diff --git a/wp-includes/default-widgets.php b/wp-includes/default-widgets.php
index 5be856a632..92db181932 100644
--- a/wp-includes/default-widgets.php
+++ b/wp-includes/default-widgets.php
@@ -1219,19 +1219,19 @@ function wp_widgets_init() {
 	if ( !is_blog_installed() )
 		return;
 
-	new WP_Widget_Pages();
+	register_widget('WP_Widget_Pages');
 
-	new WP_Widget_Calendar();
+	register_widget('WP_Widget_Calendar');
 
-	new WP_Widget_Archives();
+	register_widget('WP_Widget_Archives');
 
-	new WP_Widget_Links();
+	register_widget('WP_Widget_Links');
 
-	new WP_Widget_Meta();
+	register_widget('WP_Widget_Meta');
 
-	new WP_Widget_Search();
+	register_widget('WP_Widget_Search');
 
-	new WP_Widget_Text();
+	register_widget('WP_Widget_Text');
 
 	$widget_ops = array('classname' => 'widget_recent_entries', 'description' => __( "The most recent posts on your blog") );
 	wp_register_sidebar_widget('recent-posts', __('Recent Posts'), 'wp_widget_recent_entries', $widget_ops);
diff --git a/wp-includes/widgets.php b/wp-includes/widgets.php
index e096f26cc9..488d12c665 100644
--- a/wp-includes/widgets.php
+++ b/wp-includes/widgets.php
@@ -43,6 +43,30 @@ $wp_registered_widgets = array();
 $wp_registered_widget_controls = array();
 $wp_registered_widget_updates = array();
 
+/**
+ * Singleton that registers and instantiates WP_Widget classes.
+ * 
+ * @package WordPress
+ * @subpackage Widgets
+ * @since 2.8
+ */
+class WP_Widget_Factory {
+	var $widgets = array();
+
+	function WP_Widget_Factory() {
+		add_action( 'widgets_init', array( &$this, '_register_widgets' ), 100 );
+	}
+
+	function register($widget_class) {
+		$this->widgets[] = new $widget_class();
+	}
+
+	function _register_widgets() {
+		foreach ( $this->widgets as $widget )
+			$widget->_register();
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * This class must be extended for each widget and WP_Widget::widget(), WP_Widget::update()
  * and WP_Widget::form() need to be over-ridden.
@@ -107,7 +131,7 @@ class WP_Widget {
 		$this->widget_options = wp_parse_args( $widget_options, array('classname' => $this->option_name) );
 		$this->control_options = wp_parse_args( $control_options, array('id_base' => $this->id_base) );
 
-		add_action( 'widgets_init', array( &$this, 'register' ) );
+		//add_action( 'widgets_init', array( &$this, '_register' ) );
 	}
 
 	/** Helper function to be called by form().
@@ -124,7 +148,7 @@ class WP_Widget {
 
 	/** Registers this widget-type.
 	 *	Called during the 'widgets_init' action. */
-	function register() {
+	function _register() {
 		$settings = $this->get_settings();
 
 		if ( empty($settings) ) {
@@ -288,6 +312,25 @@ class WP_Widget {
 
 /* Template tags & API functions */
 
+/**
+ * Register a widget
+ * 
+ * Registers a WP_Widget widget
+ * 
+ * @since 2.8.0
+ * 
+ * @see WP_Widget
+ * @see WP_Widget_Factory
+ * @uses WP_Widget_Factory
+ * 
+ * @param string $widget_class The name of a class that extends WP_Widget
+ */
+function register_widget($widget_class) {
+	global $wp_widget_factory;
+
+	$wp_widget_factory->register($widget_class);
+}
+
 /**
  * Creates multiple sidebars.
  *
diff --git a/wp-settings.php b/wp-settings.php
index a77a4e3834..079f612ec7 100644
--- a/wp-settings.php
+++ b/wp-settings.php
@@ -589,6 +589,13 @@ $wp_rewrite   =& new WP_Rewrite();
  */
 $wp           =& new WP();
 
+/**
+ * WordPress Widget Factory Object
+ * @global object $wp_widget_factory
+ * @since 2.8.0
+ */
+$wp_widget_factory =& new WP_Widget_Factory();
+
 do_action('setup_theme');
 
 /**