diff --git a/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp b/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp
index 0fed242b1..724e5012e 100644
--- a/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp
+++ b/components/shellprivate/interactiveconsole/interactiveconsole.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KMessageBox>
 #include <KPluginFactory>
-#include <KPluginLoader>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
 #include <KShell>
 #include <KStandardAction>
@@ -117,22 +116,15 @@ InteractiveConsole::InteractiveConsole(QWidget *parent)
 
     editorLayout->addWidget(toolBar);
 
-    auto tryLoadingKatePart = [=]() {
-        KTextEditor::Document *result = nullptr;
-        KPluginLoader loader(QStringLiteral("kf5/parts/katepart"));
+    auto tryLoadingKatePart = [=]() -> KTextEditor::Document * {
+        const auto loadResult = KPluginFactory::instantiatePlugin<KTextEditor::Document>(KPluginMetaData(QStringLiteral("kf5/parts/katepart")), this);
 
-        KPluginFactory *factory = loader.factory();
-        if (!factory) {
-            qWarning() << "Error loading katepart plugin:" << loader.errorString();
-            return result;
+        if (!loadResult) {
+            qWarning() << "Error loading katepart plugin:" << loadResult.errorString;
+            return nullptr;
         }
 
-        result = factory->create<KTextEditor::Document>(widget);
-
-        if (!result) {
-            qWarning() << "Error creating katepart object";
-            return result;
-        }
+        KTextEditor::Document *result = loadResult.plugin;
 
         result->setHighlightingMode(QStringLiteral("JavaScript/PlasmaDesktop"));
 
diff --git a/dataengines/geolocation/geolocation.cpp b/dataengines/geolocation/geolocation.cpp
index 9b6086b2b..642d81b39 100644
--- a/dataengines/geolocation/geolocation.cpp
+++ b/dataengines/geolocation/geolocation.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 
 #include <limits.h>
 
-#include <KPluginLoader>
 #include <KPluginMetaData>
 #include <NetworkManagerQt/Manager>
 #include <QDebug>
@@ -36,18 +35,17 @@ Geolocation::Geolocation(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)
 void Geolocation::init()
 {
     // TODO: should this be delayed even further, e.g. when the source is requested?
-    const QVector<KPluginMetaData> offers = KPluginLoader::findPlugins("plasma/geolocationprovider");
+    const QVector<KPluginMetaData> offers = KPluginMetaData::findPlugins("plasma/geolocationprovider");
     for (const auto &metaData : offers) {
-        KPluginLoader loader(metaData.fileName());
-        if (KPluginFactory *factory = loader.factory()) {
-            if (auto plugin = factory->create<GeolocationProvider>(this)) {
-                m_plugins << plugin;
-                plugin->init(&m_data, &m_accuracy);
-                connect(plugin, &GeolocationProvider::updated, this, &Geolocation::pluginUpdated);
-                connect(plugin, &GeolocationProvider::availabilityChanged, this, &Geolocation::pluginAvailabilityChanged);
-            } else {
-                qDebug() << "Failed to load GeolocationProvider:" << metaData.fileName();
-            }
+        auto result = KPluginFactory::instantiatePlugin<GeolocationProvider>(metaData, this);
+        if (result) {
+            GeolocationProvider *plugin = result.plugin;
+            m_plugins << plugin;
+            plugin->init(&m_data, &m_accuracy);
+            connect(plugin, &GeolocationProvider::updated, this, &Geolocation::pluginUpdated);
+            connect(plugin, &GeolocationProvider::availabilityChanged, this, &Geolocation::pluginAvailabilityChanged);
+        } else {
+            qDebug() << "Failed to load GeolocationProvider:" << metaData.fileName() << result.errorString;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/kcms/kfontinst/apps/Viewer.cpp b/kcms/kfontinst/apps/Viewer.cpp
index 8463f79ca..5f5c4ee4e 100644
--- a/kcms/kfontinst/apps/Viewer.cpp
+++ b/kcms/kfontinst/apps/Viewer.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include <KDBusService>
 #include <KParts/BrowserExtension>
 #include <KPluginFactory>
-#include <KPluginLoader>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
 #include <KShortcutsDialog>
 #include <KStandardAction>
@@ -27,32 +26,31 @@ namespace KFI
 {
 CViewer::CViewer()
 {
-    KPluginLoader loader("kf5/parts/kfontviewpart");
-    KPluginFactory *factory = loader.factory();
+    const auto result = KPluginFactory::instantiatePlugin<KParts::ReadOnlyPart>(KPluginMetaData(QStringLiteral("kf5/parts/kfontviewpart")), this);
 
-    if (factory) {
-        itsPreview = factory->create<KParts::ReadOnlyPart>(this);
-
-        actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::Open, this, SLOT(fileOpen()));
-        actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::Quit, this, SLOT(close()));
-        actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::KeyBindings, this, SLOT(configureKeys()));
-        itsPrintAct = actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::Print, itsPreview, SLOT(print()));
+    if (!result) {
+        qWarning() << "Error loading kfontviewpart:" << result.errorString;
+        exit(1);
+    }
 
-        itsPrintAct->setEnabled(false);
+    itsPreview = result.plugin;
 
-        if (itsPreview->browserExtension()) {
-            connect(itsPreview->browserExtension(), &KParts::BrowserExtension::enableAction, this, &CViewer::enableAction);
-        }
+    actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::Open, this, SLOT(fileOpen()));
+    actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::Quit, this, SLOT(close()));
+    actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::KeyBindings, this, SLOT(configureKeys()));
+    itsPrintAct = actionCollection()->addAction(KStandardAction::Print, itsPreview, SLOT(print()));
 
-        setCentralWidget(itsPreview->widget());
-        createGUI(itsPreview);
+    itsPrintAct->setEnabled(false);
 
-        setAutoSaveSettings();
-        applyMainWindowSettings(KSharedConfig::openConfig()->group("MainWindow"));
-    } else {
-        qWarning() << "Error loading kfontviewpart:" << loader.errorString();
-        exit(1);
+    if (itsPreview->browserExtension()) {
+        connect(itsPreview->browserExtension(), &KParts::BrowserExtension::enableAction, this, &CViewer::enableAction);
     }
+
+    setCentralWidget(itsPreview->widget());
+    createGUI(itsPreview);
+
+    setAutoSaveSettings();
+    applyMainWindowSettings(KSharedConfig::openConfig()->group("MainWindow"));
 }
 
 void CViewer::fileOpen()
diff --git a/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp b/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp
index 742b0f661..a3bcb22e1 100644
--- a/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp
+++ b/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 #include <KPluginFactory>
-#include <KPluginLoader>
 #include <KToolBar>
 
 #include <QDBusPendingCallWatcher>
@@ -171,7 +170,7 @@ void KCMStyle::configure(const QString &title, const QString &styleName, QQuickI
         return;
     }
 
-    QLibrary library(KPluginLoader::findPlugin(configPage));
+    QLibrary library(QPluginLoader(configPage).fileName());
     if (!library.load()) {
         qWarning() << "Failed to load style config page" << configPage << library.errorString();
         emit showErrorMessage(i18n("There was an error loading the configuration dialog for this style."));
diff --git a/startkde/kcminit/main.cpp b/startkde/kcminit/main.cpp
index 1062f880d..034463078 100644
--- a/startkde/kcminit/main.cpp
+++ b/startkde/kcminit/main.cpp
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ bool KCMInit::runModule(const QString &libName, KService::Ptr service)
     } else
         kcminit = KCMINIT_PREFIX + libName;
 
-    QString path = KPluginLoader::findPlugin(libName);
+    QString path = QPluginLoader(libName).fileName();
     if (path.isEmpty()) {
-        path = KPluginLoader::findPlugin(QStringLiteral("kcms/") + libName);
+        path = QPluginLoader(QStringLiteral("kcms/") + libName).fileName();
     }
 
     if (path.isEmpty()) {