diff --git a/.changeset/fuzzy-mirrors-scream.md b/.changeset/fuzzy-mirrors-scream.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..62538b52ffa56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fuzzy-mirrors-scream.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+"gradio": patch
+"gradio_client": patch
+---
+
+highlight:
+
+#### Support custom components in gr.load
+
+It is now possible to load a demo with a custom component with `gr.load`.
+
+The custom component must be installed in your system and imported in your python session.
+
+```python
+import gradio as gr
+import gradio_pdf
+
+demo = gr.load("freddyaboulton/gradiopdf", src="spaces")
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    demo.launch()
+```
+
+<img width="1284" alt="image" src="https://github.com/gradio-app/gradio/assets/41651716/9c3e846b-f3f2-4c1c-8cb6-53a6d186aaa0">
+
diff --git a/client/python/gradio_client/client.py b/client/python/gradio_client/client.py
index 2f9843565f8f6..d2905d6cb7f33 100644
--- a/client/python/gradio_client/client.py
+++ b/client/python/gradio_client/client.py
@@ -1171,7 +1171,11 @@ def process_input_files(self, *data) -> tuple:
                     or utils.is_http_url_like(f),
                 )
             elif not self.client.upload_files:
-                d = utils.traverse(d, self._upload_file, utils.is_file_obj_with_meta)
+                d = utils.traverse(
+                    d,
+                    partial(self._upload_file, data_index=i),
+                    utils.is_file_obj_with_meta,
+                )
             data_.append(d)
         return tuple(data_)
 
diff --git a/gradio/utils.py b/gradio/utils.py
index 22576fa740cdb..52b3960f003b7 100644
--- a/gradio/utils.py
+++ b/gradio/utils.py
@@ -518,6 +518,30 @@ def resolve_singleton(_list: list[Any] | Any) -> Any:
         return _list
 
 
+def get_all_components() -> list[type[Component] | type[BlockContext]]:
+    import gradio as gr
+
+    classes_to_check = (
+        gr.components.Component.__subclasses__()
+        + gr.blocks.BlockContext.__subclasses__()  # type: ignore
+    )
+    subclasses = []
+
+    while classes_to_check:
+        subclass = classes_to_check.pop()
+        classes_to_check.extend(subclass.__subclasses__())
+        subclasses.append(subclass)
+    return subclasses
+
+
+def core_gradio_components():
+    return [
+        class_
+        for class_ in get_all_components()
+        if class_.__module__.startswith("gradio.")
+    ]
+
+
 def component_or_layout_class(cls_name: str) -> type[Component] | type[BlockContext]:
     """
     Returns the component, template, or layout class with the given class name, or
@@ -528,33 +552,23 @@ def component_or_layout_class(cls_name: str) -> type[Component] | type[BlockCont
     Returns:
     cls: the component class
     """
-    import gradio.blocks
-    import gradio.components
-    import gradio.layouts
-    import gradio.templates
-
-    components = [
-        (name, cls)
-        for name, cls in gradio.components.__dict__.items()
-        if isinstance(cls, type)
-    ]
-    templates = [
-        (name, cls)
-        for name, cls in gradio.templates.__dict__.items()
-        if isinstance(cls, type)
-    ]
-    layouts = [
-        (name, cls)
-        for name, cls in gradio.layouts.__dict__.items()
-        if isinstance(cls, type)
-    ]
-    for name, cls in components + templates + layouts:
-        if name.lower() == cls_name.replace("_", "") and (
-            issubclass(cls, gradio.components.Component)
-            or issubclass(cls, gradio.blocks.BlockContext)
-        ):
-            return cls
-    raise ValueError(f"No such component or layout: {cls_name}")
+    import gradio.components as components_module
+    from gradio.components import Component
+
+    components = {c.__name__.lower(): c for c in get_all_components()}
+    # add aliases such as 'text'
+    for name, cls in components_module.__dict__.items():
+        if isinstance(cls, type) and issubclass(cls, Component):
+            components[name.lower()] = cls
+
+    if cls_name.replace("_", "") in components:
+        return components[cls_name.replace("_", "")]
+
+    raise ValueError(
+        f"No such component or layout: {cls_name}. "
+        "It is possible it is a custom component, "
+        "in which case make sure it is installed and imported in your python session."
+    )
 
 
 def run_coro_in_background(func: Callable, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
index 7832df08c765a..ccb17fe5a4feb 100644
--- a/test/conftest.py
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from gradio_client import Client
 
 import gradio as gr
+import gradio.utils
 
 
 def pytest_configure(config):
@@ -21,11 +22,9 @@ def test_file_dir():
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def io_components():
-    classes_to_check = gr.components.Component.__subclasses__()
+    all_subclasses = gradio.utils.core_gradio_components()
     subclasses = []
-
-    while classes_to_check:
-        subclass = classes_to_check.pop()
+    for subclass in all_subclasses:
         if subclass in [
             gr.components.FormComponent,
             gr.State,
@@ -33,10 +32,9 @@ def io_components():
             gr.LogoutButton,
         ]:
             continue
-        children = subclass.__subclasses__()
+        if subclass in gr.components.FormComponent.__subclasses__():
+            continue
 
-        if children:
-            classes_to_check.extend(children)
         if "value" in inspect.signature(subclass.__init__).parameters:
             subclasses.append(subclass)
 
diff --git a/test/test_external.py b/test/test_external.py
index 307e2b7c45cd1..39b6b3c3d55a5 100644
--- a/test/test_external.py
+++ b/test/test_external.py
@@ -514,3 +514,11 @@ def test_use_api_name_in_call_method():
     # app = gr.load(name="spaces/gradio/multiple-api-name-test")
     # assert app(15, api_name="minus_one") == 14
     # assert app(4, api_name="double") == 8
+
+
+def test_load_custom_component():
+    demo = gr.load("spaces/freddyaboulton/gradiopdf")
+    output = demo(
+        "test/test_files/sample_file.pdf", "What does this say?", api_name="predict"
+    )
+    assert isinstance(output, str)