diff --git a/lib/api.js b/lib/api.js
index f760917..85f142a 100644
--- a/lib/api.js
+++ b/lib/api.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var hap = require("hap-nodejs");
 var hapLegacyTypes = require("hap-nodejs/accessories/types.js");
 var log = require("./logger")._system;
+var User = require("./user").User;
 
 // The official homebridge API is the object we feed the plugin's exported initializer function.
 
@@ -12,6 +13,9 @@ function API() {
   this._accessories = {}; // this._accessories[pluginName.accessoryName] = accessory constructor
   this._platforms = {}; // this._platforms[pluginName.platformName] = platform constructor
   
+  // expose the User class methods to plugins to get paths. Example: homebridge.user.storagePath()
+  this.user = User;
+  
   // expose HAP-NodeJS in its entirely for plugins to use instead of making Plugins
   // require() it as a dependency - it's a heavy dependency so we don't want it in
   // every single plugin.
diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index 2d90e89..41ef6af 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ module.exports = function() {
   program
     .version(version)
     .option('-P, --plugin-path [path]', 'look for plugins installed at [path] as well as the default locations ([path] can also point to a single plugin)', function(p) { Plugin.addPluginPath(p); })
-    .option('-H, --homebridge-home [path]', 'look for homebridge user files at [path] instead of the default location (~/.homebridge)', function(p) { User.setStoragePath(p); })
+    .option('-U, --user-storage-path [path]', 'look for homebridge user files at [path] instead of the default location (~/.homebridge)', function(p) { User.setStoragePath(p); })
     .option('-D, --debug', 'turn on debug level logging', function() { require('./logger').setDebugEnabled(true) })
     .parse(process.argv);