diff --git a/packer/plugin.go b/packer/plugin.go
index 2a05fca26..4ef9016b8 100644
--- a/packer/plugin.go
+++ b/packer/plugin.go
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ func (c *PluginConfig) discoverExternalComponents(path string) error {
 	}
 	for pluginName, pluginPath := range pluginPaths {
 		newPath := pluginPath // this needs to be stored in a new variable for the func below
-		c.Builders.Set(pluginName, c.Client(newPath).Builder)
+		c.Builders.Set(pluginName, func() (packersdk.Builder, error) {
+			return c.Client(newPath).Builder()
+		})
 		externallyUsed = append(externallyUsed, pluginName)
 	}
 	if len(externallyUsed) > 0 {
@@ -136,7 +138,9 @@ func (c *PluginConfig) discoverExternalComponents(path string) error {
 	}
 	for pluginName, pluginPath := range pluginPaths {
 		newPath := pluginPath // this needs to be stored in a new variable for the func below
-		c.PostProcessors.Set(pluginName, c.Client(newPath).PostProcessor)
+		c.PostProcessors.Set(pluginName, func() (packersdk.PostProcessor, error) {
+			return c.Client(newPath).PostProcessor()
+		})
 		externallyUsed = append(externallyUsed, pluginName)
 	}
 	if len(externallyUsed) > 0 {
@@ -151,12 +155,15 @@ func (c *PluginConfig) discoverExternalComponents(path string) error {
 	}
 	for pluginName, pluginPath := range pluginPaths {
 		newPath := pluginPath // this needs to be stored in a new variable for the func below
-		c.Provisioners.Set(pluginName, c.Client(newPath).Provisioner)
+		c.Provisioners.Set(pluginName, func() (packersdk.Provisioner, error) {
+			return c.Client(newPath).Provisioner()
+		})
 		externallyUsed = append(externallyUsed, pluginName)
 	}
 	if len(externallyUsed) > 0 {
 		sort.Strings(externallyUsed)
 		log.Printf("using external provisioners %v", externallyUsed)
+		externallyUsed = nil
 	}
 
 	pluginPaths, err = c.discoverSingle(filepath.Join(path, "packer-datasource-*"))
@@ -171,6 +178,7 @@ func (c *PluginConfig) discoverExternalComponents(path string) error {
 	if len(externallyUsed) > 0 {
 		sort.Strings(externallyUsed)
 		log.Printf("using external datasource %v", externallyUsed)
+		externallyUsed = nil
 	}
 
 	pluginPaths, err = c.discoverSingle(filepath.Join(path, "packer-plugin-*"))