diff --git a/boot.js b/boot.js
index 050b97e..23baf2b 100644
--- a/boot.js
+++ b/boot.js
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ const {
   AVV_ERR_READY_TIMEOUT
 } = require('./lib/errors')
 const { TimeTree } = require('./lib/time-tree')
-const Plugin = require('./plugin')
+const { Plugin } = require('./plugin')
 const { debug } = require('./lib/debug')
+const { loadPlugin } = require('./lib/load-plugin')
 const kAvvio = Symbol('kAvvio')
 const kThenifyDoNotWrap = Symbol('kThenifyDoNotWrap')
 
@@ -154,7 +155,7 @@ function Boot (server, opts, done) {
     })
   })
 
-  Plugin.loadPlugin.call(this, this._root, (err) => {
+  loadPlugin(this, this._root, (err) => {
     debug('root plugin ready')
     try {
       this.emit('preReady')
diff --git a/lib/load-plugin.js b/lib/load-plugin.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5afa854
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/load-plugin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+'use strict'
+
+/**
+ * @callback LoadPluginCallback
+ * @param {Error} [err]
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Load a plugin
+ *
+ * @param {*} instance
+ * @param {*} plugin
+ * @param {LoadPluginCallback} callback
+ */
+function loadPlugin (instance, plugin, callback) {
+  if (typeof plugin.func.then === 'function') {
+    plugin.func.then((fn) => {
+      if (typeof fn.default === 'function') {
+        fn = fn.default
+      }
+      plugin.func = fn
+      loadPlugin(instance, plugin, callback)
+    }, callback)
+    return
+  }
+
+  const last = instance._current[0]
+
+  // place the plugin at the top of _current
+  instance._current.unshift(plugin)
+
+  plugin.exec((last && last.server) || instance._server, (err) => {
+    plugin.finish(err, (err) => {
+      instance._current.shift()
+      callback(err)
+    })
+  })
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  loadPlugin
+}
diff --git a/plugin.js b/plugin.js
index 975b477..5918dfc 100644
--- a/plugin.js
+++ b/plugin.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const fastq = require('fastq')
 const EE = require('events').EventEmitter
 const inherits = require('util').inherits
 const { debug } = require('./lib/debug')
+const { loadPlugin } = require('./lib/load-plugin')
 const { createPromise } = require('./lib/create-promise')
 const { AVV_ERR_READY_TIMEOUT } = require('./lib/errors')
 const { getPluginName } = require('./lib/get-plugin-name')
@@ -213,40 +214,16 @@ Plugin.prototype.finish = function (err, cb) {
   this.q.resume()
 }
 
-// delays plugin loading until the next tick to ensure any bound `_after` callbacks have a chance
-// to run prior to executing the next plugin
-function loadPluginNextTick (toLoad, cb) {
-  const parent = this
-  process.nextTick(loadPlugin.bind(parent), toLoad, cb)
-}
-
-// loads a plugin
-function loadPlugin (toLoad, cb) {
-  if (typeof toLoad.func.then === 'function') {
-    toLoad.func.then((fn) => {
-      if (typeof fn.default === 'function') {
-        fn = fn.default
-      }
-      toLoad.func = fn
-      loadPlugin.call(this, toLoad, cb)
-    }, cb)
-    return
-  }
-
-  const last = this._current[0]
-
-  // place the plugin at the top of _current
-  this._current.unshift(toLoad)
-
-  toLoad.exec((last && last.server) || this._server, (err) => {
-    toLoad.finish(err, (err) => {
-      this._current.shift()
-      cb(err)
-    })
-  })
+/**
+ * Delays plugin loading until the next tick to ensure any bound `_after` callbacks have a chance
+ * to run prior to executing the next plugin
+ */
+function loadPluginNextTick (plugin, callback) {
+  process.nextTick(loadPlugin, this, plugin, callback)
 }
 
 function noop () {}
 
-module.exports = Plugin
-module.exports.loadPlugin = loadPlugin
+module.exports = {
+  Plugin
+}
diff --git a/test/lib/load-plugin.test.js b/test/lib/load-plugin.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d09f46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/lib/load-plugin.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const { test } = require('tap')
+const boot = require('../..')
+const { loadPlugin } = require('../../lib/load-plugin')
+const { Plugin } = require('../../plugin')
+
+test('successfully load a plugin with sync function', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, function (instance, opts, done) {
+    done()
+  }, false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err, undefined)
+  })
+})
+
+test('catch an error when loading a plugin with sync function', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, function (instance, opts, done) {
+    done(Error('ArbitraryError'))
+  }, false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err.message, 'ArbitraryError')
+  })
+})
+
+test('successfully load a plugin with async function', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, async function (instance, opts) { }, false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err, undefined)
+  })
+})
+
+test('catch an error when loading a plugin with async function', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, async function (instance, opts) {
+    throw Error('ArbitraryError')
+  }, false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err.message, 'ArbitraryError')
+  })
+})
+
+test('successfully load a plugin when function is a Promise, which resolves to a function', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, new Promise(resolve => resolve(function (instance, opts, done) {
+    done()
+  })), false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err, undefined)
+  })
+})
+
+test('catch an error when loading a plugin when function is a Promise, which resolves to a function', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, new Promise(resolve => resolve(function (instance, opts, done) {
+    done(Error('ArbitraryError'))
+  })), false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err.message, 'ArbitraryError')
+  })
+})
+
+test('successfully load a plugin when function is a Promise, which resolves to a function, which is wrapped in default', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, new Promise(resolve => resolve({
+    default: function (instance, opts, done) {
+      done()
+    }
+  })), false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err, undefined)
+  })
+})
+
+test('catch an error when loading a plugin when function is a Promise, which resolves to a function, which is wrapped in default', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+  const app = boot({})
+
+  const plugin = new Plugin(app, new Promise(resolve => resolve({
+    default: function (instance, opts, done) {
+      done(Error('ArbitraryError'))
+    }
+  })), false, 0)
+
+  loadPlugin(app, plugin, function (err) {
+    t.equal(err.message, 'ArbitraryError')
+  })
+})