diff --git a/src/Makefile-tests.am b/src/Makefile-tests.am
index 45b2d6bfe..b38f9a57d 100644
--- a/src/Makefile-tests.am
+++ b/src/Makefile-tests.am
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ mutter_test_unit_tests_SOURCES = \
 mutter_test_unit_tests_LDADD = $(MUTTER_LIBS) libmutter-$(LIBMUTTER_API_VERSION).la
 
 mutter_test_headless_start_test_SOURCES = \
+	tests/test-utils.c \
+	tests/test-utils.h \
 	tests/headless-start-test.c \
 	tests/meta-backend-test.c \
 	tests/meta-backend-test.h \
diff --git a/src/compositor/plugins/Makefile.am b/src/compositor/plugins/Makefile.am
index 99ed08d99..811bcba92 100644
--- a/src/compositor/plugins/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/compositor/plugins/Makefile.am
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-DSN_API_NOT_YET_FROZEN=1					\
 	-DMUTTER_PLUGIN_DIR=\"$(MUTTER_PLUGIN_DIR)\"
 
-default_la_CFLAGS   = -fPIC
-default_la_SOURCES  = default.c
-default_la_LDFLAGS  = -module -avoid-version -no-undefined
-default_la_LIBADD   = $(CLUTTER_LIBS)
+libdefault_la_CFLAGS   = -fPIC
+libdefault_la_SOURCES  = default.c
+libdefault_la_LDFLAGS  = -module -avoid-version -no-undefined
+libdefault_la_LIBADD   = $(CLUTTER_LIBS)
 
-pkglib_LTLIBRARIES = default.la
+pkglib_LTLIBRARIES = libdefault.la
 
 # post-install hook to remove the .la and .a files we are not interested in
 # (There is no way to stop libtool generating static libs locally, and we
@@ -37,4 +37,4 @@ install-exec-hook:
 # since it counts on libtool to remove the .la files, so just kill the
 # .so file manually.
 uninstall-local:
-	-rm -f $(DESTDIR)$(pkglibdir)/default.so
+	-rm -f $(DESTDIR)$(pkglibdir)/libdefault.so
diff --git a/src/core/mutter.c b/src/core/mutter.c
index 23cbf7c8e..389d99199 100644
--- a/src/core/mutter.c
+++ b/src/core/mutter.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ print_version (const gchar    *option_name,
   exit (0);
 }
 
-static const char *plugin = "default";
+static const char *plugin = "libdefault";
 
 GOptionEntry mutter_options[] = {
   {
diff --git a/src/tests/headless-start-test.c b/src/tests/headless-start-test.c
index 1efff74ae..eb50b1a33 100644
--- a/src/tests/headless-start-test.c
+++ b/src/tests/headless-start-test.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "meta/main.h"
 #include "tests/meta-backend-test.h"
 #include "tests/meta-monitor-manager-test.h"
+#include "tests/test-utils.h"
 #include "wayland/meta-wayland.h"
 
 #define ALL_TRANSFORMS ((1 << (META_MONITOR_TRANSFORM_FLIPPED_270 + 1)) - 1)
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   init_tests (argc, argv);
 
-  meta_plugin_manager_load ("default");
+  meta_plugin_manager_load (test_get_plugin_name ());
 
   meta_override_compositor_configuration (META_COMPOSITOR_TYPE_WAYLAND,
                                           META_TYPE_BACKEND_TEST);
diff --git a/src/tests/test-runner.c b/src/tests/test-runner.c
index be3b4197e..84c3f8a84 100644
--- a/src/tests/test-runner.c
+++ b/src/tests/test-runner.c
@@ -840,7 +840,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
     }
   g_option_context_free (ctx);
 
-  meta_plugin_manager_load ("default");
+  meta_plugin_manager_load (test_get_plugin_name ());
   meta_wayland_override_display_name ("mutter-test-display");
 
   meta_init ();
diff --git a/src/tests/test-utils.c b/src/tests/test-utils.c
index 04b4c501e..ebc076a52 100644
--- a/src/tests/test-utils.c
+++ b/src/tests/test-utils.c
@@ -443,3 +443,9 @@ test_client_destroy (TestClient *client)
   g_free (client->id);
   g_free (client);
 }
+
+const char *
+test_get_plugin_name (void)
+{
+  return "libdefault";
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/test-utils.h b/src/tests/test-utils.h
index 9280e7ead..db11fea6e 100644
--- a/src/tests/test-utils.h
+++ b/src/tests/test-utils.h
@@ -79,4 +79,6 @@ TestClient * test_client_new (const char          *id,
 
 void test_client_destroy (TestClient *client);
 
+const char * test_get_plugin_name (void);
+
 #endif /* TEST_UTILS_H */
diff --git a/src/tests/unit-tests.c b/src/tests/unit-tests.c
index f933ff9ba..ade759948 100644
--- a/src/tests/unit-tests.c
+++ b/src/tests/unit-tests.c
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   test_init (argc, argv);
   init_tests (argc, argv);
 
-  meta_plugin_manager_load ("default");
+  meta_plugin_manager_load (test_get_plugin_name ());
 
   meta_override_compositor_configuration (META_COMPOSITOR_TYPE_WAYLAND,
                                           META_TYPE_BACKEND_TEST);