diff --git a/lib/pry/cli.rb b/lib/pry/cli.rb
index 1a80812ef..6b99aa43b 100644
--- a/lib/pry/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/cli.rb
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def add_options(&block)
         self
       end
 
+      # TODO: Remove add_plugin_options when removing plugin auto-loading
       # Bring in options defined in plugins
       def add_plugin_options
         Pry::Warning.warn "Pry.plugins is deprecated and will be removed entirely"
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ def start(opts)
   end
 end
 
+# TODO: Remove enable-plugins when removing plugin auto-loading
 # Bring in options defined by plugins
 Pry::Slop.new do
   on "enable-plugins" do
@@ -132,6 +134,7 @@ def start(opts)
   end
 end.parse(ARGV.dup)
 
+# TODO: Remove add_plugin_options when removing plugin auto-loading
 Pry::CLI.add_plugin_options if Pry.config.should_load_plugins
 
 # The default Pry command line options (before plugin options are included)
diff --git a/lib/pry/config.rb b/lib/pry/config.rb
index d8bc7f4be..e20321313 100644
--- a/lib/pry/config.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/config.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ class Config
     # @return [Boolean] whether the local ./.pryrc should be loaded
     attribute :should_load_local_rc
 
+    # TODO: Remove should_load_plugins when removing plugin auto-loading
     # @return [Boolean]
     attribute :should_load_plugins
 
diff --git a/lib/pry/pry_class.rb b/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
index 80dda807a..b1b3c75b3 100644
--- a/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class << self
     attr_accessor :last_internal_error
     attr_accessor :config
 
+    # TODO: Remove def_delegators :@plugin_manager when removing plugin auto-loading
     def_delegators :@plugin_manager, :plugins, :load_plugins, :locate_plugins
 
     def_delegators(
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ def self.final_session_setup
     return if @session_finalized
 
     @session_finalized = true
+    # TODO: Remove load_plugins when removing plugin auto-loading
     load_plugins if Pry.config.should_load_plugins
     load_requires if Pry.config.should_load_requires
     load_history if Pry.config.history_load
@@ -333,9 +335,13 @@ def self.reset_defaults
 
   # Basic initialization.
   def self.init
+    # TODO: Remove PluginManager when removing plugin auto-loading
     @plugin_manager ||= PluginManager.new
     reset_defaults
-    locate_plugins
+    if Pry.config.should_load_plugins # rubocop:disable Style/GuardClause
+      # TODO: Remove locate_plugins when removing plugin auto-loading
+      locate_plugins
+    end
   end
 
   # Return a `Binding` object for `target` or return `target` if it is