diff --git a/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland.nix b/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland.nix
index 5d0eb3558..b8543afca 100644
--- a/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland.nix
+++ b/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland.nix
@@ -287,12 +287,13 @@ in
           plugins:
           lib.hm.generators.toHyprconf {
             attrs = {
-              plugin =
+              "exec-once" =
                 let
                   mkEntry =
                     entry: if lib.types.package.check entry then "${entry}/lib/lib${entry.pname}.so" else entry;
+                  hyprctl = "${cfg.finalPackage}/bin/hyprctl";
                 in
-                map mkEntry cfg.plugins;
+                map (p: "${hyprctl} plugin load ${mkEntry p}") cfg.plugins;
             };
             inherit (cfg) importantPrefixes;
           };
diff --git a/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/multiple-devices-config.conf b/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/multiple-devices-config.conf
index d0e82572d..f0b1780bd 100644
--- a/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/multiple-devices-config.conf
+++ b/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/multiple-devices-config.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 exec-once = @dbus@/bin/dbus-update-activation-environment --systemd DISPLAY HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE WAYLAND_DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP && systemctl --user stop hyprland-session.target && systemctl --user start hyprland-session.target
-plugin=/path/to/plugin1
-plugin=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-foo/lib/libfoo.so
+exec-once=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-hyprland/bin/hyprctl plugin load /path/to/plugin1
+exec-once=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-hyprland/bin/hyprctl plugin load /nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-foo/lib/libfoo.so
 $mod=SUPER
 bezier=smoothOut, 0.36, 0, 0.66, -0.56
 bezier=smoothIn, 0.25, 1, 0.5, 1
diff --git a/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/simple-config.conf b/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/simple-config.conf
index c076f5382..a10e2b66d 100644
--- a/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/simple-config.conf
+++ b/tests/modules/services/window-managers/hyprland/simple-config.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 exec-once = @dbus@/bin/dbus-update-activation-environment --systemd DISPLAY HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE WAYLAND_DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP && systemctl --user stop hyprland-session.target && systemctl --user start hyprland-session.target
-plugin=/path/to/plugin1
-plugin=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-foo/lib/libfoo.so
+exec-once=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-hyprland/bin/hyprctl plugin load /path/to/plugin1
+exec-once=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-hyprland/bin/hyprctl plugin load /nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-foo/lib/libfoo.so
 $mod=SUPER
 bezier=smoothOut, 0.36, 0, 0.66, -0.56
 bezier=smoothIn, 0.25, 1, 0.5, 1