diff --git a/src/compositor/compositor.c b/src/compositor/compositor.c
index ee6be007b..7d14068fd 100644
--- a/src/compositor/compositor.c
+++ b/src/compositor/compositor.c
@@ -548,6 +548,7 @@ meta_compositor_do_manage (MetaCompositor  *compositor,
     return FALSE;
 
   priv->plugin_mgr = meta_plugin_manager_new (compositor);
+  meta_plugin_manager_start (priv->plugin_mgr);
 
   return TRUE;
 }
diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c
index ab7fce663..94d62c212 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ MetaPluginManager *
 meta_plugin_manager_new (MetaCompositor *compositor)
 {
   MetaPluginManager *plugin_mgr;
-  MetaPluginClass *klass;
   MetaPlugin *plugin;
   MetaMonitorManager *monitors;
 
@@ -107,11 +106,6 @@ meta_plugin_manager_new (MetaCompositor *compositor)
 
   _meta_plugin_set_compositor (plugin, compositor);
 
-  klass = META_PLUGIN_GET_CLASS (plugin);
-
-  if (klass->start)
-    klass->start (plugin);
-
   monitors = meta_monitor_manager_get ();
   g_signal_connect (monitors, "confirm-display-change",
                     G_CALLBACK (on_confirm_display_change), plugin_mgr);
@@ -119,6 +113,16 @@ meta_plugin_manager_new (MetaCompositor *compositor)
   return plugin_mgr;
 }
 
+void
+meta_plugin_manager_start (MetaPluginManager *plugin_mgr)
+{
+  MetaPlugin *plugin = plugin_mgr->plugin;
+  MetaPluginClass *klass = META_PLUGIN_GET_CLASS (plugin);
+
+  if (klass->start)
+    klass->start (plugin);
+}
+
 static void
 meta_plugin_manager_kill_window_effects (MetaPluginManager *plugin_mgr,
                                          MetaWindowActor   *actor)
diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h
index d1c007fa1..a5fe0315a 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ typedef struct MetaPluginManager MetaPluginManager;
 
 MetaPluginManager * meta_plugin_manager_new (MetaCompositor *compositor);
 
+void meta_plugin_manager_start (MetaPluginManager *plugin_mgr);
+
 META_EXPORT_TEST
 void     meta_plugin_manager_load         (const gchar       *plugin_name);