diff --git a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
index fdbf9c9c70..15a5c3eacc 100644
--- a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ WaylandTestApplication::WaylandTestApplication(OperationMode mode, int &argc, ch
     removeLibraryPath(ownPath);
     addLibraryPath(ownPath);
 
-    const auto plugins = KPluginLoader::findPluginsById(QStringLiteral("org.kde.kwin.waylandbackends"), "KWinWaylandVirtualBackend");
-    if (plugins.empty()) {
+    const KPluginMetaData plugin = KPluginMetaData::findPluginById(QStringLiteral("org.kde.kwin.waylandbackends"), "KWinWaylandVirtualBackend");
+    if (!plugin.isValid()) {
         quit();
         return;
     }
-    initPlatform(plugins.first());
+    initPlatform(plugin);
     WaylandServer::create(this);
     setProcessStartupEnvironment(QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment());
 }
diff --git a/autotests/test_x11_timestamp_update.cpp b/autotests/test_x11_timestamp_update.cpp
index f4d6b661cc..1210b51b6e 100644
--- a/autotests/test_x11_timestamp_update.cpp
+++ b/autotests/test_x11_timestamp_update.cpp
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ X11TestApplication::X11TestApplication(int &argc, char **argv)
     removeLibraryPath(ownPath);
     addLibraryPath(ownPath);
 
-    const auto plugins = KPluginLoader::findPluginsById(QStringLiteral("org.kde.kwin.platforms"),
+    const KPluginMetaData plugin = KPluginMetaData::findPluginById(QStringLiteral("org.kde.kwin.platforms"),
                                                         QStringLiteral("KWinX11Platform"));
-    if (plugins.empty()) {
+    if (!plugin.isValid()) {
         quit();
         return;
     }
-    initPlatform(plugins.first());
+    initPlatform(plugin);
 }
 
 X11TestApplication::~X11TestApplication()
diff --git a/src/decorations/decorationbridge.cpp b/src/decorations/decorationbridge.cpp
index 333faa84d8..3e54528f6c 100644
--- a/src/decorations/decorationbridge.cpp
+++ b/src/decorations/decorationbridge.cpp
@@ -137,13 +137,13 @@ void DecorationBridge::init()
 
 void DecorationBridge::initPlugin()
 {
-    const auto offers = KPluginLoader::findPluginsById(s_pluginName, m_plugin);
-    if (offers.isEmpty()) {
-        qCWarning(KWIN_DECORATIONS) << "Could not locate decoration plugin";
+    const KPluginMetaData metaData = KPluginMetaData::findPluginById(s_pluginName, m_plugin);
+    if (!metaData.isValid()) {
+        qCWarning(KWIN_DECORATIONS) << "Could not locate decoration plugin" << m_plugin;
         return;
     }
-    qCDebug(KWIN_DECORATIONS) << "Trying to load decoration plugin: " << offers.first().fileName();
-    KPluginLoader loader(offers.first().fileName());
+    qCDebug(KWIN_DECORATIONS) << "Trying to load decoration plugin: " << metaData.fileName();
+    KPluginLoader loader(metaData.fileName());
     KPluginFactory *factory = loader.factory();
     if (!factory) {
         qCWarning(KWIN_DECORATIONS) << "Error loading plugin:" << loader.errorString();
diff --git a/src/kcmkwin/common/effectsmodel.cpp b/src/kcmkwin/common/effectsmodel.cpp
index e0f36ceee2..c93198c557 100644
--- a/src/kcmkwin/common/effectsmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/kcmkwin/common/effectsmodel.cpp
@@ -605,13 +605,13 @@ QModelIndex EffectsModel::findByPluginId(const QString &pluginId) const
 
 static KCModule *loadBinaryConfig(const QString &configModule, QObject *parent)
 {
-    const QVector<KPluginMetaData> offers = KPluginLoader::findPluginsById(QStringLiteral("kwin/effects/configs/"), configModule);
+    const KPluginMetaData metaData = KPluginMetaData::findPluginById(QStringLiteral("kwin/effects/configs/"), configModule);
 
-    if (offers.isEmpty()) {
+    if (!metaData.isValid()) {
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    KPluginLoader loader(offers.first().fileName());
+    KPluginLoader loader(metaData.fileName());
     KPluginFactory *factory = loader.factory();
 
     return factory->create<KCModule>(parent);
diff --git a/src/main_x11.cpp b/src/main_x11.cpp
index c55f1eb830..ad867e072c 100644
--- a/src/main_x11.cpp
+++ b/src/main_x11.cpp
@@ -466,13 +466,13 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     }
 
     // find and load the X11 platform plugin
-    const auto plugins = KPluginLoader::findPluginsById(QStringLiteral("org.kde.kwin.platforms"),
-                                                        QStringLiteral("KWinX11Platform"));
-    if (plugins.isEmpty()) {
+    const KPluginMetaData plugin = KPluginMetaData::findPluginById(QStringLiteral("org.kde.kwin.platforms"), QStringLiteral("KWinX11Platform"));
+
+    if (!plugin.isValid()) {
         std::cerr << "FATAL ERROR: KWin could not find the KWinX11Platform plugin" << std::endl;
         return 1;
     }
-    a.initPlatform(plugins.first());
+    a.initPlatform(plugin);
     if (!a.platform()) {
         std::cerr << "FATAL ERROR: could not instantiate the platform plugin" << std::endl;
         return 1;
diff --git a/src/pluginmanager.cpp b/src/pluginmanager.cpp
index 93710d0908..0b4e3ae5b2 100644
--- a/src/pluginmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/pluginmanager.cpp
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ bool PluginManager::loadStaticPlugin(const QString &pluginId)
 
 bool PluginManager::loadDynamicPlugin(const QString &pluginId)
 {
-    const auto offers = KPluginLoader::findPluginsById(s_pluginDirectory, pluginId);
-    for (const KPluginMetaData &metadata : offers) {
+    const KPluginMetaData metadata = KPluginMetaData::findPluginById(s_pluginDirectory, pluginId);
+    if (metadata.isValid()) {
         if (loadDynamicPlugin(metadata)) {
             return true;
         }