diff --git a/src/node/plugin.ts b/src/node/plugin.ts
index 0ac3abfc8..71831f504 100644
--- a/src/node/plugin.ts
+++ b/src/node/plugin.ts
@@ -189,11 +189,16 @@ export class PluginAPI {
       )
     }
 
+    const pluginModule = require(dir)
+    if (!pluginModule.plugin) {
+      throw new Error("plugin module does not export a plugin")
+    }
+
     const p = {
       name: packageJSON.name,
       version: packageJSON.version,
       modulePath: dir,
-      ...require(dir),
+      ...pluginModule.plugin,
     } as Plugin
 
     if (!p.displayName) {
diff --git a/test/test-plugin/src/index.ts b/test/test-plugin/src/index.ts
index 2fc1ddab0..2b00c2ec5 100644
--- a/test/test-plugin/src/index.ts
+++ b/test/test-plugin/src/index.ts
@@ -2,33 +2,35 @@ import * as express from "express"
 import * as fspath from "path"
 import * as pluginapi from "../../../typings/pluginapi"
 
-export const displayName = "Test Plugin"
-export const routerPath = "/test-plugin"
-export const homepageURL = "https://example.com"
-export const description = "Plugin used in code-server tests."
+export const plugin: pluginapi.Plugin = {
+  displayName: "Test Plugin",
+  routerPath: "/test-plugin",
+  homepageURL: "https://example.com",
+  description: "Plugin used in code-server tests.",
 
-export function init(config: pluginapi.PluginConfig) {
-  config.logger.debug("test-plugin loaded!")
-}
-
-export function router(): express.Router {
-  const r = express.Router()
-  r.get("/goland/icon.svg", (req, res) => {
-    res.sendFile(fspath.resolve(__dirname, "../public/icon.svg"))
-  })
-  return r
-}
-
-export function applications(): pluginapi.Application[] {
-  return [
-    {
-      name: "Test App",
-      version: "4.0.0",
-      iconPath: "/icon.svg",
-      path: "/test-app",
-
-      description: "This app does XYZ.",
-      homepageURL: "https://example.com",
-    },
-  ]
+  init: (config) => {
+    config.logger.debug("test-plugin loaded!")
+  },
+
+  router: () => {
+    const r = express.Router()
+    r.get("/goland/icon.svg", (req, res) => {
+      res.sendFile(fspath.resolve(__dirname, "../public/icon.svg"))
+    })
+    return r
+  },
+
+  applications: () => {
+    return [
+      {
+        name: "Test App",
+        version: "4.0.0",
+        iconPath: "/icon.svg",
+        path: "/test-app",
+
+        description: "This app does XYZ.",
+        homepageURL: "https://example.com",
+      },
+    ]
+  },
 }
diff --git a/typings/pluginapi.d.ts b/typings/pluginapi.d.ts
index 4e3971eeb..d0846a288 100644
--- a/typings/pluginapi.d.ts
+++ b/typings/pluginapi.d.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ import * as express from "express"
 /**
  * Plugins
  *
- * Plugins are just node modules.
+ * Plugins are just node modules that contain a top level export "plugin" that implements
+ * the Plugin interface.
  *
  * 1. code-server uses $CS_PLUGIN to find plugins.
  *
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ import * as express from "express"
  */
 
 /**
- * Your plugin module must implement this interface.
+ * Your plugin module must have a top level export "plugin" that implements this interface.
  *
  * The plugin's router will be mounted at <code-sever-root>/<plugin-path>
  */