diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 22644b03c..d6dd4dd4c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+- extended runtime module support, see config cheatsheet
+
 ### Fixed
 - Updated mastoFE path, for the newer version
 
@@ -18,7 +21,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
   - `/api/v1/notifications/dismiss`
   - `/api/v1/search`
   - `/api/v1/statuses/{id}/card` 
-- LDAP authenticator
+- LDAP authenticator (use the akkoma-contrib-authenticator-ldap runtime module)
 - Chats, they were half-baked. Just use PMs.
 - Prometheus, it causes massive slowdown
 
diff --git a/docs/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md b/docs/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md
index fdbfb1a3e..7b0934fcf 100644
--- a/docs/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md
+++ b/docs/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md
@@ -1012,7 +1012,22 @@ config :pleroma, Pleroma.Formatter,
 
 ## Custom Runtime Modules (`:modules`)
 
-* `runtime_dir`: A path to custom Elixir modules (such as MRF policies).
+* `runtime_dir`: A path to custom Elixir modules, such as MRF policies or
+ custom authenticators. These modules will be loaded on boot, and can be
+ contained in subdirectories. It is advised to use version-controlled
+ subdirectories to make management of them a bit easier. Note that only
+ files with the extension `.ex` will be loaded.
+
+```elixir
+config :pleroma, :modules, runtime_dir: "instance/modules"
+```
+
+### Adding a module
+
+```bash
+cd instance/modules/
+git clone <MY MODULE>
+```
 
 ## :configurable_from_database
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/utils.ex b/lib/pleroma/utils.ex
index a446d3ae6..bd9939c9f 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/utils.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/utils.ex
@@ -14,10 +14,23 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Utils do
   @repo_timeout Pleroma.Config.get([Pleroma.Repo, :timeout], 15_000)
 
   def compile_dir(dir) when is_binary(dir) do
+    dir
+    |> elixir_files()
+    |> Kernel.ParallelCompiler.compile()
+  end
+
+  defp elixir_files(dir) when is_binary(dir) do
     dir
     |> File.ls!()
     |> Enum.map(&Path.join(dir, &1))
-    |> Kernel.ParallelCompiler.compile()
+    |> Enum.flat_map(fn path ->
+      if File.dir?(path) do
+        elixir_files(path)
+      else
+        [path]
+      end
+    end)
+    |> Enum.filter(fn path -> String.ends_with?(path, ".ex") end)
   end
 
   @doc """
diff --git a/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/first.ex b/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/first.ex
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b663a1b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/first.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+defmodule DynamicModule.First do
+end
diff --git a/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/nope.exs b/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/nope.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8fe676af6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/nope.exs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+def thisisnotloaded
diff --git a/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/subdir/second.ex b/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/subdir/second.ex
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22dc046c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/runtime_modules/subdir/second.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+defmodule DynamicModule.Second do
+end
diff --git a/test/pleroma/utils_test.exs b/test/pleroma/utils_test.exs
index c593a9490..e21573679 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/utils_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/utils_test.exs
@@ -12,4 +12,11 @@ test "returns unique temporary directory" do
       File.rm_rf(path)
     end
   end
+
+  describe "compile_dir/1" do
+    test "recursively compiles directories" do
+      {:ok, [DynamicModule.First, DynamicModule.Second], []} =
+        Pleroma.Utils.compile_dir("test/fixtures/runtime_modules")
+    end
+  end
 end