diff --git a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
index 99fddee84b..a888f7b33d 100644
--- a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ WaylandTestApplication::~WaylandTestApplication()
     if (effects) {
         static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->unloadAllEffects();
     }
+    destroyPlugins();
     delete m_xwayland;
     m_xwayland = nullptr;
     destroyWorkspace();
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ void WaylandTestApplication::performStartup()
     // try creating the Wayland Backend
     createInput();
     createBackend();
-    PluginManager::create(this);
+    createPlugins();
 }
 
 void WaylandTestApplication::createBackend()
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index c6c13f77f3..403fac3ae9 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "input.h"
 #include "logind.h"
 #include "options.h"
+#include "pluginmanager.h"
 #include "screens.h"
 #include "screenlockerwatcher.h"
 #include "sm.h"
@@ -296,6 +297,11 @@ void Application::createOptions()
     options = new Options;
 }
 
+void Application::createPlugins()
+{
+    PluginManager::create(this);
+}
+
 void Application::installNativeX11EventFilter()
 {
     installNativeEventFilter(m_eventFilter.data());
@@ -316,6 +322,11 @@ void Application::destroyCompositor()
     delete Compositor::self();
 }
 
+void Application::destroyPlugins()
+{
+    delete PluginManager::self();
+}
+
 void Application::updateX11Time(xcb_generic_event_t *event)
 {
     xcb_timestamp_t time = XCB_TIME_CURRENT_TIME;
diff --git a/main.h b/main.h
index 4f4409fa56..e2a9c562de 100644
--- a/main.h
+++ b/main.h
@@ -210,10 +210,12 @@ protected:
     void createWorkspace();
     void createAtoms();
     void createOptions();
+    void createPlugins();
     void installNativeX11EventFilter();
     void removeNativeX11EventFilter();
     void destroyWorkspace();
     void destroyCompositor();
+    void destroyPlugins();
     /**
      * Inheriting classes should use this method to set the X11 root window
      * before accessing any X11 specific code pathes.
diff --git a/main_wayland.cpp b/main_wayland.cpp
index 216dda0d5d..184ca65a2c 100644
--- a/main_wayland.cpp
+++ b/main_wayland.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 // kwin
 #include "platform.h"
 #include "effects.h"
-#include "pluginmanager.h"
 #include "tabletmodemanager.h"
 
 #include "wayland_server.h"
@@ -129,6 +128,7 @@ ApplicationWayland::~ApplicationWayland()
     if (effects) {
         static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl*>(effects)->unloadAllEffects();
     }
+    destroyPlugins();
     delete m_xwayland;
     m_xwayland = nullptr;
     destroyWorkspace();
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ void ApplicationWayland::performStartup()
     InputMethod::create(this);
     createBackend();
     TabletModeManager::create(this);
-    PluginManager::create(this);
+    createPlugins();
 }
 
 void ApplicationWayland::createBackend()
diff --git a/main_x11.cpp b/main_x11.cpp
index 32d27a4637..ee23fdf40b 100644
--- a/main_x11.cpp
+++ b/main_x11.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 #include <config-kwin.h>
 
 #include "platform.h"
-#include "pluginmanager.h"
 #include "sm.h"
 #include "workspace.h"
 #include "xcbutils.h"
@@ -191,6 +190,7 @@ void ApplicationX11::setReplace(bool replace)
 void ApplicationX11::lostSelection()
 {
     sendPostedEvents();
+    destroyPlugins();
     destroyCompositor();
     destroyWorkspace();
     // Remove windowmanager privileges
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ void ApplicationX11::performStartup()
         connect(platform(), &Platform::screensQueried, this,
             [this] {
                 createWorkspace();
-                PluginManager::create(this);
+                createPlugins();
 
                 Xcb::sync(); // Trigger possible errors, there's still a chance to abort