diff --git a/lib/package.js b/lib/package.js
index c3aa63e7..c2d01972 100644
--- a/lib/package.js
+++ b/lib/package.js
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@
  *   import 'jquery' => import 'jquery/index.js'
  *   import 'jquery/module' => import 'jquery/module.js'
  *
+ * In addition, the following meta properties will be allowed to be package
+ * -relative as well in the package meta config:
+ *   
+ *   - plugin
+ *   - alias
+ *
  */
 (function() {
 
@@ -85,13 +91,6 @@
     };
   });
 
-  function extend(a, b) {
-    a = a || {};
-    for (var p in b)
-      a[b] = b[p];
-    return a;
-  }
-
   SystemJSLoader.prototype.packages = function(packages) {
     var loader = this;
     for (var p in packages) {
@@ -107,12 +106,26 @@
         loader.packageDefaultJSExtensions[p] = true;
 
       // format
-      if (pkgCfg.format)
-        loader.meta[p + '/*'] = extend(loader.meta[p + '/*'], { format: pkgCfg.format });
+      if (pkgCfg.format) {
+        var formatMeta = loader.meta[p + '/*'] || {};
+        formatMeta.format = pkgCfg.format;
+        loader.meta[p + '/*'] = formatMeta;
+      }
 
       // meta
-      for (var m in pkgCfg.meta)
-        loader.meta[p + '/' + m] = extend(loader.meta[p + '/' + m], pkgCfg.meta[m]);
+      for (var m in pkgCfg.meta) {
+        var meta = loader.meta[p + '/' + m] || {};
+        var pkgMeta = pkgCfg.meta[m];
+        for (var p in pkgMeta) {
+          // plugin and alias can be package-relative
+          if ((p === 'plugin' || p === 'alias')
+              && pkgMeta[p].substr(0, 2) == './')
+            meta[p] = p + pkgMeta[p].substr(1);
+          else
+            meta[p] = pkgMeta[p];
+        }
+        loader.meta[p + '/' + m] = meta;
+      }
 
       // map
       for (var m in pkgCfg.map) {