diff --git a/py/src/clippy/__init__.py b/py/src/clippy/__init__.py
index aae2f34..b3dabcc 100644
--- a/py/src/clippy/__init__.py
+++ b/py/src/clippy/__init__.py
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@
 logger.setLevel(cfg.get("loglevel"))
 
 
+def _register_classes(generated_classes: AnyDict) -> None:
+    """Expose backend-generated classes in the clippy namespace."""
+    globals().update(generated_classes)
+
+
 def load_classes():
     """For each listed backend, import the module of the same name. The
     backend should expose two functions: a classes() function that returns
@@ -40,12 +45,7 @@ def load_classes():
     for backend in cfg.get("backends"):
         b = importlib.import_module(f".backends.{backend}", package=__name__)
         setattr(cfg, backend, b.get_cfg())
-        for name, c in b.classes().items():
-            # backend_config = importlib.import_module(f".backends.{name}.config.{name}_config")
-            # for k, v in backend_config.items():
-            #     cfg._set(k, v)
-
-            globals()[name] = c
+        _register_classes(b.classes())
 
 
 load_classes()
diff --git a/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/__init__.py b/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/__init__.py
index 2cfde7d..f94c11e 100644
--- a/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/__init__.py
+++ b/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/__init__.py
@@ -60,28 +60,37 @@ def get_cfg() -> CLIPPY_CONFIG:
     return cfg
 
 
-def classes() -> dict[str, Any]:
+def classes(paths: list[str] | None = None) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """This is a mandatory function for all backends. It returns a dictionary of class name
     to the actual Class for all classes supported by the backend."""
     from ... import cfg as topcfg  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
 
-    paths = cfg.get("fs_backend_paths")
+    if paths is None:
+        paths = cfg.get("fs_backend_paths")
+
     _classes = {}
     # iterate over all (filesystem) paths and for those that aren't explicitly excluded,
     # create the class based on the directory name and add methods based on the executables
     # within the directory.
     for path in paths:
-        files = os.scandir(path)
-        for f in files:
-            if f.name in cfg.get("fs_exclude_paths"):
-                continue
-            p = pathlib.Path(path, f)
-            if os.path.isdir(p):
-                _cls = _create_class(f.name, path, topcfg)
-                _classes[f.name] = _cls
+        with os.scandir(path) as files:
+            for f in files:
+                if f.name in cfg.get("fs_exclude_paths"):
+                    continue
+                p = pathlib.Path(path, f)
+                if os.path.isdir(p):
+                    _cls = _create_class(f.name, path, topcfg)
+                    _classes[f.name] = _cls
     return _classes
 
 
+def add_backend_path(path: str) -> None:
+    """Generate and expose classes found in one filesystem backend path."""
+    from ... import _register_classes  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+
+    _register_classes(classes(paths=[path]))
+
+
 def _create_class(name: str, path: str, topcfg: CLIPPY_CONFIG):
     """Given a name, a path, and a master configuration, create
     a class with the given name, and add methods based on the
diff --git a/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/config.py b/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/config.py
index ef3ceec..9e8d7af 100644
--- a/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/config.py
+++ b/py/src/clippy/backends/fs/config.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     # backend path for executables, in addition to the CLIPPY_BACKEND_PATH environment variable. Add to it here.
     "fs_backend_paths": (
         None,
-        [x.strip() for x in os.environ.get("CLIPPY_BACKEND_PATH", "").split(":")],
+        [path for entry in os.environ.get("CLIPPY_BACKEND_PATH", "").split(":") if (path := entry.strip())],
     ),
     # exclude these directories from being made as classes.
     "fs_exclude_paths": ("CLIPPY_FS_EXCLUDE_PATHS", ["CMakeFiles"]),
diff --git a/test/test_clippy.py b/test/test_clippy.py
index a274032..2ba1039 100644
--- a/test/test_clippy.py
+++ b/test/test_clippy.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
 import sys
+import os
+import subprocess
 
 sys.path.append("src")
 
@@ -8,6 +10,7 @@
 from clippy.error import ClippyValidationError, ClippyInvalidSelectorError
 from clippy.backends.fs.execution import NonZeroReturnCodeError
 import logging
+from clippy.backends import fs
 
 clippy.logger.setLevel(logging.WARN)
 logging.getLogger().setLevel(logging.WARN)
@@ -45,6 +48,41 @@ def test_imports():
     assert "ExampleBag" in clippy.__dict__
 
 
+def test_import_without_backend_path():
+    env = os.environ.copy()
+    env.pop("CLIPPY_BACKEND_PATH", None)
+
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [sys.executable, "-c", "import clippy"],
+        check=False,
+        capture_output=True,
+        env=env,
+        text=True,
+    )
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr
+
+
+def test_add_backend_path_scans_only_explicit_path(monkeypatch):
+    class AddedClass:
+        pass
+
+    calls = []
+
+    def classes(*, paths=None):
+        calls.append(paths)
+        return {"AddedClass": AddedClass}
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(fs, "classes", classes)
+    monkeypatch.delattr(clippy, "AddedClass", raising=False)
+
+    fs.add_backend_path("/foo/bar")
+    fs.add_backend_path("/foo/bar")
+
+    assert calls == [["/foo/bar"], ["/foo/bar"]]
+    assert clippy.AddedClass is AddedClass
+
+
 def test_bag(examplebag):
     examplebag.insert(41)
     assert examplebag.size() == 1