diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fef188045..e27e1aeab 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ m4_define([mutter_version],
 
 m4_define([mutter_plugin_api_version], [3])
 
-m4_define([libmutter_api_version], [3])
+m4_define([libmutter_api_version], [4])
 
 AC_INIT([mutter], [mutter_version],
         [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/enter_bug.cgi?product=mutter])
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 0f4f0d04a..af156d189 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ project('mutter', 'c',
 
 mutter_plugin_api_version = '3'
 
-libmutter_api_version = '3'
+libmutter_api_version = '4'
 
 # generic version requirements
 glib_req = '>= 2.53.2'
diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-plugin.c b/src/compositor/meta-plugin.c
index b787652bc..ce1d6bed3 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-plugin.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-plugin.c
@@ -43,16 +43,14 @@
 #include "meta/display.h"
 #include "meta/util.h"
 
-struct _MetaPluginPrivate
+
+typedef struct _MetaPluginPrivate
 {
   MetaCompositor *compositor;
-};
+} MetaPluginPrivate;
 
 G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE_WITH_PRIVATE (MetaPlugin, meta_plugin, G_TYPE_OBJECT);
 
-#define META_PLUGIN_GET_PRIVATE(obj) \
-(G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_PRIVATE ((obj), META_TYPE_PLUGIN, MetaPluginPrivate))
-
 static void
 meta_plugin_class_init (MetaPluginClass *klass)
 {
@@ -61,7 +59,6 @@ meta_plugin_class_init (MetaPluginClass *klass)
 static void
 meta_plugin_init (MetaPlugin *self)
 {
-  self->priv = META_PLUGIN_GET_PRIVATE (self);
 }
 
 const MetaPluginInfo *
@@ -90,7 +87,7 @@ _meta_plugin_xevent_filter (MetaPlugin *plugin,
 void
 meta_plugin_switch_workspace_completed (MetaPlugin *plugin)
 {
-  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = META_PLUGIN (plugin)->priv;
+  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = meta_plugin_get_instance_private (plugin);
 
   meta_switch_workspace_completed (priv->compositor);
 }
@@ -164,7 +161,7 @@ meta_plugin_begin_modal (MetaPlugin       *plugin,
                          MetaModalOptions  options,
                          guint32           timestamp)
 {
-  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = META_PLUGIN (plugin)->priv;
+  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = meta_plugin_get_instance_private (plugin);
 
   return meta_begin_modal_for_plugin (priv->compositor, plugin,
                                       options, timestamp);
@@ -185,7 +182,7 @@ void
 meta_plugin_end_modal (MetaPlugin *plugin,
                        guint32     timestamp)
 {
-  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = META_PLUGIN (plugin)->priv;
+  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = meta_plugin_get_instance_private (plugin);
 
   meta_end_modal_for_plugin (priv->compositor, plugin, timestamp);
 }
@@ -201,7 +198,7 @@ meta_plugin_end_modal (MetaPlugin *plugin,
 MetaDisplay *
 meta_plugin_get_display (MetaPlugin *plugin)
 {
-  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = META_PLUGIN (plugin)->priv;
+  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = meta_plugin_get_instance_private (plugin);
 
   return priv->compositor->display;
 }
@@ -209,7 +206,7 @@ meta_plugin_get_display (MetaPlugin *plugin)
 void
 _meta_plugin_set_compositor (MetaPlugin *plugin, MetaCompositor *compositor)
 {
-  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = META_PLUGIN (plugin)->priv;
+  MetaPluginPrivate *priv = meta_plugin_get_instance_private (plugin);
 
   priv->compositor = compositor;
 }
diff --git a/src/meta/meta-plugin.h b/src/meta/meta-plugin.h
index c9399cf53..597e53eef 100644
--- a/src/meta/meta-plugin.h
+++ b/src/meta/meta-plugin.h
@@ -33,25 +33,11 @@
 #include "meta/meta-version.h"
 #include "meta/types.h"
 
-#define META_TYPE_PLUGIN            (meta_plugin_get_type ())
-#define META_PLUGIN(obj)            (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_CAST ((obj), META_TYPE_PLUGIN, MetaPlugin))
-#define META_PLUGIN_CLASS(klass)    (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_CAST ((klass),  META_TYPE_PLUGIN, MetaPluginClass))
-#define META_IS_PLUGIN(obj)         (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE ((obj), META_TYPE_PLUGIN))
-#define META_IS_PLUGIN_CLASS(klass) (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE ((klass),  META_TYPE_PLUGIN))
-#define META_PLUGIN_GET_CLASS(obj)  (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_CLASS ((obj),  META_TYPE_PLUGIN, MetaPluginClass))
+#define META_TYPE_PLUGIN (meta_plugin_get_type ())
+G_DECLARE_DERIVABLE_TYPE (MetaPlugin, meta_plugin, META, PLUGIN, GObject)
 
-typedef struct _MetaPlugin        MetaPlugin;
-typedef struct _MetaPluginClass   MetaPluginClass;
 typedef struct _MetaPluginVersion MetaPluginVersion;
 typedef struct _MetaPluginInfo    MetaPluginInfo;
-typedef struct _MetaPluginPrivate MetaPluginPrivate;
-
-struct _MetaPlugin
-{
-  GObject parent;
-
-  MetaPluginPrivate *priv;
-};
 
 /**
  * MetaPluginClass:
@@ -270,8 +256,6 @@ struct _MetaPluginInfo
   const gchar *description;
 };
 
-GType meta_plugin_get_type (void);
-
 const MetaPluginInfo * meta_plugin_get_info (MetaPlugin *plugin);
 
 /**