diff --git a/medcat-v2/medcat/cat.py b/medcat-v2/medcat/cat.py
index 2825ee561..b6f89c26c 100644
--- a/medcat-v2/medcat/cat.py
+++ b/medcat-v2/medcat/cat.py
@@ -905,7 +905,8 @@ def load_cdb(cls, model_pack_path: str) -> CDB:
     @classmethod
     def load_addons(
             cls, model_pack_path: str,
-            addon_config_dict: Optional[dict[str, dict]] = None
+            addon_config_dict: Optional[dict[str, dict]] = None,
+            addon_types: Optional[list[Type[AddonComponent]]] = None,
             ) -> list[tuple[str, AddonComponent]]:
         """Load addons based on a model pack path.
 
@@ -917,6 +918,9 @@ def load_addons(
                 For instance,
                 `{"meta_cat.Subject": {'general': {'device': 'cpu'}}}`
                 would apply to the specific MetaCAT.
+            addon_type (Optional[list[Type[AddonComponent]]]):
+                The types of adddons to include. If not specified, all
+                addons will be loaded. Defaults to None.
 
         Returns:
             List[tuple(str, AddonComponent)]: list of pairs of adddon names the addons.
@@ -931,6 +935,25 @@ def load_addons(
                 components_folder, folder_name))
             and folder_name.startswith(AddonComponent.NAME_PREFIX)
         ]
+        if addon_types is not None:
+            # filter based on specified addon types
+            had_before = len(addon_paths_and_names)
+            expected_folder_names = [
+                addon_type.get_folder_name_for_addon_and_name(
+                    addon_type.addon_type, "")
+                for addon_type in addon_types
+            ]
+            addon_paths_and_names = [
+                (addon_path, addon)
+                for addon_path, addon in addon_paths_and_names
+                if any(
+                    os.path.basename(addon_path).startswith(expected_prefix)
+                    for expected_prefix in expected_folder_names
+                )
+            ]
+            logger.debug(
+                "Filtered %d addon paths down to %d from based on %s",
+                had_before, len(addon_paths_and_names), addon_types)
         loaded_addons = [
             addon for addon_path, addon_name in addon_paths_and_names
             if isinstance(addon := (
diff --git a/medcat-v2/medcat/components/addons/addons.py b/medcat-v2/medcat/components/addons/addons.py
index c173fc19b..ef5103210 100644
--- a/medcat-v2/medcat/components/addons/addons.py
+++ b/medcat-v2/medcat/components/addons/addons.py
@@ -13,12 +13,10 @@ class AddonComponent(BaseComponent, Protocol):
     """Base/abstract addon component class."""
     NAME_PREFIX: str = "addon_"
     NAME_SPLITTER: str = "."
+    # NOTE: need to implement
+    addon_type: str
     config: ComponentConfig
 
-    @property
-    def addon_type(self) -> str:
-        pass
-
     def is_core(self) -> bool:
         return False
 
diff --git a/medcat-v2/tests/test_cat.py b/medcat-v2/tests/test_cat.py
index e6a366670..6c4565a52 100644
--- a/medcat-v2/tests/test_cat.py
+++ b/medcat-v2/tests/test_cat.py
@@ -524,10 +524,28 @@ def test_can_load_saved(self):
 
     def test_can_load_meta_cat(self):
         addons = cat.CAT.load_addons(self.mpp)
+        self.assert_has_one_meta_cat(addons)
+
+    def assert_has_one_meta_cat(self, addons: list[AddonComponent]):
         self.assertEqual(len(addons), 1)
         _, addon = addons[0]
         self.assertIsInstance(addon, MetaCATAddon)
 
+    def test_can_filter_addons_empty(self):
+        # NONE -> empty
+        addons = cat.CAT.load_addons(self.mpp, addon_types=[])
+        self.assertFalse(addons)
+
+    def test_can_filter_addons_non_existing(self):
+        from medcat.components.addons.relation_extraction.rel_cat import RelCATAddon
+        addons = cat.CAT.load_addons(self.mpp, addon_types=[RelCATAddon])
+        self.assertFalse(addons)
+
+    def test_can_filter_addons_meta_cat(self):
+        # only meta cat -> same as regular
+        addons = cat.CAT.load_addons(self.mpp, addon_types=[MetaCATAddon])
+        self.assert_has_one_meta_cat(addons)
+
     def test_can_load_meta_cat_with_addon_cnf(self, seed: int = -41):
         mc: MetaCATAddon = cat.CAT.load_addons(
             self.mpp, addon_config_dict={