diff --git a/npe2/_command_registry.py b/npe2/_command_registry.py
index 7b8b5817..c66342c2 100644
--- a/npe2/_command_registry.py
+++ b/npe2/_command_registry.py
@@ -1,19 +1,16 @@
 # flake8: noqa
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from functools import partial
-from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Optional, Union
-
-PDisposable = Callable[[], None]
-import re
 from dataclasses import dataclass
+from functools import partial
 from importlib import import_module
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Optional, Union
 
 from psygnal import Signal
 
-from .manifest.commands import _dotted_name
+from .manifest._validators import DOTTED_NAME_PATTERN
 
-_dotted_name_pattern = re.compile(_dotted_name)
+PDisposable = Callable[[], None]
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -76,7 +73,7 @@ def register(self, id: str, command: Union[Callable, str]) -> PDisposable:
             raise ValueError(f"Command {id} already exists")
 
         if isinstance(command, str):
-            if not _dotted_name_pattern.match(command):
+            if not DOTTED_NAME_PATTERN.match(command):
                 raise ValueError(
                     "String command {command!r} is not a valid qualified python path."
                 )
diff --git a/npe2/_plugin_manager.py b/npe2/_plugin_manager.py
index 57746102..10963ebd 100644
--- a/npe2/_plugin_manager.py
+++ b/npe2/_plugin_manager.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import (
     TYPE_CHECKING,
+    Any,
     Callable,
     DefaultDict,
     Dict,
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@
 from intervaltree import IntervalTree
 
 from ._command_registry import CommandRegistry
-from .manifest import PluginManifest
+from .manifest import PluginManifest, _validators
 from .manifest.io import LayerType
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -172,8 +173,9 @@ def activate(self, key: PluginName) -> PluginContext:
             return ctx
 
         try:
-            mf._call_func_in_plugin_entrypoint("activate", args=(ctx,))
-            ctx._activated = True
+            if mf.on_activate:
+                _call_python_name(mf.on_activate, args=(ctx,))
+                ctx._activated = True
         except Exception as e:  # pragma: no cover
             self._contexts.pop(key, None)
             raise type(e)(f"Activating plugin {key!r} failed: {e}") from e
@@ -190,7 +192,9 @@ def deactivate(self, key: PluginName) -> None:
             return
         mf = self._manifests[key]
         ctx = self._contexts.pop(key)
-        mf._call_func_in_plugin_entrypoint("deactivate", args=(ctx,))
+        if mf.on_deactivate:
+            _call_python_name(mf.on_deactivate, args=(ctx,))
+            ctx._activated = False
         ctx._dispose()
 
     def iter_compatible_readers(
@@ -353,3 +357,22 @@ def _inner(command):
             return command
 
         return _inner if command is None else _inner(command)
+
+
+def _call_python_name(python_name: str, args=()) -> Any:
+    """convenience to call `python_name` function. eg `module.submodule:funcname`."""
+    from importlib import import_module
+
+    if not python_name:
+        return None
+
+    match = _validators.PYTHON_NAME_PATTERN.match(python_name)
+    if not match:
+        raise ValueError(f"Invalid python name: {python_name}")
+
+    module_name, funcname = match.groups()
+
+    mod = import_module(module_name)
+    func = getattr(mod, funcname, None)
+    if callable(func):
+        return func(*args)
diff --git a/npe2/manifest/_validators.py b/npe2/manifest/_validators.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b064cfc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/npe2/manifest/_validators.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import re
+
+# how do we deal with keywords ?
+# do we try to validate ? Or do we just
+# assume users won't try to create a command named
+# `npe2_tester.False.if.for.in` ?
+_identifier_plus_dash = "(?:[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z_0-9-]+)"
+_dotted_name = f"(?:(?:{_identifier_plus_dash}\\.)*{_identifier_plus_dash})"
+PYTHON_NAME_PATTERN = re.compile(f"^({_dotted_name}):({_dotted_name})$")
+DOTTED_NAME_PATTERN = re.compile(_dotted_name)
+
+
+def python_name(name: str) -> str:
+    """Assert that `name` is a valid python name: e.g. `module.submodule:funcname`"""
+    if name and not PYTHON_NAME_PATTERN.match(name):
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"{name} is not a valid python_name.  A python_name must "
+            "be of the form `{obj.__module__}:{obj.__qualname__} `(e.g. "
+            "`my_package.a_module:some_function`). "
+        )
+    return name
diff --git a/npe2/manifest/commands.py b/npe2/manifest/commands.py
index b5ecd460..d53c548d 100644
--- a/npe2/manifest/commands.py
+++ b/npe2/manifest/commands.py
@@ -1,22 +1,15 @@
-import re
 from textwrap import dedent
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Optional
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Extra, Field, validator
 
+from . import _validators
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .._command_registry import CommandRegistry
 
 _distname = "([a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_-]+)"
 _identifier = "([a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z_0-9]+)"
-_identifier_plus_dash = "([a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z_0-9-]+)"
-
-# how do we deal with keywords ?
-# do we try to validate ? Or do we just
-# assume users won't try to create a command named
-# `npe2_tester.False.if.for.in` ?
-_dotted_name = f"(({_identifier_plus_dash}\\.)*{_identifier_plus_dash})"
-_python_name_pattern = re.compile(f"^{_dotted_name}:{_dotted_name}$")
 
 
 class CommandContribution(BaseModel):
@@ -93,16 +86,7 @@ class CommandContribution(BaseModel):
         "in the plugin activate function is optional (but takes precedence).",
     )
 
-    @validator("python_name")
-    def validate_python_name(cls, v):
-        # test for regex validation.
-        if v and not _python_name_pattern.match(v):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"{v} is not a valid python_name.  A python_name must "
-                "be of the form `{obj.__module__}:{obj.__qualname__} `(e.g. "
-                "`my_package.a_module:some_function`). "
-            )
-        return v
+    _valid_pyname = validator("python_name", allow_reuse=True)(_validators.python_name)
 
     class Config:
         extra = Extra.forbid
diff --git a/npe2/manifest/schema.py b/npe2/manifest/schema.py
index 7af96c49..33d06e8a 100644
--- a/npe2/manifest/schema.py
+++ b/npe2/manifest/schema.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import sys
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from enum import Enum
-from importlib import import_module, util
+from importlib import util
 from logging import getLogger
 from pathlib import Path
 from textwrap import dedent
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import yaml
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Extra, Field, ValidationError, root_validator, validator
 
+from . import _validators
 from .contributions import ContributionPoints
 from .package_metadata import PackageMetadata
 from .utils import Version
@@ -96,16 +97,25 @@ class PluginManifest(BaseModel):
     # the actual mechanism/consumption of plugin information) independently
     # of napari itself
 
-    # TODO: refactor entry_point to binding points for activate,deactivate
-    # TODO: Point to activate function
-    # TODO: Point to deactivate function
-
-    # The module that has the activate() function
-    entry_point: Optional[str] = Field(
+    on_activate: Optional[str] = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="Fully qualified python path to a function that will be called "
+        "upon plugin activation (e.g. my_plugin._some_module:activate). The activate "
+        "function can be used to connect command ids to python callables, or perform "
+        "other side-effects. A plugin will be 'activated' when one of its "
+        "contributions is requested by the user (such as a widget, or reader).",
+    )
+    _validate_activate_func = validator("on_activate", allow_reuse=True)(
+        _validators.python_name
+    )
+    on_deactivate: Optional[str] = Field(
         default=None,
-        description="The extension entry point. This should be a fully "
-        "qualified module string. e.g. `foo.bar.baz` for a module containing "
-        "the plugin's activate() function.",
+        description="Fully qualified python path to a function that will be called "
+        "when a user deactivates a plugin (e.g. my_plugin._some_module:deactivate). "
+        "This is optional, and may be used to perform any plugin cleanup.",
+    )
+    _validate_deactivate_func = validator("on_deactivate", allow_reuse=True)(
+        _validators.python_name
     )
 
     contributions: Optional[ContributionPoints]
@@ -269,15 +279,6 @@ class Config:
         underscore_attrs_are_private = True
         extra = Extra.forbid
 
-    def _call_func_in_plugin_entrypoint(self, funcname: str, args=()) -> None:
-        """convenience to call a function in the plugins entry_point, if declared."""
-        if not self.entry_point:
-            return None
-        mod = import_module(self.entry_point)
-        func = getattr(mod, funcname, None)
-        if callable(func):
-            return func(*args)
-
     @classmethod
     def discover(
         cls,
diff --git a/tests/sample/my_plugin/napari.yaml b/tests/sample/my_plugin/napari.yaml
index d7722913..42ab6dae 100644
--- a/tests/sample/my_plugin/napari.yaml
+++ b/tests/sample/my_plugin/napari.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: my_plugin
 display_name: My Plugin
-entry_point: my_plugin
+on_activate: my_plugin:activate
 contributions:
   commands:
     - id: my_plugin.hello_world
diff --git a/tests/test_npe2.py b/tests/test_npe2.py
index 76e33676..2159c6fd 100644
--- a/tests/test_npe2.py
+++ b/tests/test_npe2.py
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ def test_valid_display_names(display_name, uses_sample_plugin):
 
 
 def test_display_name_default_is_valid():
-    PluginManifest(name="", entry_point="")
+    PluginManifest(name="")
 
 
 def test_writer_empty_layers():