diff --git a/scripts/callbacks/system/shutdown.lua b/scripts/callbacks/system/shutdown.lua
index e0415413ab..55c52f6d2a 100644
--- a/scripts/callbacks/system/shutdown.lua
+++ b/scripts/callbacks/system/shutdown.lua
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ require "lua_utils" -- NOTE: required by alert_utils
 local alert_utils = require "alert_utils"
 local recipients = require "recipients"
 local recipients_instance = recipients:create()
+local user_scripts = require "user_scripts"
 local periodicity = 3
 
 local now = os.time()
@@ -32,4 +33,7 @@ end
 
 recipients_instance:process_notifications(now, now + 3 --[[ deadline ]], 3 --[[ periodicity ]], true)
 
+-- Unload all user scripts
+user_scripts.loadUnloadUserScripts(false --[[ unload --]])
+
 recovery_utils.mark_clean_shutdown()
diff --git a/scripts/lua/modules/plugins_utils.lua b/scripts/lua/modules/plugins_utils.lua
index 582f51fe21..47992f7238 100644
--- a/scripts/lua/modules/plugins_utils.lua
+++ b/scripts/lua/modules/plugins_utils.lua
@@ -234,11 +234,6 @@ end
 local function load_plugin_file(full_path)
    local res = dofile(full_path)
 
-   if res and res.onLoad then
-      -- Execute method onload, if available
-      res.onLoad()
-   end
-
    return res
 end
 
@@ -403,7 +398,11 @@ local function load_plugin_alert_endpoints(plugin)
 	 -- Execute the alert endpoint and call its method onLoad, if present
 	 local fname_path = os_utils.fixPath(endpoints_path .. "/" .. fname)
 	 local endpoint = load_plugin_file(fname_path)
-	 
+
+	 if endpoint and endpoint.onLoad then
+	    endpoint.onLoad()
+	 end
+
 	 if not file_utils.copy_file(fname, endpoints_path, RUNTIME_PATHS.alert_endpoints) then
 	    return false
 	 end
@@ -620,7 +619,7 @@ function plugins_utils.loadPlugins(community_plugins_only)
 
   -- Reload user scripts with their configurations
   local user_scripts = require "user_scripts"
-  user_scripts.reloadUserScripts()
+  user_scripts.loadUnloadUserScripts(true --[[ load --]])
 
   return(true)
 end
diff --git a/scripts/lua/modules/user_scripts.lua b/scripts/lua/modules/user_scripts.lua
index b837d4d8c9..a743e3ebcd 100644
--- a/scripts/lua/modules/user_scripts.lua
+++ b/scripts/lua/modules/user_scripts.lua
@@ -752,7 +752,9 @@ end
 
 -- @brief Reload user scripts with their existing configurations.
 --        Method called as part of plugins reload (during startup or when plugins are reloaded)
-function user_scripts.reloadUserScripts()
+-- @param is_load Boolean, indicating whether callback onLoad/onUnload should be called
+-- @return nil
+function user_scripts.loadUnloadUserScripts(is_load)
    -- Read all existing configsets.
    -- NOTE: A user script can have more than one configuration associated, each
    -- one identified with an id. For example, hosts have multiple configurations,
@@ -767,12 +769,23 @@ function user_scripts.reloadUserScripts()
 
       for name, script in pairsByKeys(scripts.modules) do
 	 for confid, config in pairs(configsets) do
-	    -- Call user script method onUpdateConfig for
+	    -- Call user script callbacks for
 	    -- each available configuration existing for the user script
-	    if script and script.onUpdateConfig then
-	       script.onUpdateConfig(confid, config.config[subdir.id][script.key])
+	    for hook, hook_config in pairs(config.config[subdir.id][script.key]) do
+	       -- For each configuration there are multiple hooks.
+	       -- Some hooks can be enabled, whereas some other hooks can be disabled:
+	       -- methods onLoad/onUnload are only called for hooks that are enabled.
+	       if script and hook_config.enabled then
+		  -- onLoad/onUnload methods are ONLY called for user scripts that are enabled
+		  if is_load and script.onLoad then
+		     -- This is a load operation
+		     script.onLoad(hook, hook_config)
+		  elseif not is_load and script.onUnload then
+		     -- This is an unload operation
+		     script.onUnload(hook, hook_config)
+		  end
+	       end
 	    end
-
 	 end
       end
    end
@@ -1035,14 +1048,32 @@ function user_scripts.updateScriptConfig(confid, script_key, subdir, new_config)
    local config = configsets[confid].config
 
    config[subdir] = config[subdir] or {}
-   config[subdir][script_key] = applied_config
 
-   -- If callback `onUpdateConfig` is implemented for the user script,
-   -- call it with the newly applied configuration as parameter
-   if script and script.onUpdateConfig then
-      script.onUpdateConfig(confid, applied_config)
+   if script then
+      local prev_config = config[subdir][script_key]
+
+      -- Perform hook callbacks for config changes, or enable/disable
+      for hook, hook_config in pairs(prev_config) do
+	 local hook_applied_config = applied_config[hook]
+
+	 if hook_applied_config then
+	    if script.onDisable and hook_config.enabled and not hook_applied_config.enabled then
+	       -- Hook previously disabled has been enabled
+	       script.onDisable(hook, hook_applied_config)
+	    elseif script.onEnable and not hook_config.enabled and hook_applied_config.enabled then
+	       -- Hook previously enabled has now been disabled
+	       script.onEnable(hook, hook_applied_config)
+	    elseif script.onUpdateConfig and not table.compare(hook_config, applied_config[hook]) then
+	       -- Configuration for the hook has changed
+	       script.onUpdateConfig(hook, hook_applied_config)
+	    end
+	 end
+      end
    end
 
+   -- Set the new configuration
+   config[subdir][script_key] = applied_config
+
    return saveConfigsets(configsets)
 end
 
@@ -1069,15 +1100,21 @@ function user_scripts.toggleScript(confid, script_key, subdir, enable)
       return false
    end
 
-   for _, hook in pairs(config) do
-      hook.enabled = enable
-   end
+   for hook, hook_config in pairs(config) do
+      -- Remember the previous toggle
+      local prev_hook_config = hook_config.enabled
+      -- Save the new toggle
+      hook_config.enabled = enable
+
+      if script.onDisable and prev_hook_config and not enable then
+	 -- Hook has been enabled for the user script
+	 script.onDisable(hook, hook_config)
+      elseif script.onEnable and not prev_hook_config and enable then
+	 -- Hook has been disabled for the user script
+	 script.onEnable(hook, hook_config)
+      end
+
 
-   
-   -- If callback `onUpdateConfig` is implemented for the user script,
-   -- call it with the (toggled) configuration and configuration id
-   if script and script.onUpdateConfig then
-      script.onUpdateConfig(confid, config)
    end
 
    return saveConfigsets(configsets)
diff --git a/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/flow/example.lua b/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/flow/example.lua
index d4eea08d9e..06c10181c8 100644
--- a/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/flow/example.lua
+++ b/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/flow/example.lua
@@ -83,9 +83,41 @@ local script = {
 -- #################################################################
 
 -- @brief See host/example.lua
-function script.onUpdateConfig(confid, config)
-   print("on update:" .. script.key.. " confid: "..confid.."\n")
-   tprint(config)
+function script.onLoad(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("loading: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
+end
+
+-- #################################################################
+
+-- @brief See host/example.lua
+function script.onUnload(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("unloading: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
+end
+
+-- #################################################################
+
+-- @brief See host/example.lua
+function script.onEnable(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("[+] enabling: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
+end
+
+-- #################################################################
+
+-- @brief See host/example.lua
+function script.onDisable(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("[-] disabling: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
+end
+
+-- #################################################################
+
+-- @brief See host/example.lua
+function script.onUpdateConfig(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("[~] config change: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
 end
 
 -- #################################################################
diff --git a/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/host/example.lua b/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/host/example.lua
index b8596618cc..78e08e55a8 100644
--- a/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/host/example.lua
+++ b/scripts/plugins/examples/example/user_scripts/host/example.lua
@@ -71,23 +71,57 @@ local script = {
 
 -- #################################################################
 
--- @brief Called when the plugin containing the user script is loaded/reloaded
+-- @brief Called, for every enabled hook, upon ntopng startup or upon plugins reload at runtime
+-- @param hook The name of the enabled hook (e.g., min, hour)
+-- @param hook_config A Lua table with the hook configuration
 -- @return nil
-function script.onLoad()
+function script.onLoad(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("loading: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
 end
 
 -- #################################################################
 
--- @brief Called when the plugin containing the user script is loaded/reloaded
---        or when the user script configuration changes (e.g., is on/off toggled or
---        configuration parameters are changed).
---        When the plugin is loaded/reloaded, this method is called with all the
---        available existing configurations.
--- @param confid An integer configuration id
--- @param config A lua table with the configuration parameters for `confid`
-function script.onUpdateConfig(confid, config)
-   print("on update:" .. script.key.. " confid: "..confid.."\n")
-   tprint(config)
+-- @brief Called, for every enabled hook, upon ntopng termination
+-- @param hook The name of the enabled hook (e.g., min, hour)
+-- @param hook_config A Lua table with the hook configuration
+-- @return nil
+function script.onUnload(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("unloading: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
+end
+
+-- #################################################################
+
+-- @brief Called when a user script hook is enabled
+-- @param hook The name of the enabled hook (e.g., min, hour)
+-- @param hook_config A Lua table with the hook configuration for the enabled hook
+-- @return nil
+function script.onEnable(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("[+] enabling: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
+end
+
+-- #################################################################
+
+-- @brief Called when a user script hook is disabled
+-- @param hook The name of the disabled hook (e.g., min, hour)
+-- @param hook_config A Lua table with the hook configuration for the disabled hook
+-- @return nil
+function script.onDisable(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("[-] disabling: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
+end
+
+-- #################################################################
+
+-- @brief Called when the configuration for an enabled user script hook has changed
+-- @param hook The name of the hook (e.g., min, hour) for which the configuration has changed
+-- @param hook_config A Lua table with the new (changed) configuration
+-- @return nil
+function script.onUpdateConfig(hook, hook_config)
+   tprint("[~] config change: "..hook)
+   -- tprint(hook_config)
 end
 
 -- #################################################################