diff --git a/desktop/app/src/deeplink.tsx b/desktop/app/src/deeplink.tsx
index 5125a1981..16e4fac2f 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/deeplink.tsx
+++ b/desktop/app/src/deeplink.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {selectPlugin} from './reducers/connections';
 import {Layout, renderReactRoot} from 'flipper-plugin';
 import React, {useState} from 'react';
 import {Alert, Input, Modal} from 'antd';
+import {handleOpenPluginDeeplink} from './dispatcher/handleOpenPluginDeeplink';
 
 const UNKNOWN = 'Unknown deeplink';
 /**
@@ -33,6 +34,9 @@ export async function handleDeeplink(
   if (uri.protocol !== 'flipper:') {
     throw new Error(UNKNOWN);
   }
+  if (uri.href.startsWith('flipper://open-plugin')) {
+    return handleOpenPluginDeeplink(store, query);
+  }
   if (uri.pathname.match(/^\/*import\/*$/)) {
     const url = uri.searchParams.get('url');
     store.dispatch(toggleAction('downloadingImportData', true));
@@ -68,7 +72,14 @@ export async function handleDeeplink(
   }
   const match = uriComponents(query);
   if (match.length > 1) {
+    // deprecated, use the open-plugin format instead, which is more flexible
+    // and will guide the user through any necessary set up steps
     // flipper://<client>/<pluginId>/<payload>
+    console.warn(
+      `Deprecated deeplink format: '${query}', use 'flipper://open-plugin?plugin-id=${
+        match[1]
+      }&client=${match[0]}&payload=${encodeURIComponent(match[2])}' instead.`,
+    );
     store.dispatch(
       selectPlugin({
         selectedApp: match[0],
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/__tests__/handleOpenPluginDeeplink.node.tsx b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/__tests__/handleOpenPluginDeeplink.node.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..397e56683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/__tests__/handleOpenPluginDeeplink.node.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ * @format
+ */
+
+jest.useFakeTimers();
+
+import React from 'react';
+import {renderMockFlipperWithPlugin} from '../../test-utils/createMockFlipperWithPlugin';
+import {
+  _SandyPluginDefinition,
+  PluginClient,
+  TestUtils,
+  usePlugin,
+  createState,
+  useValue,
+} from 'flipper-plugin';
+import {parseOpenPluginParams} from '../handleOpenPluginDeeplink';
+import {handleDeeplink} from '../../deeplink';
+
+test('open-plugin deeplink parsing', () => {
+  const testpayload = 'http://www.google/?test=c o%20o+l';
+  const testLink =
+    'flipper://open-plugin?plugin-id=graphql&client=facebook&devices=android,ios&chrome=1&payload=' +
+    encodeURIComponent(testpayload);
+  const res = parseOpenPluginParams(testLink);
+  expect(res).toEqual({
+    pluginId: 'graphql',
+    client: 'facebook',
+    devices: ['android', 'ios'],
+    payload: 'http://www.google/?test=c o o+l',
+  });
+});
+
+test('open-plugin deeplink parsing - 2', () => {
+  const testLink = 'flipper://open-plugin?plugin-id=graphql';
+  const res = parseOpenPluginParams(testLink);
+  expect(res).toEqual({
+    pluginId: 'graphql',
+    client: undefined,
+    devices: [],
+    payload: undefined,
+  });
+});
+
+test('open-plugin deeplink parsing - 3', () => {
+  expect(() =>
+    parseOpenPluginParams('flipper://open-plugin?'),
+  ).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(`"Missing plugin-id param"`);
+});
+
+test('Triggering a deeplink will work', async () => {
+  const linksSeen: any[] = [];
+
+  const plugin = (client: PluginClient) => {
+    const linkState = createState('');
+    client.onDeepLink((link) => {
+      linksSeen.push(link);
+      linkState.set(String(link));
+    });
+    return {
+      linkState,
+    };
+  };
+
+  const definition = new _SandyPluginDefinition(
+    TestUtils.createMockPluginDetails(),
+    {
+      plugin,
+      Component() {
+        const instance = usePlugin(plugin);
+        const linkState = useValue(instance.linkState);
+        return <h1>{linkState || 'world'}</h1>;
+      },
+    },
+  );
+  const {renderer, client, store} = await renderMockFlipperWithPlugin(
+    definition,
+  );
+
+  expect(linksSeen).toEqual([]);
+
+  await handleDeeplink(
+    store,
+    `flipper://open-plugin?plugin-id=${definition.id}&client=${client.query.app}&payload=universe`,
+  );
+
+  jest.runAllTimers();
+  expect(linksSeen).toEqual(['universe']);
+  expect(renderer.baseElement).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    <body>
+      <div>
+        <div
+          class="css-1x2cmzz-SandySplitContainer e1hsqii10"
+        >
+          <div />
+          <div
+            class="css-1knrt0j-SandySplitContainer e1hsqii10"
+          >
+            <div
+              class="css-1woty6b-Container"
+            >
+              <h1>
+                universe
+              </h1>
+            </div>
+            <div
+              class="css-724x97-View-FlexBox-FlexRow"
+              id="detailsSidebar"
+            />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </body>
+  `);
+});
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/handleOpenPluginDeeplink.tsx b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/handleOpenPluginDeeplink.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..beae35948
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/handleOpenPluginDeeplink.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ * @format
+ */
+
+import {selectPlugin} from '../reducers/connections';
+import {Store} from '../reducers/index';
+
+type OpenPluginParams = {
+  pluginId: string;
+  client: string | undefined;
+  devices: string[];
+  payload: string | undefined;
+};
+
+export function parseOpenPluginParams(query: string): OpenPluginParams {
+  // 'flipper://open-plugin?plugin-id=graphql&client=facebook&devices=android,ios&chrome=1&payload='
+  const url = new URL(query);
+  const params = new Map<string, string>(url.searchParams as any);
+  if (!params.has('plugin-id')) {
+    throw new Error('Missing plugin-id param');
+  }
+  return {
+    pluginId: params.get('plugin-id')!,
+    client: params.get('client'),
+    devices: params.get('devices')?.split(',') ?? [],
+    payload: params.get('payload')
+      ? decodeURIComponent(params.get('payload')!)
+      : undefined,
+  };
+}
+
+export async function handleOpenPluginDeeplink(store: Store, query: string) {
+  const params = parseOpenPluginParams(query);
+  await verifyLighthouse();
+  await verifyUserIsLoggedIn();
+  await verifyFlipperIsUpToDate();
+  await verifyPluginInstalled();
+  await verifyClient();
+  await verifyPluginInstalled();
+  await openPlugin(store, params);
+}
+function verifyLighthouse() {
+  // TODO:
+}
+
+function verifyUserIsLoggedIn() {
+  // TODO:
+}
+
+function verifyFlipperIsUpToDate() {
+  // TODO:
+}
+
+function verifyPluginInstalled() {
+  // TODO:
+}
+
+function verifyClient() {
+  // TODO:
+}
+
+function openPlugin(store: Store, params: OpenPluginParams) {
+  store.dispatch(
+    selectPlugin({
+      selectedApp: params.client,
+      selectedPlugin: params.pluginId,
+      deepLinkPayload: params.payload,
+    }),
+  );
+}