diff --git a/sdk/core/core.cpp b/sdk/core/core.cpp
index 3db24ed..b3a1940 100644
--- a/sdk/core/core.cpp
+++ b/sdk/core/core.cpp
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ private:
         if (words.size() > 2) qFatal("AlgorithmCore::init invalid algorithm format.");
 
         transform = QSharedPointer<Transform>(Transform::make(words[0], NULL));
-        if (words.size() > 1) distance = QSharedPointer<Distance>(Factory<Distance>::make("." + words[1]));
+        if (words.size() > 1) distance = QSharedPointer<Distance>(Distance::make(words[1], NULL));
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/sdk/openbr_plugin.cpp b/sdk/openbr_plugin.cpp
index 4c8d311..13b3f84 100644
--- a/sdk/openbr_plugin.cpp
+++ b/sdk/openbr_plugin.cpp
@@ -497,6 +497,8 @@ QString Object::argument(int index) const
         return "[" + strings.join(",") + "]";
     } else if (type == "br::Transform*") {
         return variant.value<Transform*>()->description();
+    } else if (type == "br::Distance*") {
+        return variant.value<Distance*>()->description();
     } else if (type == "QStringList") {
         return "[" + variant.toStringList().join(",") + "]";
     }
@@ -524,6 +526,8 @@ void Object::store(QDataStream &stream) const
                 transform->store(stream);
         } else if (type == "br::Transform*") {
             property.read(this).value<Transform*>()->store(stream);
+        } else if (type == "br::Distance*") {
+            property.read(this).value<Distance*>()->store(stream);
         } else if (type == "bool") {
             stream << property.read(this).toBool();
         } else if (type == "int") {
@@ -556,6 +560,8 @@ void Object::load(QDataStream &stream)
                 transform->load(stream);
         } else if (type == "br::Transform*") {
             property.read(this).value<Transform*>()->load(stream);
+        } else if (type == "br::Distance*") {
+            property.read(this).value<Distance*>()->load(stream);
         } else if (type == "bool") {
             bool value;
             stream >> value;
@@ -620,6 +626,8 @@ void Object::setProperty(const QString &name, const QString &value)
         }
     } else if (type == "br::Transform*") {
         variant.setValue(Transform::make(value, this));
+    } else if (type == "br::Distance*") {
+        variant.setValue(Distance::make(value, this));
     } else if (type == "QStringList") {
         variant.setValue(parse(value.mid(1, value.size()-2)));
     } else if (type == "bool") {
@@ -630,6 +638,7 @@ void Object::setProperty(const QString &name, const QString &value)
     } else {
         variant = value;
     }
+
     if (!QObject::setProperty(qPrintable(name), variant) && !type.isEmpty())
         qFatal("Failed to set %s::%s to: %s %s",
                 metaObject()->className(), qPrintable(name), qPrintable(value), qPrintable(type));
@@ -786,6 +795,7 @@ void br::Context::initializeQt(QString sdkPath)
     qRegisterMetaType< QList<int> >();
     qRegisterMetaType< br::Transform* >();
     qRegisterMetaType< QList<br::Transform*> >();
+    qRegisterMetaType< br::Distance* >();
     qRegisterMetaType< cv::Mat >();
 
     qInstallMsgHandler(messageHandler);
@@ -1270,6 +1280,19 @@ void Transform::backProject(const TemplateList &dst, TemplateList &src) const
 }
 
 /* Distance - public methods */
+Distance *Distance::make(QString str, QObject *parent)
+{
+        // Check for custom transforms
+        if (Globals->abbreviations.contains(str))
+            return make(Globals->abbreviations[str], parent);
+
+        File f = "." + str;
+        Distance *distance = Factory<Distance>::make(f);
+
+        distance->setParent(parent);
+        return distance;
+}
+
 void Distance::compare(const TemplateList &target, const TemplateList &query, Output *output) const
 {
     const bool stepTarget = target.size() > query.size();
diff --git a/sdk/openbr_plugin.h b/sdk/openbr_plugin.h
index f4964eb..548288f 100644
--- a/sdk/openbr_plugin.h
+++ b/sdk/openbr_plugin.h
@@ -1066,6 +1066,9 @@ class BR_EXPORT Distance : public Object
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
+    virtual ~Distance() {}
+    static Distance *make(QString str, QObject *parent); /*!< \brief Make a distance from a string. */
+
     static QSharedPointer<Distance> fromAlgorithm(const QString &algorithm); /*!< \brief Retrieve an algorithm's distance. */
     virtual void train(const TemplateList &src) { (void) src; } /*!< \brief Train the distance. */
     virtual void compare(const TemplateList &target, const TemplateList &query, Output *output) const; /*!< \brief Compare two template lists. */
@@ -1126,6 +1129,7 @@ Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(QList<float>)
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(QList<int>)
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(br::Transform*)
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(QList<br::Transform*>)
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(br::Distance*)
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(cv::Mat)
 
 #endif // __OPENBR_PLUGIN_H