diff --git a/Modules/Bar/Extras/BarWidgetLoader.qml b/Modules/Bar/Extras/BarWidgetLoader.qml
index 5e4193f66..8d8e72677 100644
--- a/Modules/Bar/Extras/BarWidgetLoader.qml
+++ b/Modules/Bar/Extras/BarWidgetLoader.qml
@@ -61,24 +61,52 @@ Item {
     enabled: BarWidgetRegistry.isPluginWidget(root.widgetId)
 
     function onPluginWidgetRegistryUpdated() {
-      // Force the loader to reload by toggling active
       if (BarWidgetRegistry.hasWidget(root.widgetId)) {
         root.reloadCounter++;
+        // Plugin widgets use setSource, so also trigger reload directly
+        if (root._isPlugin && loader.active)
+          root._loadPluginWidget();
         Logger.d("BarWidgetLoader", "Plugin widget registry updated, reloading:", root.widgetId);
       }
     }
   }
 
+  readonly property bool _isPlugin: BarWidgetRegistry.isPluginWidget(widgetId)
+
+  function _loadPluginWidget() {
+    var comp = BarWidgetRegistry.getWidget(root.widgetId);
+    if (!comp)
+      return;
+    var pluginId = root.widgetId.replace("plugin:", "");
+    var api = PluginService.getPluginAPI(pluginId);
+    loader.setSource(comp.url, api ? {
+                                       "pluginApi": api
+                                     } : {});
+  }
+
   Loader {
     id: loader
     anchors.fill: parent
     asynchronous: true
     active: root.checkWidgetExists() && (root.reloadCounter >= 0)
 
-    sourceComponent: {
-      // Depend on reloadCounter to force re-fetch of component
-      var _ = root.reloadCounter;
-      return root.checkWidgetExists() ? BarWidgetRegistry.getWidget(root.widgetId) : null;
+    // Core widgets use sourceComponent; plugin widgets use setSource()
+    // so pluginApi is available from the first binding evaluation.
+    // Binding is set imperatively to avoid sourceComponent interfering with setSource.
+    Component.onCompleted: {
+      if (root._isPlugin) {
+        root._loadPluginWidget();
+      } else {
+        sourceComponent = Qt.binding(function () {
+          var _ = root.reloadCounter;
+          return root.checkWidgetExists() ? BarWidgetRegistry.getWidget(root.widgetId) : null;
+        });
+      }
+    }
+
+    onActiveChanged: {
+      if (active && root._isPlugin)
+        root._loadPluginWidget();
     }
 
     // Unregister when the loaded item is destroyed (Loader deactivated or sourceComponent changed)
@@ -119,17 +147,6 @@ Item {
         item.screen = widgetScreen;
       }
 
-      // Inject plugin API for plugin widgets
-      // The API is fully populated (settings/translations already loaded) by PluginService
-      if (BarWidgetRegistry.isPluginWidget(widgetId)) {
-        var pluginId = widgetId.replace("plugin:", "");
-        var api = PluginService.getPluginAPI(pluginId);
-        if (api && item.hasOwnProperty("pluginApi")) {
-          item.pluginApi = api;
-          Logger.d("BarWidgetLoader", "Injected plugin API for", widgetId);
-        }
-      }
-
       // Unregister any previous registration before registering the new instance
       root._unregister();
 
diff --git a/Modules/DesktopWidgets/DesktopWidgets.qml b/Modules/DesktopWidgets/DesktopWidgets.qml
index 7f5b72e2e..fa70451fc 100644
--- a/Modules/DesktopWidgets/DesktopWidgets.qml
+++ b/Modules/DesktopWidgets/DesktopWidgets.qml
@@ -288,12 +288,37 @@ Variants {
             required property var modelData
             required property int index
             property var _maskRegion: null
+            readonly property bool _isPlugin: DesktopWidgetRegistry.isPluginWidget(modelData.id)
 
-            sourceComponent: {
-              // Access registeredWidgets and pluginReloadCounter to create reactive binding
-              var _ = root.pluginReloadCounter;
-              var widgets = root.registeredWidgets;
-              return widgets[modelData.id] || null;
+            // Core widgets use sourceComponent; plugin widgets use setSource()
+            // so pluginApi is available from the first binding evaluation.
+            // Binding is set imperatively to avoid sourceComponent interfering with setSource.
+            Component.onCompleted: {
+              if (_isPlugin) {
+                _loadPluginWidget();
+              } else {
+                sourceComponent = Qt.binding(function () {
+                  var _ = root.pluginReloadCounter;
+                  var widgets = root.registeredWidgets;
+                  return widgets[modelData.id] || null;
+                });
+              }
+            }
+
+            onActiveChanged: {
+              if (active && _isPlugin)
+                _loadPluginWidget();
+            }
+
+            function _loadPluginWidget() {
+              var comp = root.registeredWidgets[modelData.id];
+              if (!comp)
+                return;
+              var pluginId = modelData.id.replace("plugin:", "");
+              var api = PluginService.getPluginAPI(pluginId);
+              setSource(comp.url, api ? {
+                                          "pluginApi": api
+                                        } : {});
             }
 
             onLoaded: {
@@ -309,15 +334,6 @@ Variants {
                 var newRegions = window._maskRegions.slice();
                 newRegions.push(_maskRegion);
                 window._maskRegions = newRegions;
-
-                // Inject plugin API for plugin widgets
-                if (DesktopWidgetRegistry.isPluginWidget(modelData.id)) {
-                  var pluginId = modelData.id.replace("plugin:", "");
-                  var api = PluginService.getPluginAPI(pluginId);
-                  if (api && item.hasOwnProperty("pluginApi")) {
-                    item.pluginApi = api;
-                  }
-                }
               }
             }
 
diff --git a/Modules/Panels/ControlCenter/ControlCenterWidgetLoader.qml b/Modules/Panels/ControlCenter/ControlCenterWidgetLoader.qml
index 94520a2d8..28f77d8ae 100644
--- a/Modules/Panels/ControlCenter/ControlCenterWidgetLoader.qml
+++ b/Modules/Panels/ControlCenter/ControlCenterWidgetLoader.qml
@@ -22,11 +22,35 @@ Item {
     return (item && item.visible) ? item[prop] : 0;
   }
 
+  readonly property bool _isPlugin: ControlCenterWidgetRegistry.isPluginWidget(widgetId)
+
+  function _loadPluginWidget() {
+    var comp = ControlCenterWidgetRegistry.getWidget(widgetId);
+    if (!comp)
+      return;
+    var pluginId = widgetId.substring(7); // Remove "plugin:" prefix
+    var api = PluginService.getPluginAPI(pluginId);
+    loader.setSource(comp.url, api ? {
+                                       "pluginApi": api
+                                     } : {});
+  }
+
   Loader {
     id: loader
     anchors.fill: parent
     asynchronous: false
-    sourceComponent: ControlCenterWidgetRegistry.getWidget(widgetId)
+
+    // Core widgets use sourceComponent; plugin widgets use setSource()
+    // so pluginApi is available from the first binding evaluation.
+    Component.onCompleted: {
+      if (root._isPlugin) {
+        root._loadPluginWidget();
+      } else {
+        sourceComponent = Qt.binding(function () {
+          return ControlCenterWidgetRegistry.getWidget(widgetId);
+        });
+      }
+    }
 
     onLoaded: {
       if (!item)
@@ -44,12 +68,6 @@ Item {
         item.screen = widgetScreen;
       }
 
-      // Pass pluginApi for plugin widgets
-      if (ControlCenterWidgetRegistry.isPluginWidget(widgetId) && item.hasOwnProperty("pluginApi")) {
-        var pluginId = widgetId.substring(7); // Remove "plugin:" prefix
-        item.pluginApi = PluginService.getPluginAPI(pluginId);
-      }
-
       // Call custom onLoaded if it exists
       if (item.hasOwnProperty("onLoaded")) {
         item.onLoaded();
diff --git a/Modules/Panels/Plugins/PluginPanelSlot.qml b/Modules/Panels/Plugins/PluginPanelSlot.qml
index a87c6f2c8..098feacfc 100644
--- a/Modules/Panels/Plugins/PluginPanelSlot.qml
+++ b/Modules/Panels/Plugins/PluginPanelSlot.qml
@@ -164,16 +164,14 @@ SmartPanel {
     // Get plugin API
     var api = PluginService.getPluginAPI(pluginId);
 
-    // Activate loader and set component simultaneously
+    // Use setSource with initial properties so pluginApi is available
+    // from the first binding evaluation (before onLoaded)
     root.contentLoader.active = true;
-    root.contentLoader.sourceComponent = component;
+    root.contentLoader.setSource(component.url, api ? {
+                                                        "pluginApi": api
+                                                      } : {});
 
-    // Immediately inject API (before any bindings evaluate)
     if (root.contentLoader.item) {
-      if (root.contentLoader.item.hasOwnProperty("pluginApi")) {
-        root.contentLoader.item.pluginApi = api;
-      }
-
       root.pluginInstance = root.contentLoader.item;
       root.currentPluginId = pluginId;
 
diff --git a/Services/Noctalia/PluginService.qml b/Services/Noctalia/PluginService.qml
index 753dd6737..31de3d679 100644
--- a/Services/Noctalia/PluginService.qml
+++ b/Services/Noctalia/PluginService.qml
@@ -1024,8 +1024,9 @@ Singleton {
     // Set current language (can't use binding in Qt.createQmlObject string)
     api.currentLanguage = I18n.langCode;
 
-    // Set pre-loaded settings and translations (available immediately!)
-    api.pluginSettings = settings || {};
+    // Merge manifest defaults with loaded settings (user settings take priority)
+    var defaults = (manifest.metadata && manifest.metadata.defaultSettings) || {};
+    api.pluginSettings = Object.assign({}, defaults, settings || {});
     api.pluginTranslations = translations || {};
     api.pluginFallbackTranslations = fallbackTranslations || {};