
@@ -105,6 +105,13 @@ function (angular, _, coreModule, config) {
           });
         }
 
+        //populate error obj on Internal Error
+        if (_.isString(err.data) && err.status === 500) {
+          err.data = {
+            error: err.statusText
+          };
+        }
+
         // for Prometheus
         if (!err.data.message && _.isString(err.data.error)) {
           err.data.message = err.data.error;