diff --git a/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory.go b/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory.go
index 7bd88836a..8e0d767f1 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package configmapandsecret
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -101,13 +102,24 @@ func (bf baseFactory) keyValuesFromPlugins(sources []types.KVSource) ([]kv.Pair,
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		for k, v := range kvs {
-			result = append(result, kv.Pair{Key: k, Value: v})
+		for _, k := range sortedKeys(kvs) {
+			result = append(result, kv.Pair{Key: k, Value: kvs[k]})
 		}
 	}
 	return result, nil
 }
 
+func sortedKeys(m map[string]string) []string {
+	keys := make([]string, len(m))
+	i := 0
+	for k := range m {
+		keys[i] = k
+		i++
+	}
+	sort.Strings(keys)
+	return keys
+}
+
 func (bf baseFactory) keyValuesFromFileSources(sources []string) ([]kv.Pair, error) {
 	var kvs []kv.Pair
 	for _, s := range sources {
diff --git a/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory_test.go b/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory_test.go
index 75d5eda9e..eca544f06 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory_test.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/configmapandsecret/basefactory_test.go
@@ -77,14 +77,14 @@ func TestKeyValuesFromPlugins(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			expected: []kv.Pair{
-				{
-					Key:   "FOO",
-					Value: "bar",
-				},
 				{
 					Key:   "BAR",
 					Value: "baz",
 				},
+				{
+					Key:   "FOO",
+					Value: "bar",
+				},
 			},
 		},
 		{
diff --git a/k8sdeps/kunstruct/factory.go b/k8sdeps/kunstruct/factory.go
index ef40209b9..4cd945932 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/kunstruct/factory.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/kunstruct/factory.go
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func (kf *KunstructuredFactoryImpl) MakeConfigMap(
 	o, err := configmapandsecret.NewFactory(
 		ldr, options,
 		plugin.NewConfiguredRegistry(
-			ldr, &kf.generatorMetaArgs.PluginConfig)).MakeConfigMap(args)
+			ldr, kf.generatorMetaArgs.PluginConfig)).MakeConfigMap(args)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func (kf *KunstructuredFactoryImpl) MakeSecret(
 	o, err := configmapandsecret.NewFactory(
 		ldr, options,
 		plugin.NewConfiguredRegistry(
-			ldr, &kf.generatorMetaArgs.PluginConfig)).MakeSecret(args)
+			ldr, kf.generatorMetaArgs.PluginConfig)).MakeSecret(args)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/k8sdeps/kv/plugin/registry.go b/k8sdeps/kv/plugin/registry.go
index f505a3766..6d4f407cc 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/kv/plugin/registry.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/kv/plugin/registry.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package plugin
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
+
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
@@ -31,13 +32,20 @@ type Registry struct {
 }
 
 const (
+	TransformerSymbol = "Transformer"
 	PluginsDir        = "plugins"
 	pluginTypeGo      = types.PluginType("go")
 	pluginTypeBuiltIn = types.PluginType("builtin")
 )
 
-func DefaultPluginConfig() types.PluginConfig {
-	return types.PluginConfig{
+func ActivePluginConfig() *types.PluginConfig {
+	pc := DefaultPluginConfig()
+	pc.GoEnabled = true
+	return pc
+}
+
+func DefaultPluginConfig() *types.PluginConfig {
+	return &types.PluginConfig{
 		GoEnabled: false,
 		DirectoryPath: filepath.Join(
 			pgmconfig.ConfigRoot(), PluginsDir),
diff --git a/pkg/commands/build/build.go b/pkg/commands/build/build.go
index cf4945d32..2267f61f5 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/build/build.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/build/build.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/target"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
 )
 
 // Options contain the options for running a build
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ func NewCmdBuild(
 	out io.Writer, fs fs.FileSystem,
 	rf *resmap.Factory,
 	ptf transformer.Factory,
-	b bool) *cobra.Command {
+	pc *types.PluginConfig) *cobra.Command {
 	var o Options
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ func NewCmdBuild(
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			return o.RunBuild(out, fs, rf, ptf, b)
+			return o.RunBuild(out, fs, rf, ptf, pc)
 		},
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(
@@ -104,13 +105,13 @@ func (o *Options) Validate(args []string) error {
 func (o *Options) RunBuild(
 	out io.Writer, fSys fs.FileSystem,
 	rf *resmap.Factory, ptf transformer.Factory,
-	b bool) error {
+	pc *types.PluginConfig) error {
 	ldr, err := loader.NewLoader(o.kustomizationPath, fSys)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer ldr.Cleanup()
-	kt, err := target.NewKustTarget(ldr, rf, ptf, b)
+	kt, err := target.NewKustTarget(ldr, rf, ptf, pc)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/commands.go b/pkg/commands/commands.go
index d327bd230..33e18683b 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/commands.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/commands.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ package commands
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"os"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kunstruct"
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/commands/edit"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/commands/misc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/fs"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resource"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
@@ -50,25 +50,26 @@ See https://sigs.k8s.io/kustomize
 `,
 	}
 
-	// Configuration for ConfigMap and Secret generators.
-	genMetaArgs := types.GeneratorMetaArgs{
-		PluginConfig: plugin.DefaultPluginConfig(),
-	}
+	pluginConfig := plugin.DefaultPluginConfig()
 
 	c.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(
-		&genMetaArgs.PluginConfig.GoEnabled,
+		&pluginConfig.GoEnabled,
 		plugin.EnableGoPluginsFlagName,
 		false, plugin.EnableGoPluginsFlagHelp)
 	// Not advertising this alpha feature.
 	c.PersistentFlags().MarkHidden(plugin.EnableGoPluginsFlagName)
 
+	// Configuration for ConfigMap and Secret generators.
+	genMetaArgs := types.GeneratorMetaArgs{
+		PluginConfig: pluginConfig,
+	}
 	uf := kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryWithGeneratorArgs(&genMetaArgs)
 
 	c.AddCommand(
 		build.NewCmdBuild(
 			stdOut, fSys,
 			resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(uf)),
-			transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), genMetaArgs.PluginConfig.GoEnabled),
+			transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), pluginConfig),
 		edit.NewCmdEdit(fSys, validator.NewKustValidator(), uf),
 		misc.NewCmdConfig(fSys),
 		misc.NewCmdVersion(stdOut),
diff --git a/pkg/pgmconfig/constants.go b/pkg/pgmconfig/constants.go
index 8418a75ce..2aecd4fbf 100644
--- a/pkg/pgmconfig/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/pgmconfig/constants.go
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ var KustomizationFileNames = []string{
 }
 
 const (
-	PgmName    = "kustomize"
-	PluginsDir = "plugins"
+	PgmName = "kustomize"
+	Repo    = "sigs.k8s.io"
 )
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/transformers.go b/pkg/plugins/transformers.go
index aae6895be..de962acc5 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/transformers.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/transformers.go
@@ -22,38 +22,33 @@ import (
 	"plugin"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	kplugin "sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resid"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resource"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/transformers"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
 )
 
-const transformerSymbol = "Transformer"
-
 type Configurable interface {
 	Config(k ifc.Kunstructured) error
 }
 
 type transformerLoader struct {
-	pluginDir string
-	enabled   bool
+	pc *types.PluginConfig
 }
 
-func NewTransformerLoader(b bool) transformerLoader {
-	return transformerLoader{
-		pluginDir: filepath.Join(pgmconfig.ConfigRoot(), pgmconfig.PluginsDir),
-		enabled:   b,
-	}
+func NewTransformerLoader(pc *types.PluginConfig) transformerLoader {
+	return transformerLoader{pc: pc}
 }
 
 func (l transformerLoader) Load(rm resmap.ResMap) ([]transformers.Transformer, error) {
 	if len(rm) == 0 {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
-	if !l.enabled {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin is not enabled")
+	if !l.pc.GoEnabled {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugins not enabled")
 	}
 	var result []transformers.Transformer
 	for id, res := range rm {
@@ -66,14 +61,17 @@ func (l transformerLoader) Load(rm resmap.ResMap) ([]transformers.Transformer, e
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-func (l transformerLoader) load(id resid.ResId, res *resource.Resource) (transformers.Transformer, error) {
-	fileName := filepath.Join(l.pluginDir, id.Gvk().Kind+".so")
+func (l transformerLoader) load(
+	id resid.ResId, res *resource.Resource) (transformers.Transformer, error) {
+	fileName := filepath.Join(
+		l.pc.DirectoryPath,
+		id.Gvk().Group, id.Gvk().Version, id.Gvk().Kind+".so")
 	goPlugin, err := plugin.Open(fileName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s file not opened", fileName)
 	}
 
-	symbol, err := goPlugin.Lookup(transformerSymbol)
+	symbol, err := goPlugin.Lookup(kplugin.TransformerSymbol)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s fails lookup", fileName)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/target/generatoroptions_test.go b/pkg/target/generatoroptions_test.go
index fc1bd792e..d1b9e9006 100644
--- a/pkg/target/generatoroptions_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/generatoroptions_test.go
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@ package target_test
 
 import (
 	"path/filepath"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 )
 
 func TestGeneratorOptionsWithBases(t *testing.T) {
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ secretGenerator:
 
 func TestGoPluginDoesNotExist(t *testing.T) {
 	th := NewKustTestHarnessWithPluginConfig(
-		t, "/app", types.PluginConfig{GoEnabled: true})
+		t, "/app", plugin.ActivePluginConfig())
 	th.writeK("/app", `
 secretGenerator:
 - name: attemptGoPlugin
diff --git a/pkg/target/kusttarget.go b/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
index 3dfb02adb..3ed6599f7 100644
--- a/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
+++ b/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ import (
 
 // KustTarget encapsulates the entirety of a kustomization build.
 type KustTarget struct {
-	kustomization   *types.Kustomization
-	ldr             ifc.Loader
-	rFactory        *resmap.Factory
-	tFactory        transformer.Factory
-	goPluginEnabled bool
+	kustomization *types.Kustomization
+	ldr           ifc.Loader
+	rFactory      *resmap.Factory
+	tFactory      transformer.Factory
+	pluginConfig  *types.PluginConfig
 }
 
 // NewKustTarget returns a new instance of KustTarget primed with a Loader.
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func NewKustTarget(
 	ldr ifc.Loader,
 	rFactory *resmap.Factory,
 	tFactory transformer.Factory,
-	b bool) (*KustTarget, error) {
+	pc *types.PluginConfig) (*KustTarget, error) {
 	content, err := loadKustFile(ldr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ func NewKustTarget(
 				strings.Join(errs, "\n"), ldr.Root())
 	}
 	return &KustTarget{
-		kustomization:   &k,
-		ldr:             ldr,
-		rFactory:        rFactory,
-		tFactory:        tFactory,
-		goPluginEnabled: b,
+		kustomization: &k,
+		ldr:           ldr,
+		rFactory:      rFactory,
+		tFactory:      tFactory,
+		pluginConfig:  pc,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) accumulateBases() (
 			continue
 		}
 		subKt, err := NewKustTarget(
-			ldr, kt.rFactory, kt.tFactory, kt.goPluginEnabled)
+			ldr, kt.rFactory, kt.tFactory, kt.pluginConfig)
 		if err != nil {
 			errs.Append(errors.Wrap(err, "couldn't make target for "+path))
 			ldr.Cleanup()
@@ -323,11 +323,13 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) newTransformer(
 	}
 	r = append(r, t)
 
-	tp, err := kt.loadTransformerPlugins()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if kt.pluginConfig.GoEnabled {
+		tp, err := kt.loadTransformerPlugins()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		r = append(r, tp...)
 	}
-	r = append(r, tp...)
 	return transformers.NewMultiTransformer(r), nil
 }
 
@@ -337,6 +339,5 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) loadTransformerPlugins() ([]transformers.Transformer, erro
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	tl := plugins.NewTransformerLoader(kt.goPluginEnabled)
-	return tl.Load(transformerPluginConfigs)
+	return plugins.NewTransformerLoader(kt.pluginConfig).Load(transformerPluginConfigs)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go b/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go
index cde95b544..8770b4117 100644
--- a/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/gvk"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/internal/loadertest"
@@ -204,7 +205,9 @@ func TestResources(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestKustomizationNotFound(t *testing.T) {
-	_, err := NewKustTarget(loadertest.NewFakeLoader("/foo"), nil, nil, false)
+	_, err := NewKustTarget(
+		loadertest.NewFakeLoader("/foo"),
+		nil, nil, plugin.DefaultPluginConfig())
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected an error")
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go b/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go
index 70f997862..d7a760d88 100644
--- a/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ package target_test
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kunstruct"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/transformer"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/internal/loadertest"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type KustTestHarness struct {
 	t   *testing.T
 	rf  *resmap.Factory
 	ldr loadertest.FakeLoader
-	b   bool
+	pc  *types.PluginConfig
 }
 
 func NewKustTestHarness(t *testing.T, path string) *KustTestHarness {
@@ -50,19 +50,19 @@ func NewKustTestHarness(t *testing.T, path string) *KustTestHarness {
 
 func NewKustTestHarnessWithPluginConfig(
 	t *testing.T, path string,
-	config types.PluginConfig) *KustTestHarness {
+	pc *types.PluginConfig) *KustTestHarness {
 	return &KustTestHarness{
 		t: t,
 		rf: resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(
 			kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryWithGeneratorArgs(
-				&types.GeneratorMetaArgs{PluginConfig: config}))),
+				&types.GeneratorMetaArgs{PluginConfig: pc}))),
 		ldr: loadertest.NewFakeLoader(path),
-		b:   config.GoEnabled}
+		pc:  pc}
 }
 
 func (th *KustTestHarness) makeKustTarget() *KustTarget {
 	kt, err := NewKustTarget(
-		th.ldr, th.rf, transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), th.b)
+		th.ldr, th.rf, transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), th.pc)
 	if err != nil {
 		th.t.Fatalf("Unexpected construction error %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/target/testenvcontroller_test.go b/pkg/target/testenvcontroller_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..37d8dd223
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/target/testenvcontroller_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+ Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package target_test
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
+)
+
+// TestEnvController manages the KustTarget test environment.
+// It sets/resets XDG_CONFIG_HOME, makes/removes a temp objRoot.
+type TestEnvController struct {
+	t             *testing.T
+	xdgConfigHome string
+	oldXdg        string
+	wasSet        bool
+}
+
+func NewTestEnvController(t *testing.T) *TestEnvController {
+	return &TestEnvController{t: t}
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) Set() *TestEnvController {
+	x.makeTmpConfigHomeDir()
+	x.makeObjectRootDir()
+	x.setEnv()
+	return x
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) Reset() {
+	x.resetEnv()
+	x.removeTmpConfigHomeDir()
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) fileExists(name string) bool {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(name); err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) recentFileExists(path string) bool {
+	fi, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	age := time.Now().Sub(fi.ModTime())
+	return age.Minutes() < 1
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) BuildGoPlugin(plugin ...string) {
+	obj := filepath.Join(
+		append([]string{x.ObjectRoot()}, plugin...)...) + ".so"
+	if x.recentFileExists(obj) {
+		// Skip rebuilding it.
+		return
+	}
+	src := filepath.Join(
+		append([]string{x.SrcRoot()}, plugin...)...) + ".go"
+	if !x.fileExists(src) {
+		x.t.Errorf("cannot find go plugin source %s", src)
+	}
+	commands := []string{
+		"build",
+		"-buildmode",
+		"plugin",
+		"-tags=plugin",
+		"-o", obj, src,
+	}
+	goBin := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("GOROOT"), "bin", "go")
+	if !x.fileExists(src) {
+		x.t.Errorf("cannot find go compiler %s", goBin)
+	}
+	cmd := exec.Command(goBin, commands...)
+	cmd.Env = os.Environ()
+	// cmd.Dir = filepath.Join(dir, "kustomize", "plugins")
+
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		x.t.Errorf("compiler error building %s: %v", src, err)
+	}
+}
+
+// ObjectRoot is the objRoot dir for plugin object files.
+func (x *TestEnvController) ObjectRoot() string {
+	return filepath.Join(
+		x.xdgConfigHome, pgmconfig.PgmName, plugin.PluginsDir)
+}
+
+// SrcRoot is a objRoot directory for plugin source code
+// used by tests.
+//
+// Plugin object code files have to be in a particular
+// location to be found and loaded for security reasons,
+// but placement of plugin source code is up to the user.
+//
+// This function returns a location for storing example
+// plugins for tests.  And maybe builtins at some point.
+func (x *TestEnvController) SrcRoot() string {
+	dir := filepath.Join(
+		os.Getenv("GOPATH"), "src",
+		pgmconfig.Repo, pgmconfig.PgmName, plugin.PluginsDir)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(dir); err != nil {
+		x.t.Errorf("plugin source objRoot '%s' not found", dir)
+	}
+	return dir
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) makeTmpConfigHomeDir() {
+	var err error
+	x.xdgConfigHome, err = ioutil.TempDir("", "kustomizetests")
+	if err != nil {
+		x.t.Errorf("failed to make temp objRoot: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) makeObjectRootDir() {
+	err := os.MkdirAll(x.ObjectRoot(), os.ModePerm)
+	if err != nil {
+		x.t.Errorf(
+			"making temp object objRoot %s: %v", x.ObjectRoot(), err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) removeTmpConfigHomeDir() {
+	err := os.RemoveAll(x.xdgConfigHome)
+	if err != nil {
+		x.t.Errorf(
+			"removing temp object objRoot: %s %v", x.xdgConfigHome, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) setEnv() {
+	x.oldXdg, x.wasSet = os.LookupEnv(pgmconfig.XDG_CONFIG_HOME)
+	os.Setenv(pgmconfig.XDG_CONFIG_HOME, x.xdgConfigHome)
+}
+
+func (x *TestEnvController) resetEnv() {
+	if x.wasSet {
+		os.Setenv(pgmconfig.XDG_CONFIG_HOME, x.oldXdg)
+	} else {
+		os.Unsetenv(pgmconfig.XDG_CONFIG_HOME)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go b/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go
index 1345d9cdf..84a6bf227 100644
--- a/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go
@@ -14,14 +14,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 package target_test
 
 import (
-	"os"
-	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
-	"fmt"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 )
 
 func writeDeployment(th *KustTestHarness, path string) {
@@ -44,7 +39,7 @@ spec:
 
 func writeStringPrefixer(th *KustTestHarness, path string) {
 	th.writeF(path, `
-apiVersion: strings.microwoosh.com/v1
+apiVersion: someteam.example.com/v1
 kind: StringPrefixer
 metadata:
   name: myStringPrefixer
@@ -54,54 +49,25 @@ prefix: apple-
 
 func writeDatePrefixer(th *KustTestHarness, path string) {
 	th.writeF(path, `
-apiVersion: team.dater.com/v1
+apiVersion: someteam.example.com/v1
 kind: DatePrefixer
 metadata:
   name: myDatePrefixer
 `)
 }
 
-func buildGoPlugins(dir, filename string) error {
-	commands := []string{
-		"build",
-		"-buildmode",
-		"plugin",
-		"-tags=plugin",
-		"-o",
-		filename + ".so",
-		filename + ".go",
-	}
-	goBin := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("GOROOT"), "bin", "go")
-	if _, err := os.Stat(goBin); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("go binary not found %s", goBin)
-	}
-	cmd := exec.Command(goBin, commands...)
-	cmd.Env = os.Environ()
-	cmd.Dir = filepath.Join(dir, "kustomize", "plugins")
-
-	return cmd.Run()
-}
-
 func TestOrderedTransformers(t *testing.T) {
-	dir, err := filepath.Abs("../../..")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected error %v", err)
-	}
-	os.Setenv(pgmconfig.XDG_CONFIG_HOME, dir)
-	defer os.Unsetenv(pgmconfig.XDG_CONFIG_HOME)
+	tc := NewTestEnvController(t).Set()
+	defer tc.Reset()
 
-	err = buildGoPlugins(dir, "StringPrefixer")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected error %v", err)
-	}
+	tc.BuildGoPlugin(
+		"someteam.example.com", "v1", "StringPrefixer")
 
-	err = buildGoPlugins(dir, "DatePrefixer")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected error %v", err)
-	}
+	tc.BuildGoPlugin(
+		"someteam.example.com", "v1", "DatePrefixer")
 
 	th := NewKustTestHarnessWithPluginConfig(
-		t, "/app", types.PluginConfig{GoEnabled: true})
+		t, "/app", plugin.ActivePluginConfig())
 	th.writeK("/app", `
 resources:
 - deployment.yaml
@@ -134,7 +100,7 @@ spec:
 
 func xTestTransformedTransformers(t *testing.T) {
 	th := NewKustTestHarnessWithPluginConfig(
-		t, "/app/overlay", types.PluginConfig{GoEnabled: true})
+		t, "/app/overlay", plugin.ActivePluginConfig())
 
 	th.writeK("/app/base", `
 resources:
diff --git a/pkg/types/kustomization.go b/pkg/types/kustomization.go
index 68d3a8e36..0cbbc0f42 100644
--- a/pkg/types/kustomization.go
+++ b/pkg/types/kustomization.go
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ type GeneratorArgs struct {
 // GeneratorMetaArgs contains arguments common to generators
 // that come from somewhere other than a kustomization file.
 type GeneratorMetaArgs struct {
-	PluginConfig PluginConfig
+	PluginConfig *PluginConfig
 }
 
 // PluginConfig holds plugin configuration.
diff --git a/plugins/DatePrefixer.go b/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/DatePrefixer.go
similarity index 100%
rename from plugins/DatePrefixer.go
rename to plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/DatePrefixer.go
diff --git a/plugins/StringPrefixer.go b/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/StringPrefixer.go
similarity index 100%
rename from plugins/StringPrefixer.go
rename to plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/StringPrefixer.go
diff --git a/plugins/kvMaker.go b/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/kvMaker.go
similarity index 100%
rename from plugins/kvMaker.go
rename to plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/kvMaker.go