diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9a79a004d7..7659870810 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3187,9 +3187,8 @@ glib_req_ver=2.56
 glib_modules=gthread-2.0
 if test "$modules" = yes; then
     glib_modules="$glib_modules gmodule-export-2.0"
-fi
-if test "$plugins" = "yes"; then
-    glib_modules="$glib_modules gmodule-2.0"
+elif test "$plugins" = "yes"; then
+    glib_modules="$glib_modules gmodule-no-export-2.0"
 fi
 
 for i in $glib_modules; do
diff --git a/plugins/meson.build b/plugins/meson.build
index e77723010e..bfd5c9822a 100644
--- a/plugins/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
-if 'CONFIG_HAS_LD_DYNAMIC_LIST' in config_host
-  plugin_ldflags = ['-Wl,--dynamic-list=' + (meson.build_root() / 'qemu-plugins-ld.symbols')]
-elif 'CONFIG_HAS_LD_EXPORTED_SYMBOLS_LIST' in config_host
-  plugin_ldflags = ['-Wl,-exported_symbols_list,' + (meson.build_root() / 'qemu-plugins-ld64.symbols')]
-else
-  plugin_ldflags = []
+plugin_ldflags = []
+# Modules need more symbols than just those in plugins/qemu-plugins.symbols
+if not enable_modules
+  if 'CONFIG_HAS_LD_DYNAMIC_LIST' in config_host
+    plugin_ldflags = ['-Wl,--dynamic-list=' + (meson.build_root() / 'qemu-plugins-ld.symbols')]
+  elif 'CONFIG_HAS_LD_EXPORTED_SYMBOLS_LIST' in config_host
+    plugin_ldflags = ['-Wl,-exported_symbols_list,' + (meson.build_root() / 'qemu-plugins-ld64.symbols')]
+  endif
 endif
 
 specific_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_PLUGIN', if_true: [files(