diff --git a/src/nm-core-utils.c b/src/nm-core-utils.c
index 04d2074af..678455167 100644
--- a/src/nm-core-utils.c
+++ b/src/nm-core-utils.c
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ static void
 _nm_singleton_instance_weak_cb (gpointer data,
                                 GObject *where_the_object_was)
 {
+	nm_assert (g_slist_find (_singletons, where_the_object_was));
+
 	_singletons = g_slist_remove (_singletons, where_the_object_was);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings.c b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
index 4d1915e24..b8457aca3 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
@@ -1255,6 +1255,10 @@ add_plugin (NMSettings *self,
 
 	priv->plugins = g_slist_append (priv->plugins, g_object_ref (plugin));
 
+	nm_shutdown_wait_obj_register_full (G_OBJECT (plugin),
+	                                    g_strdup_printf ("%s-settings-plugin", pname),
+	                                    TRUE);
+
 	_LOGI ("Loaded settings plugin: %s (%s%s%s)",
 	       pname,
 	       NM_PRINT_FMT_QUOTED (path, "\"", path, "\"", "internal"));
diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c
index 14e4108f6..edd749fc4 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c
@@ -79,12 +79,6 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE (SettingsPluginIfcfg, settings_plugin_ifcfg, NM_TYPE_SETTINGS_PLUG
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
-static SettingsPluginIfcfg *settings_plugin_ifcfg_get (void);
-
-NM_DEFINE_SINGLETON_GETTER (SettingsPluginIfcfg, settings_plugin_ifcfg_get, SETTINGS_TYPE_PLUGIN_IFCFG);
-
-/*****************************************************************************/
-
 #define _NMLOG_DOMAIN  LOGD_SETTINGS
 #define _NMLOG(level, ...) \
     G_STMT_START { \
@@ -984,5 +978,5 @@ settings_plugin_ifcfg_class_init (SettingsPluginIfcfgClass *klass)
 G_MODULE_EXPORT NMSettingsPlugin *
 nm_settings_plugin_factory (void)
 {
-	return NM_SETTINGS_PLUGIN (g_object_ref (settings_plugin_ifcfg_get ()));
+	return g_object_new (SETTINGS_TYPE_PLUGIN_IFCFG, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifupdown/nms-ifupdown-plugin.c b/src/settings/plugins/ifupdown/nms-ifupdown-plugin.c
index 8f9be772b..23f401560 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifupdown/nms-ifupdown-plugin.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifupdown/nms-ifupdown-plugin.c
@@ -75,11 +75,6 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE (SettingsPluginIfupdown, settings_plugin_ifupdown, NM_TYPE_SETTING
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
-static SettingsPluginIfupdown *settings_plugin_ifupdown_get (void);
-NM_DEFINE_SINGLETON_GETTER (SettingsPluginIfupdown, settings_plugin_ifupdown_get, SETTINGS_TYPE_PLUGIN_IFUPDOWN);
-
-/*****************************************************************************/
-
 #define _NMLOG_PREFIX_NAME      "ifupdown"
 #define _NMLOG_DOMAIN           LOGD_SETTINGS
 #define _NMLOG(level, ...) \
@@ -339,5 +334,5 @@ settings_plugin_ifupdown_class_init (SettingsPluginIfupdownClass *klass)
 G_MODULE_EXPORT NMSettingsPlugin *
 nm_settings_plugin_factory (void)
 {
-	return NM_SETTINGS_PLUGIN (g_object_ref (settings_plugin_ifupdown_get ()));
+	return g_object_new (SETTINGS_TYPE_PLUGIN_IFUPDOWN, NULL);
 }