diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index bf2428843..50c3d719b 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ m4_define([mutter_micro_version], [1])
 m4_define([mutter_version],
           [mutter_major_version.mutter_minor_version.mutter_micro_version])
 
-m4_define([mutter_plugin_api_version], [2])
+m4_define([mutter_plugin_api_version], [3])
 
 AC_INIT([mutter], [mutter_version],
         [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/enter_bug.cgi?product=mutter])
diff --git a/src/compositor/mutter-plugin-manager.c b/src/compositor/mutter-plugin-manager.c
index 26e6697da..712c701ac 100644
--- a/src/compositor/mutter-plugin-manager.c
+++ b/src/compositor/mutter-plugin-manager.c
@@ -45,20 +45,12 @@ struct MutterPluginManager
 {
   MetaScreen   *screen;
 
-  GList /* MutterPluginPending */ *pending_plugin_modules; /* Plugins not yet fully loaded */
   GList /* MutterPlugin */       *plugins;  /* TODO -- maybe use hash table */
   GList                          *unload;  /* Plugins that are disabled and pending unload */
 
   guint         idle_unload_id;
 };
 
-typedef struct MutterPluginPending
-{
-  MutterModule *module;
-  char *path;
-  char *params;
-} MutterPluginPending;
-
 /*
  * Checks that the plugin is compatible with the WM and sets up the plugin
  * struct.
@@ -78,7 +70,6 @@ mutter_plugin_load (MutterPluginManager *mgr,
     }
 
   plugin = g_object_new (plugin_type,
-                         "screen", mgr->screen,
                          "params", params,
                          NULL);
 
@@ -270,12 +261,14 @@ mutter_plugin_manager_load (MutterPluginManager *plugin_mgr)
 
               if (use_succeeded)
                 {
-                  MutterPluginPending *pending = g_new0 (MutterPluginPending, 1);
-                  pending->module = module;
-                  pending->path = g_strdup (path);
-                  pending->params = g_strdup (params);
-                  plugin_mgr->pending_plugin_modules =
-                    g_list_prepend (plugin_mgr->pending_plugin_modules, pending);
+                  MutterPlugin *plugin = mutter_plugin_load (plugin_mgr, module, params);
+
+                  if (plugin)
+                    plugin_mgr->plugins = g_list_prepend (plugin_mgr->plugins, plugin);
+                  else
+                    g_warning ("Plugin load for [%s] failed", path);
+
+                  g_type_module_unuse (G_TYPE_MODULE (module));
                 }
             }
           else
@@ -293,7 +286,7 @@ mutter_plugin_manager_load (MutterPluginManager *plugin_mgr)
   if (fallback)
     g_slist_free (fallback);
 
-  if (plugin_mgr->pending_plugin_modules != NULL)
+  if (plugin_mgr->plugins != NULL)
     {
       meta_prefs_add_listener (prefs_changed_callback, plugin_mgr);
       return TRUE;
@@ -307,27 +300,19 @@ mutter_plugin_manager_initialize (MutterPluginManager *plugin_mgr)
 {
   GList *iter;
 
-  for (iter = plugin_mgr->pending_plugin_modules; iter; iter = iter->next)
+  for (iter = plugin_mgr->plugins; iter; iter = iter->next)
     {
-      MutterPluginPending *pending = (MutterPluginPending*) iter->data;
-      MutterPlugin *p;
+      MutterPlugin *plugin = (MutterPlugin*) iter->data;
+      MutterPluginClass *klass = MUTTER_PLUGIN_GET_CLASS (plugin);
 
-      if ((p = mutter_plugin_load (plugin_mgr, pending->module, pending->params)))
-        {
-          plugin_mgr->plugins = g_list_prepend (plugin_mgr->plugins, p);
-        }
-      else
-        {
-          g_warning ("Plugin load for [%s] failed", pending->path);
-        }
+      g_object_set (plugin,
+                    "screen", plugin_mgr->screen,
+                    NULL);
 
-      g_type_module_unuse (G_TYPE_MODULE (pending->module));
-      g_free (pending->path);
-      g_free (pending->params);
-      g_free (pending);
+      if (klass->start)
+        klass->start (plugin);
     }
-  g_list_free (plugin_mgr->pending_plugin_modules);
-  plugin_mgr->pending_plugin_modules = NULL;
+
   return TRUE;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/compositor/mutter-plugin.c b/src/compositor/mutter-plugin.c
index d60afffcd..4c6d4154b 100644
--- a/src/compositor/mutter-plugin.c
+++ b/src/compositor/mutter-plugin.c
@@ -238,8 +238,7 @@ mutter_plugin_class_init (MutterPluginClass *klass)
                                                         "MetaScreen",
                                                         "MetaScreen",
                                                         META_TYPE_SCREEN,
-                                                        G_PARAM_READWRITE |
-                                                      G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY));
+                                                        G_PARAM_READWRITE));
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class,
 				   PROP_PARAMS,
diff --git a/src/compositor/plugins/default.c b/src/compositor/plugins/default.c
index e4a5f2929..95deecf99 100644
--- a/src/compositor/plugins/default.c
+++ b/src/compositor/plugins/default.c
@@ -175,10 +175,9 @@ mutter_default_plugin_get_property (GObject    *object,
 }
 
 static void
-mutter_default_plugin_constructed (GObject *object)
+start (MutterPlugin *plugin)
 {
-  MutterPlugin               *plugin = MUTTER_PLUGIN (object);
-  MutterDefaultPluginPrivate *priv   = MUTTER_DEFAULT_PLUGIN (object)->priv;
+  MutterDefaultPluginPrivate *priv   = MUTTER_DEFAULT_PLUGIN (plugin)->priv;
 
   guint destroy_timeout  = DESTROY_TIMEOUT;
   guint minimize_timeout = MINIMIZE_TIMEOUT;
@@ -201,7 +200,6 @@ mutter_default_plugin_constructed (GObject *object)
       map_timeout      *= 2;
       switch_timeout   *= 2;
     }
-
 }
 
 static void
@@ -212,10 +210,10 @@ mutter_default_plugin_class_init (MutterDefaultPluginClass *klass)
 
   gobject_class->finalize        = mutter_default_plugin_finalize;
   gobject_class->dispose         = mutter_default_plugin_dispose;
-  gobject_class->constructed     = mutter_default_plugin_constructed;
   gobject_class->set_property    = mutter_default_plugin_set_property;
   gobject_class->get_property    = mutter_default_plugin_get_property;
 
+  plugin_class->start            = start;
   plugin_class->map              = map;
   plugin_class->minimize         = minimize;
   plugin_class->maximize         = maximize;
diff --git a/src/include/mutter-plugin.h b/src/include/mutter-plugin.h
index 282b27221..4892c18f1 100644
--- a/src/include/mutter-plugin.h
+++ b/src/include/mutter-plugin.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ struct _MutterPluginClass
 {
   GObjectClass parent_class;
 
+  void (*start)            (MutterPlugin       *plugin);
+
   void (*minimize)         (MutterPlugin       *plugin,
                             MutterWindow       *actor);