diff --git a/lib/plugins/plugin.inc.php b/lib/plugins/plugin.inc.php
index f14502a..9fedc34 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/plugin.inc.php
+++ b/lib/plugins/plugin.inc.php
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ class KTPlugin {
 
         // Register helper in DB
         if(is_array($aLocation)){
-            $sLocation = implode('_|', $aLocation);
+            $aLocation = serialize($aLocation);
         }
-        $params = $sLocation.'|'.$sPortletClassName.'|'.$sPortletNamespace.'|'.$sFilename.'|'.$this->sNamespace;
+        $params = $aLocation.'|'.$sPortletClassName.'|'.$sPortletNamespace.'|'.$sFilename.'|'.$this->sNamespace;
         $this->registerPluginHelper($sPortletNamespace, $sPortletClassName, $sFilename, $params, 'general', 'portlet');
     }
 
@@ -280,10 +280,10 @@ class KTPlugin {
 
         // Register helper in DB
         if(is_array($aInitialize)){
-            $sInitialize = implode('_|', $aInitialize);
+            $aInitialize = serialize($aInitialize);
         }
 
-        $params = $sClassName.'|'.$sNamespace.'|'.$sFilename.'|'.$sInitialize;
+        $params = $sClassName.'|'.$sNamespace.'|'.$sFilename.'|'.$aInitialize;
         $this->registerPluginHelper($sNamespace, $sClassName, $sFilename, $params, 'general', 'criterion');
     }
 
@@ -396,8 +396,11 @@ class KTPlugin {
 
             	switch ($sClassType) {
             	    case 'portlet':
-            	        $aLocation = explode('_|', $aParams[0]);
-        	            $aParams[0] = $aLocation;
+            	        $aLocation = unserialize($aParams[0]);
+            	        if($aLocation !== false){
+        	               $aParams[0] = $aLocation;
+            	        }
+
                         $this->_aPortlets[$sName] = $aParams;
             	        break;
 
@@ -466,8 +469,11 @@ class KTPlugin {
             	        break;
 
             	    case 'criterion':
-            	        $aInit = explode('_|', $aParams[3]);
-        	            $aParams[3] = $aInit;
+            	        $aInit = unserialize($aParams[3]);
+            	        if($aInit !== false){
+        	               $aParams[3] = $aInit;
+            	        }
+
             	        $this->_aCriteria[$sName] = $aParams;
             	        break;
 
diff --git a/lib/plugins/pluginutil.inc.php b/lib/plugins/pluginutil.inc.php
index d18a3db..3d29f1d 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/pluginutil.inc.php
+++ b/lib/plugins/pluginutil.inc.php
@@ -171,8 +171,11 @@ class KTPluginUtil {
 
         	switch ($sClassType) {
         	    case 'portlet':
-        	        $aLocation = explode('_|', $aParams[0]);
-        	        $aParams[0] = $aLocation;
+        	        $aLocation = unserialize($aParams[0]);
+        	        if($aLocation !== false){
+        	           $aParams[0] = $aLocation;
+        	        }
+
         	        call_user_func_array(array(&$oPRegistry, 'registerPortlet'), $aParams);
         	        break;
 
@@ -241,8 +244,10 @@ class KTPluginUtil {
         	        break;
 
         	    case 'criterion':
-            	    $aInit = explode('_|', $aParams[3]);
-        	        $aParams[3] = $aInit;
+            	    $aInit = unserialize($aParams[3]);
+            	    if($aInit !== false){
+        	           $aParams[3] = $aInit;
+            	    }
         	        call_user_func_array(array(&$oCriteriaRegistry, 'registerCriterion'), $aParams);
         	        break;