diff --git a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
index dbc0900675..f315bf0872 100644
--- a/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/kwin_wayland_test.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,6 @@ void WaylandTestApplication::performStartup()
 
     // try creating the Wayland Backend
     createInput();
-    createPlugins();
     createVirtualInputDevices();
 
     if (!platform()->enabledOutputs().isEmpty()) {
@@ -171,6 +170,7 @@ void WaylandTestApplication::continueStartupWithScene()
     disconnect(Compositor::self(), &Compositor::sceneCreated, this, &WaylandTestApplication::continueStartupWithScene);
 
     createWorkspace();
+    createPlugins();
 
     if (!waylandServer()->start()) {
         qFatal("Failed to initialize the Wayland server, exiting now");
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 17ca4104bb..c26580259c 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ void Application::start()
 Application::~Application()
 {
     delete options;
-    destroyPlugins();
     destroyColorManager();
     destroyAtoms();
     destroyPlatform();
diff --git a/src/main_wayland.cpp b/src/main_wayland.cpp
index f10c212485..351f6171a7 100644
--- a/src/main_wayland.cpp
+++ b/src/main_wayland.cpp
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ ApplicationWayland::~ApplicationWayland()
         return;
     }
 
+    destroyPlugins();
+
     // need to unload all effects prior to destroying X connection as they might do X calls
     if (effects) {
         static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl *>(effects)->unloadAllEffects();
@@ -146,7 +148,6 @@ void ApplicationWayland::performStartup()
     createInput();
     createInputMethod();
     TabletModeManager::create(this);
-    createPlugins();
 
     WaylandCompositor::create();
 
@@ -160,6 +161,7 @@ void ApplicationWayland::continueStartupWithScene()
 
     // Note that we start accepting client connections after creating the Workspace.
     createWorkspace();
+    createPlugins();
 
     if (!waylandServer()->start()) {
         qFatal("Failed to initialze the Wayland server, exiting now");
diff --git a/src/main_x11.cpp b/src/main_x11.cpp
index e784bc9e68..02bd33f40a 100644
--- a/src/main_x11.cpp
+++ b/src/main_x11.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ ApplicationX11::ApplicationX11(int &argc, char **argv)
 ApplicationX11::~ApplicationX11()
 {
     setTerminating();
+    destroyPlugins();
     destroyCompositor();
     destroyWorkspace();
     if (!owner.isNull() && owner->ownerWindow() != XCB_WINDOW_NONE) { // If there was no --replace (no new WM)
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@ void ApplicationX11::setReplace(bool replace)
 void ApplicationX11::lostSelection()
 {
     sendPostedEvents();
+    destroyPlugins();
     destroyCompositor();
     destroyWorkspace();
     // Remove windowmanager privileges
diff --git a/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.cpp b/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.cpp
index 46b879bc76..68697df5a3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.cpp
@@ -19,18 +19,8 @@
 
 namespace KWin
 {
+
 WindowsRunner::WindowsRunner()
-{
-    if (workspace()) {
-        initialize();
-    } else {
-        connect(kwinApp(), &Application::workspaceCreated, this, &WindowsRunner::initialize);
-    }
-}
-
-WindowsRunner::~WindowsRunner() = default;
-
-void WindowsRunner::initialize()
 {
     new Krunner1Adaptor(this);
     qDBusRegisterMetaType<RemoteMatch>();
@@ -42,6 +32,8 @@ void WindowsRunner::initialize()
     QDBusConnection::sessionBus().registerService(QStringLiteral("org.kde.KWin"));
 }
 
+WindowsRunner::~WindowsRunner() = default;
+
 RemoteActions WindowsRunner::Actions()
 {
     RemoteActions actions;
diff --git a/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.h b/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.h
index 5f38239d4f..4bbafb8a1a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.h
+++ b/src/plugins/krunner-integration/windowsrunnerinterface.h
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ private:
         ActivateDesktopAction
     };
 
-    void initialize();
     RemoteMatch desktopMatch(const VirtualDesktop *desktop, const WindowsRunnerAction action = ActivateDesktopAction, qreal relevance = 1.0) const;
     RemoteMatch windowsMatch(const Window *window, const WindowsRunnerAction action = ActivateAction, qreal relevance = 1.0, Plasma::QueryMatch::Type type = Plasma::QueryMatch::ExactMatch) const;
     bool actionSupported(const Window *window, const WindowsRunnerAction action) const;
diff --git a/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.cpp b/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.cpp
index 3c5d3f4262..a192ae76fa 100644
--- a/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ NightColorManager *NightColorManager::self()
 
 NightColorManager::NightColorManager()
 {
+    NightColorSettings::instance(kwinApp()->config());
     s_instance = this;
 
     m_iface = new NightColorDBusInterface(this);
@@ -73,22 +74,6 @@ NightColorManager::NightColorManager()
         QDBusConnection::sessionBus().asyncCall(message);
     });
 
-    if (workspace()) {
-        init();
-    } else {
-        connect(kwinApp(), &Application::workspaceCreated, this, &NightColorManager::init);
-    }
-}
-
-NightColorManager::~NightColorManager()
-{
-    s_instance = nullptr;
-}
-
-void NightColorManager::init()
-{
-    NightColorSettings::instance(kwinApp()->config());
-
     m_configWatcher = KConfigWatcher::create(kwinApp()->config());
     connect(m_configWatcher.data(), &KConfigWatcher::configChanged, this, &NightColorManager::reconfigure);
 
@@ -153,6 +138,11 @@ void NightColorManager::init()
     hardReset();
 }
 
+NightColorManager::~NightColorManager()
+{
+    s_instance = nullptr;
+}
+
 void NightColorManager::hardReset()
 {
     cancelAllTimers();
diff --git a/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.h b/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.h
index ed1927a471..1fa6a1a5c0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/nightcolor/nightcolormanager.h
@@ -81,8 +81,6 @@ public:
     explicit NightColorManager();
     ~NightColorManager() override;
 
-    void init();
-
     void autoLocationUpdate(double latitude, double longitude);
 
     /**