diff --git a/pkg/commands/build/build.go b/pkg/commands/build/build.go
index ed77fbb26..7a14d9606 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/build/build.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/build/build.go
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc/transformer"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/loader"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/plugins"
 	"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
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func NewCmdBuild(
 	out io.Writer, fs fs.FileSystem,
 	rf *resmap.Factory,
 	ptf transformer.Factory,
-	pc *types.PluginConfig) *cobra.Command {
+	pl *plugins.Loader) *cobra.Command {
 	var o Options
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ func NewCmdBuild(
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			return o.RunBuild(out, fs, rf, ptf, pc)
+			return o.RunBuild(out, fs, rf, ptf, pl)
 		},
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func NewCmdBuild(
 		"If specified, write the build output to this path.")
 	loader.AddLoadRestrictionsFlag(cmd.Flags())
 
-	cmd.AddCommand(NewCmdBuildPrune(out, fs, rf, ptf, pc))
+	cmd.AddCommand(NewCmdBuildPrune(out, fs, rf, ptf, pl))
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -115,14 +115,14 @@ func (o *Options) Validate(args []string) (err error) {
 func (o *Options) RunBuild(
 	out io.Writer, fSys fs.FileSystem,
 	rf *resmap.Factory, ptf transformer.Factory,
-	pc *types.PluginConfig) error {
+	pl *plugins.Loader) error {
 	ldr, err := loader.NewLoader(
 		o.loadRestrictor, o.kustomizationPath, fSys)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer ldr.Cleanup()
-	kt, err := target.NewKustTarget(ldr, rf, ptf, pc)
+	kt, err := target.NewKustTarget(ldr, rf, ptf, pl)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -136,14 +136,14 @@ func (o *Options) RunBuild(
 func (o *Options) RunBuildPrune(
 	out io.Writer, fSys fs.FileSystem,
 	rf *resmap.Factory, ptf transformer.Factory,
-	pc *types.PluginConfig) error {
+	pl *plugins.Loader) error {
 	ldr, err := loader.NewLoader(
 		o.loadRestrictor, o.kustomizationPath, fSys)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer ldr.Cleanup()
-	kt, err := target.NewKustTarget(ldr, rf, ptf, pc)
+	kt, err := target.NewKustTarget(ldr, rf, ptf, pl)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func NewCmdBuildPrune(
 	out io.Writer, fs fs.FileSystem,
 	rf *resmap.Factory,
 	ptf transformer.Factory,
-	pc *types.PluginConfig) *cobra.Command {
+	pl *plugins.Loader) *cobra.Command {
 	var o Options
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ func NewCmdBuildPrune(
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			return o.RunBuildPrune(out, fs, rf, ptf, pc)
+			return o.RunBuildPrune(out, fs, rf, ptf, pl)
 		},
 	}
 	return cmd
diff --git a/pkg/commands/commands.go b/pkg/commands/commands.go
index dbba6bb0c..e6396f554 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/commands.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/commands.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/commands/misc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/fs"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/plugins"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resource"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
@@ -64,12 +65,13 @@ See https://sigs.k8s.io/kustomize
 		PluginConfig: pluginConfig,
 	}
 	uf := kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryWithGeneratorArgs(&genMetaArgs)
-
+	rf := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(uf))
 	c.AddCommand(
 		build.NewCmdBuild(
 			stdOut, fSys,
-			resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(uf)),
-			transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), pluginConfig),
+			rf,
+			transformer.NewFactoryImpl(),
+			plugins.NewLoader(pluginConfig, rf)),
 		edit.NewCmdEdit(fSys, validator.NewKustValidator(), uf),
 		misc.NewCmdConfig(fSys),
 		misc.NewCmdVersion(stdOut),
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/compiler.go b/pkg/plugins/compiler.go
index 22f0dc5a7..1ddbf0be4 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/compiler.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/compiler.go
@@ -62,8 +62,7 @@ func DefaultSrcRoot() (string, error) {
 	}
 	nope = append(nope, root)
 
-	root = filepath.Join(
-		pgmconfig.ConfigRoot(), plugin.PluginRoot)
+	root = plugin.DefaultPluginConfig().DirectoryPath
 	if FileExists(root) {
 		return root, nil
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go b/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go
index e4a0f88a8..50da2beee 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go
@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
-	"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"
 )
 
@@ -59,11 +58,23 @@ type ExecPlugin struct {
 	ldr ifc.Loader
 }
 
+func NewExecPlugin(root string, id resid.ResId) *ExecPlugin {
+	return &ExecPlugin{
+		name: filepath.Join(root, pluginPath(id)),
+	}
+}
+
+// isAvailable checks to see if the plugin is available
+func (p *ExecPlugin) isAvailable() bool {
+	f, err := os.Stat(p.name)
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return false
+	}
+	return f.Mode()&0111 != 0000
+}
+
 func (p *ExecPlugin) Config(
 	ldr ifc.Loader, rf *resmap.Factory, k ifc.Kunstructured) error {
-	dir := filepath.Join(pgmconfig.ConfigRoot(), plugin.PluginRoot)
-	id := k.GetGvk()
-	p.name = filepath.Join(dir, id.Group, id.Version, id.Kind)
 	p.rf = rf
 	p.ldr = ldr
 
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go b/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go
index 896466923..60a333a03 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kunstruct"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/internal/loadertest"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resource"
@@ -25,11 +26,11 @@ import (
 
 func TestExecPluginConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	path := "/app"
-	kFactory := kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()
-	rf := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(kFactory))
+	rf := resmap.NewFactory(
+		resource.NewFactory(
+			kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()))
 	ldr := loadertest.NewFakeLoader(path)
-
-	pluginConfig := kFactory.FromMap(
+	pluginConfig := rf.RF().FromMap(
 		map[string]interface{}{
 			"apiVersion": "someteam.example.com/v1",
 			"kind":       "SedTransformer",
@@ -46,7 +47,9 @@ s/$BAR/bar/g
  \ \ \ 
 `))
 
-	p := &ExecPlugin{}
+	p := NewExecPlugin(
+		plugin.DefaultPluginConfig().DirectoryPath,
+		pluginConfig.Id())
 
 	p.Config(ldr, rf, pluginConfig)
 
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/generators.go b/pkg/plugins/generators.go
index 61ec5f156..abc38b145 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/generators.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/generators.go
@@ -22,38 +22,19 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/transformers"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/types"
 )
 
-type generatorLoader struct {
-	pc  *types.PluginConfig
-	ldr ifc.Loader
-	rf  *resmap.Factory
-}
-
-func NewGeneratorLoader(
-	pc *types.PluginConfig,
-	ldr ifc.Loader, rf *resmap.Factory) generatorLoader {
-	return generatorLoader{pc: pc, ldr: ldr, rf: rf}
-}
-
-func (l generatorLoader) Load(
-	rm resmap.ResMap) ([]transformers.Generator, error) {
-	if len(rm) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-	if !l.pc.GoEnabled {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugins not enabled")
-	}
+func (l *Loader) LoadGenerators(
+	ldr ifc.Loader, rm resmap.ResMap) ([]transformers.Generator, error) {
 	var result []transformers.Generator
-	for id, res := range rm {
-		c, err := loadAndConfigurePlugin(l.pc.DirectoryPath, id, l.ldr, l.rf, res)
+	for _, res := range rm {
+		c, err := l.loadAndConfigurePlugin(ldr, res)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		g, ok := c.(transformers.Generator)
 		if !ok {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s not a generator", id.String())
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s not a generator", res.Id())
 		}
 		result = append(result, g)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/transformers.go b/pkg/plugins/transformers.go
index 3f2e60eac..acb5ffeac 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/transformers.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/transformers.go
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ package plugins
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
-	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"plugin"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	kplugin "sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/k8sdeps/kv/plugin"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resid"
@@ -35,91 +35,86 @@ type Configurable interface {
 	Config(ldr ifc.Loader, rf *resmap.Factory, k ifc.Kunstructured) error
 }
 
-type transformerLoader struct {
-	pc  *types.PluginConfig
-	ldr ifc.Loader
-	rf  *resmap.Factory
+type Loader struct {
+	pc *types.PluginConfig
+	rf *resmap.Factory
 }
 
-func NewTransformerLoader(
-	pc *types.PluginConfig,
-	ldr ifc.Loader, rf *resmap.Factory) transformerLoader {
-	return transformerLoader{pc: pc, ldr: ldr, rf: rf}
+func NewLoader(
+	pc *types.PluginConfig, rf *resmap.Factory) *Loader {
+	return &Loader{pc: pc, rf: rf}
 }
 
-func (l transformerLoader) Load(
-	rm resmap.ResMap) ([]transformers.Transformer, error) {
-	if len(rm) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-	if !l.pc.GoEnabled {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugins not enabled")
-	}
+func (l *Loader) LoadTransformers(
+	ldr ifc.Loader, rm resmap.ResMap) ([]transformers.Transformer, error) {
 	var result []transformers.Transformer
-	for id, res := range rm {
-		c, err := loadAndConfigurePlugin(l.pc.DirectoryPath, id, l.ldr, l.rf, res)
+	for _, res := range rm {
+		c, err := l.loadAndConfigurePlugin(ldr, res)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		t, ok := c.(transformers.Transformer)
 		if !ok {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s not a transformer", id.String())
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s not a transformer", res.Id())
 		}
 		result = append(result, t)
 	}
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-func goPluginFileName(dir string, id resid.ResId) string {
-	return execPluginFileName(dir, id) + ".so"
+func pluginPath(id resid.ResId) string {
+	return filepath.Join(id.Gvk().Group, id.Gvk().Version, id.Gvk().Kind)
 }
 
-func execPluginFileName(dir string, id resid.ResId) string {
-	return filepath.Join(
-		dir,
-		id.Gvk().Group, id.Gvk().Version, id.Gvk().Kind)
-}
-
-// isExecAvailable checks if an executable is available
-func isExecAvailable(name string) bool {
-	f, err := os.Stat(name)
-	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		return false
+func (l *Loader) loadAndConfigurePlugin(
+	ldr ifc.Loader, res *resource.Resource) (c Configurable, err error) {
+	if !l.pc.GoEnabled {
+		return nil, errors.Errorf(
+			"plugins not enabled, but trying to load %s", res.Id())
 	}
-	return f.Mode()&0111 != 0000
-}
-
-func loadAndConfigurePlugin(
-	dir string, id resid.ResId,
-	ldr ifc.Loader,
-	rf *resmap.Factory, res *resource.Resource) (Configurable, error) {
-	var fileName string
-	var c Configurable
-
-	exec := execPluginFileName(dir, id)
-	if isExecAvailable(exec) {
-		c = &ExecPlugin{}
+	if p := NewExecPlugin(l.pc.DirectoryPath, res.Id()); p.isAvailable() {
+		c = p
 	} else {
-		fileName = goPluginFileName(dir, id)
-		goPlugin, err := plugin.Open(fileName)
+		c, err = l.loadGoPlugin(res.Id())
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "plugin %s fails to load", fileName)
-		}
-		symbol, err := goPlugin.Lookup(kplugin.PluginSymbol)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, errors.Wrapf(
-				err, "plugin %s doesn't have symbol %s",
-				fileName, kplugin.PluginSymbol)
-		}
-		var ok bool
-		c, ok = symbol.(Configurable)
-		if !ok {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s not configurable", fileName)
+			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
-	err := c.Config(ldr, rf, res)
+	err = c.Config(ldr, l.rf, res)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "plugin %s fails configuration", fileName)
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(
+			err, "plugin %s fails configuration", res.Id())
 	}
 	return c, nil
 }
+
+// Each test makes its own loader, and tries to load its own plugins,
+// but the loaded .so files are in shared memory, so one will get
+// "this plugin already loaded" errors if the registry is maintained
+// as a Loader instance variable.  So make it a package variable.
+var registry = make(map[string]Configurable)
+
+func (l *Loader) loadGoPlugin(id resid.ResId) (c Configurable, err error) {
+	var ok bool
+	path := pluginPath(id)
+	if c, ok = registry[path]; ok {
+		return c, nil
+	}
+	name := filepath.Join(l.pc.DirectoryPath, path)
+	p, err := plugin.Open(name + ".so")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "plugin %s fails to load", name)
+	}
+	symbol, err := p.Lookup(kplugin.PluginSymbol)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(
+			err, "plugin %s doesn't have symbol %s",
+			name, kplugin.PluginSymbol)
+	}
+	c, ok = symbol.(Configurable)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin %s not configurable", name)
+	}
+	registry[path] = c
+	return
+}
diff --git a/pkg/target/kusttarget.go b/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
index f85ae7d9a..9c92398fc 100644
--- a/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
+++ b/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ type KustTarget struct {
 	ldr           ifc.Loader
 	rFactory      *resmap.Factory
 	tFactory      transformer.Factory
-	pluginConfig  *types.PluginConfig
+	pLdr          *plugins.Loader
 }
 
 // NewKustTarget returns a new instance of KustTarget primed with a Loader.
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func NewKustTarget(
 	ldr ifc.Loader,
 	rFactory *resmap.Factory,
 	tFactory transformer.Factory,
-	pc *types.PluginConfig) (*KustTarget, error) {
+	pLdr *plugins.Loader) (*KustTarget, error) {
 	content, err := loadKustFile(ldr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func NewKustTarget(
 		ldr:           ldr,
 		rFactory:      rFactory,
 		tFactory:      tFactory,
-		pluginConfig:  pc,
+		pLdr:          pLdr,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -240,11 +240,9 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) AccumulateTarget() (
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(
 			err, "merging legacy configMaps and secrets")
 	}
-	if kt.pluginConfig.GoEnabled {
-		err := kt.generateFromPlugins(ra)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	err = kt.generateFromPlugins(ra)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	patches, err := kt.rFactory.RF().SliceFromPatches(
 		kt.ldr, kt.kustomization.PatchesStrategicMerge)
@@ -328,7 +326,7 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) accumulateDirectory(
 	ra *accumulator.ResAccumulator, ldr ifc.Loader, path string) error {
 	defer ldr.Cleanup()
 	subKt, err := NewKustTarget(
-		ldr, kt.rFactory, kt.tFactory, kt.pluginConfig)
+		ldr, kt.rFactory, kt.tFactory, kt.pLdr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "couldn't make target for path '%s'", path)
 	}
@@ -403,14 +401,11 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) newTransformer(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	r = append(r, t)
-
-	if kt.pluginConfig.GoEnabled {
-		tp, err := kt.loadTransformerPlugins()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		r = append(r, tp...)
+	tp, err := kt.loadTransformerPlugins()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	r = append(r, tp...)
 	return transformers.NewMultiTransformer(r), nil
 }
 
@@ -420,8 +415,7 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) loadTransformerPlugins() ([]transformers.Transformer, erro
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return plugins.NewTransformerLoader(
-		kt.pluginConfig, kt.ldr, kt.rFactory).Load(ra.ResMap())
+	return kt.pLdr.LoadTransformers(kt.ldr, ra.ResMap())
 }
 
 func (kt *KustTarget) loadGeneratorPlugins() ([]transformers.Generator, error) {
@@ -430,6 +424,5 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) loadGeneratorPlugins() ([]transformers.Generator, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return plugins.NewGeneratorLoader(
-		kt.pluginConfig, kt.ldr, kt.rFactory).Load(ra.ResMap())
+	return kt.pLdr.LoadGenerators(kt.ldr, ra.ResMap())
 }
diff --git a/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go b/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go
index 8770b4117..900e07600 100644
--- a/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/kusttarget_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ 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"
@@ -206,8 +205,7 @@ func TestResources(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestKustomizationNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := NewKustTarget(
-		loadertest.NewFakeLoader("/foo"),
-		nil, nil, plugin.DefaultPluginConfig())
+		loadertest.NewFakeLoader("/foo"), nil, nil, nil)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected an error")
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go b/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go
index e60d193ec..4fc5b729a 100644
--- a/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/kusttestharness_test.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/internal/loadertest"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/loader"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/pgmconfig"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/plugins"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resource"
 	. "sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/target"
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ type KustTestHarness struct {
 	t   *testing.T
 	rf  *resmap.Factory
 	ldr loadertest.FakeLoader
-	pc  *types.PluginConfig
+	pl  *plugins.Loader
 }
 
 func NewKustTestHarness(t *testing.T, path string) *KustTestHarness {
@@ -58,18 +59,19 @@ func NewKustTestHarnessWithPluginConfig(
 func NewKustTestHarnessFull(
 	t *testing.T, path string,
 	lr loader.LoadRestrictorFunc, pc *types.PluginConfig) *KustTestHarness {
+	rf := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(
+		kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryWithGeneratorArgs(
+			&types.GeneratorMetaArgs{PluginConfig: pc})))
 	return &KustTestHarness{
-		t: t,
-		rf: resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(
-			kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryWithGeneratorArgs(
-				&types.GeneratorMetaArgs{PluginConfig: pc}))),
+		t:   t,
+		rf:  rf,
 		ldr: loadertest.NewFakeLoaderWithRestrictor(lr, path),
-		pc:  pc}
+		pl:  plugins.NewLoader(pc, rf)}
 }
 
 func (th *KustTestHarness) makeKustTarget() *KustTarget {
 	kt, err := NewKustTarget(
-		th.ldr, th.rf, transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), th.pc)
+		th.ldr, th.rf, transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), th.pl)
 	if err != nil {
 		th.t.Fatalf("Unexpected construction error %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go b/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go
index 178e72a2f..be8020688 100644
--- a/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/transformerplugin_test.go
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ func writeStringPrefixer(th *KustTestHarness, path string) {
 apiVersion: someteam.example.com/v1
 kind: StringPrefixer
 metadata:
-  name: myStringPrefixer
-prefix: apple-
+  name: apple
 `)
 }
 
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ func writeDatePrefixer(th *KustTestHarness, path string) {
 apiVersion: someteam.example.com/v1
 kind: DatePrefixer
 metadata:
-  name: myDatePrefixer
+  name: irrelevant
 `)
 }
 
@@ -73,7 +72,11 @@ resources:
 - deployment.yaml
 transformers:
 - stringPrefixer.yaml
+# - datePrefixer.yaml
 `)
+	// TODO(monopole): assure ordering of loaded
+	// transformers and this will work - the trouble
+	// is we load into a map (ResMap), not a list.
 	writeDeployment(th, "/app/deployment.yaml")
 	writeStringPrefixer(th, "/app/stringPrefixer.yaml")
 	writeDatePrefixer(th, "/app/datePrefixer.yaml")
@@ -144,7 +147,16 @@ metadata:
 `)
 }
 
-func xTestTransformedTransformers(t *testing.T) {
+func TestTransformedTransformers(t *testing.T) {
+	tc := NewTestEnvController(t).Set()
+	defer tc.Reset()
+
+	tc.BuildGoPlugin(
+		"someteam.example.com", "v1", "StringPrefixer")
+
+	tc.BuildGoPlugin(
+		"someteam.example.com", "v1", "DatePrefixer")
+
 	th := NewKustTestHarnessWithPluginConfig(
 		t, "/app/overlay", plugin.ActivePluginConfig())
 
@@ -170,6 +182,18 @@ transformers:
 		t.Fatalf("Err: %v", err)
 	}
 	th.assertActualEqualsExpected(m, `
-HEY
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: Deployment
+metadata:
+  name: 2018-05-11-apple-myDeployment
+spec:
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      labels:
+        backend: awesome
+    spec:
+      containers:
+      - image: whatever
+        name: whatever
 `)
 }
diff --git a/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/DatePrefixer.go b/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/DatePrefixer.go
index 7c316034d..e34d1f9f0 100644
--- a/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/DatePrefixer.go
+++ b/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/DatePrefixer.go
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"time"
-
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/transformers"
@@ -20,9 +18,17 @@ func (p *plugin) Config(
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Returns a constant, rather than
+//   time.Now().Format("2006-01-02")
+// to make tests happy.
+// This is just an example.
+func getDate() string {
+	return "2018-05-11"
+}
+
 func (p *plugin) Transform(m resmap.ResMap) error {
 	tr, err := transformers.NewNamePrefixSuffixTransformer(
-		time.Now().Format("2006-01-02")+"-", "",
+		getDate()+"-", "",
 		config.MakeDefaultConfig().NamePrefix)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/StringPrefixer.go b/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/StringPrefixer.go
index 230bcd697..38094eb70 100644
--- a/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/StringPrefixer.go
+++ b/plugins/someteam.example.com/v1/StringPrefixer.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/ifc"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pkg/transformers"
@@ -26,11 +27,11 @@ var KustomizePlugin plugin
 
 func (p *plugin) Config(
 	ldr ifc.Loader, rf *resmap.Factory, k ifc.Kunstructured) error {
-	var err error
-	p.prefix, err = k.GetFieldValue("prefix")
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	name := k.GetName()
+	if name == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("name cannot be empty")
 	}
+	p.prefix = name + "-"
 	return nil
 }