diff --git a/lib/pry.rb b/lib/pry.rb
index 2fddd0032..7ead087b9 100644
--- a/lib/pry.rb
+++ b/lib/pry.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 require 'pry/basic_object'
 require 'pry/prompt'
-require 'pry/plugins'
 require 'pry/code_object'
 require 'pry/exceptions'
 require 'pry/hooks'
diff --git a/lib/pry/cli.rb b/lib/pry/cli.rb
index 17c0d0306..8d56794d4 100644
--- a/lib/pry/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/cli.rb
@@ -35,13 +35,6 @@ def add_options(&block)
         self
       end
 
-      # Bring in options defined in plugins
-      def add_plugin_options
-        Pry.plugins.values.each(&:load_cli_options)
-
-        self
-      end
-
       # Add a block responsible for processing parsed options.
       def add_option_processor(&block)
         self.option_processors ||= []
@@ -124,15 +117,6 @@ def start(opts)
   end
 end
 
-# Bring in options defined by plugins
-Pry::Slop.new do
-  on "no-plugins" do
-    Pry.config.should_load_plugins = false
-  end
-end.parse(ARGV.dup)
-
-Pry::CLI.add_plugin_options if Pry.config.should_load_plugins
-
 # The default Pry command line options (before plugin options are included)
 Pry::CLI.add_options do
   banner(
@@ -166,17 +150,16 @@ def start(opts)
     Pry.config.should_load_local_rc = false
   end
 
-  on :s, "select-plugin=", "Only load specified plugin (and no others)." do |plugin_name|
-    Pry.config.should_load_plugins = false
-    Pry.plugins[plugin_name].activate!
+  on :s, "select-plugin=", "Only load specified plugin (and no others)." do |_plugin_name|
+    warn "The --select-plugin option is deprecated and has no effect"
   end
 
-  on :d, "disable-plugin=", "Disable a specific plugin." do |plugin_name|
-    Pry.plugins[plugin_name].disable!
+  on :d, "disable-plugin=", "Disable a specific plugin." do |_plugin_name|
+    warn "The --disable-plugin option is deprecated and has no effect"
   end
 
   on "no-plugins", "Suppress loading of plugins." do
-    Pry.config.should_load_plugins = false
+    warn "The --no-plugins option is deprecated and has no effect"
   end
 
   on "plugins", "List installed plugins." do
diff --git a/lib/pry/config.rb b/lib/pry/config.rb
index 0e54bf695..48c4089da 100644
--- a/lib/pry/config.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/config.rb
@@ -73,9 +73,6 @@ class Config
     # @return [Boolean] whether the local ./.pryrc should be loaded
     attribute :should_load_local_rc
 
-    # @return [Boolean]
-    attribute :should_load_plugins
-
     # @return [Boolean] whether to load files specified with the -r flag
     attribute :should_load_requires
 
@@ -196,7 +193,6 @@ def initialize
         output_prefix: '=> ',
         requires: [],
         should_load_requires: true,
-        should_load_plugins: true,
         windows_console_warning: true,
         control_d_handler: Pry::ControlDHandler.method(:default),
         memory_size: 100,
diff --git a/lib/pry/plugins.rb b/lib/pry/plugins.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index c29894d4d..000000000
--- a/lib/pry/plugins.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,139 +0,0 @@
-# frozen_string_literal: true
-
-require 'ostruct'
-
-class Pry
-  class PluginManager
-    PRY_PLUGIN_PREFIX = /^pry-/.freeze
-
-    # Placeholder when no associated gem found, displays warning
-    class NoPlugin
-      def initialize(name)
-        @name = name
-      end
-
-      def method_missing(*)
-        warn "Warning: The plugin '#{@name}' was not found! (no gem found)"
-        super
-      end
-
-      def respond_to_missing?(*)
-        false
-      end
-    end
-
-    class Plugin
-      attr_accessor :name, :gem_name, :enabled, :spec, :active
-
-      def initialize(name, gem_name, spec, enabled)
-        @name = name
-        @gem_name = gem_name
-        @enabled = enabled
-        @spec = spec
-      end
-
-      # Disable a plugin. (prevents plugin from being loaded, cannot
-      # disable an already activated plugin)
-      def disable!
-        self.enabled = false
-      end
-
-      # Enable a plugin. (does not load it immediately but puts on
-      # 'white list' to be loaded)
-      def enable!
-        self.enabled = true
-      end
-
-      # Load the Command line options defined by this plugin (if they exist)
-      def load_cli_options
-        cli_options_file = File.join(spec.full_gem_path, "lib/#{spec.name}/cli.rb")
-        return unless File.exist?(cli_options_file)
-
-        if Gem::Version.new(RUBY_VERSION) >= Gem::Version.new("2.4.4")
-          cli_options_file = File.realpath(cli_options_file)
-        end
-        require cli_options_file
-      end
-
-      # Activate the plugin (require the gem - enables/loads the
-      # plugin immediately at point of call, even if plugin is
-      # disabled)
-      # Does not reload plugin if it's already active.
-      def activate!
-        # Create the configuration object for the plugin.
-        Pry.config.send("#{gem_name.tr('-', '_')}=", OpenStruct.new)
-
-        begin
-          require gem_name unless active?
-        rescue LoadError => e
-          warn "Found plugin #{gem_name}, but could not require '#{gem_name}'"
-          warn e
-        rescue StandardError => e
-          warn "require '#{gem_name}' # Failed, saying: #{e}"
-        end
-
-        self.active = true
-        self.enabled = true
-      end
-
-      alias active? active
-      alias enabled? enabled
-
-      def supported?
-        pry_version = Gem::Version.new(VERSION)
-        spec.dependencies.each do |dependency|
-          if dependency.name == "pry"
-            return dependency.requirement.satisfied_by?(pry_version)
-          end
-        end
-        true
-      end
-    end
-
-    def initialize
-      @plugins = []
-    end
-
-    # Find all installed Pry plugins and store them in an internal array.
-    def locate_plugins
-      gem_list.each do |gem|
-        next if gem.name !~ PRY_PLUGIN_PREFIX
-
-        plugin_name = gem.name.split('-', 2).last
-        plugin = Plugin.new(plugin_name, gem.name, gem, false)
-        @plugins << plugin.tap(&:enable!) if plugin.supported? && !plugin_located?(plugin)
-      end
-      @plugins
-    end
-
-    # @return [Hash] A hash with all plugin names (minus the 'pry-') as
-    #   keys and Plugin objects as values.
-    def plugins
-      h = Hash.new { |_, key| NoPlugin.new(key) }
-      @plugins.each do |plugin|
-        h[plugin.name] = plugin
-      end
-      h
-    end
-
-    # Require all enabled plugins, disabled plugins are skipped.
-    def load_plugins
-      @plugins.each do |plugin|
-        plugin.activate! if plugin.enabled?
-      end
-    end
-
-    private
-
-    def plugin_located?(plugin)
-      @plugins.any? { |existing| existing.gem_name == plugin.gem_name }
-    end
-
-    def gem_list
-      Gem.refresh
-      return Gem::Specification if Gem::Specification.respond_to?(:each)
-
-      Gem.source_index.find_name('')
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/lib/pry/pry_class.rb b/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
index 80dda807a..118102dd1 100644
--- a/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ class << self
     attr_accessor :last_internal_error
     attr_accessor :config
 
-    def_delegators :@plugin_manager, :plugins, :load_plugins, :locate_plugins
-
     def_delegators(
       :@config, :input, :input=, :output, :output=, :commands,
       :commands=, :print, :print=, :exception_handler, :exception_handler=,
@@ -142,7 +140,6 @@ def self.final_session_setup
     return if @session_finalized
 
     @session_finalized = true
-    load_plugins if Pry.config.should_load_plugins
     load_requires if Pry.config.should_load_requires
     load_history if Pry.config.history_load
     load_traps if Pry.config.should_trap_interrupts
@@ -333,9 +330,7 @@ def self.reset_defaults
 
   # Basic initialization.
   def self.init
-    @plugin_manager ||= PluginManager.new
     reset_defaults
-    locate_plugins
   end
 
   # Return a `Binding` object for `target` or return `target` if it is
diff --git a/spec/cli_spec.rb b/spec/cli_spec.rb
index 93625f793..39d6c7a26 100644
--- a/spec/cli_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cli_spec.rb
@@ -41,21 +41,6 @@
     end
   end
 
-  describe ".add_plugin_options" do
-    it "returns self" do
-      expect(described_class.add_plugin_options).to eq(described_class)
-    end
-
-    it "loads cli options of plugins" do
-      plugin_mock = double
-      expect(plugin_mock).to receive(:load_cli_options)
-      plugins = { 'pry-testplugin' => plugin_mock }
-      expect(Pry).to receive(:plugins).and_return(plugins)
-
-      described_class.add_plugin_options
-    end
-  end
-
   describe ".add_option_processor" do
     it "returns self" do
       expect(described_class.add_option_processor {}).to eq(described_class)
diff --git a/spec/config_spec.rb b/spec/config_spec.rb
index f1cf5ea6c..4018a1dbf 100644
--- a/spec/config_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/config_spec.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
   specify { expect(subject.output_prefix).to be_a(String) }
   specify { expect(subject.requires).to be_an(Array) }
   specify { expect(subject.should_load_requires).to be(true).or be(false) }
-  specify { expect(subject.should_load_plugins).to be(true).or be(false) }
   specify { expect(subject.windows_console_warning).to be(true).or be(false) }
   specify { expect(subject.control_d_handler).to respond_to(:call) }
   specify { expect(subject.memory_size).to be_a(Numeric) }