diff --git a/lightningd/lightningd.c b/lightningd/lightningd.c
index 397ce48d6..fc8a80714 100644
--- a/lightningd/lightningd.c
+++ b/lightningd/lightningd.c
@@ -469,9 +469,9 @@ static const char *find_my_pkglibexec_path(struct lightningd *ld,
 
 	/*~ The plugin dir is in ../libexec/c-lightning/plugins, which (unlike
 	 * those given on the command line) does not need to exist. */
-	add_plugin_dir(ld->plugins,
-		       path_join(tmpctx, pkglibexecdir, "plugins"),
-		       true);
+	plugins_set_builtin_plugins_dir(ld->plugins,
+					path_join(tmpctx,
+						  pkglibexecdir, "plugins"));
 
 	/*~ Sometimes take() can be more efficient, since the routine can
 	 * manipulate the string in place.  This is the case here. */
@@ -484,10 +484,11 @@ static const char *find_daemon_dir(struct lightningd *ld, const char *argv0)
 	const char *my_path = find_my_directory(ld, argv0);
 	/* If we're running in-tree, all the subdaemons are with lightningd. */
 	if (has_all_subdaemons(my_path)) {
-		/* In this case, look in ../plugins */
-		add_plugin_dir(ld->plugins,
-			       path_join(tmpctx, my_path, "../plugins"),
-			       true);
+		/* In this case, look for built-in plugins in ../plugins */
+		plugins_set_builtin_plugins_dir(ld->plugins,
+						path_join(tmpctx,
+							  my_path,
+							  "../plugins"));
 		return my_path;
 	}
 
diff --git a/lightningd/plugin.c b/lightningd/plugin.c
index b21a127f1..dc8b577d1 100644
--- a/lightningd/plugin.c
+++ b/lightningd/plugin.c
@@ -1526,6 +1526,16 @@ struct log *plugin_get_log(struct plugin *plugin)
 	return plugin->log;
 }
 
+void plugins_set_builtin_plugins_dir(struct plugins *plugins,
+				     const char *dir)
+{
+	/*~ The builtin-plugins dir does not need to exist, but
+	 * we would error those anyway for our important built-in
+	 * plugins.
+	 */
+	add_plugin_dir(plugins, dir, true);
+}
+
 struct plugin_destroyed {
 	const struct plugin *plugin;
 };
@@ -1536,6 +1546,7 @@ static void mark_plugin_destroyed(const struct plugin *unused,
 	pd->plugin = NULL;
 }
 
+
 struct plugin_destroyed *plugin_detect_destruction(const struct plugin *plugin)
 {
 	struct plugin_destroyed *pd = tal(NULL, struct plugin_destroyed);
diff --git a/lightningd/plugin.h b/lightningd/plugin.h
index 0b1442cec..5dc98346f 100644
--- a/lightningd/plugin.h
+++ b/lightningd/plugin.h
@@ -334,6 +334,12 @@ struct io_plan *plugin_stdout_conn_init(struct io_conn *conn,
 */
 struct log *plugin_get_log(struct plugin *plugin);
 
+/**
+ * Tells the plugin system the directory for builtin plugins.
+ */
+void plugins_set_builtin_plugins_dir(struct plugins *plugins,
+				     const char *dir);
+
 /* Pair of functions to detect if plugin destroys itself: must always
  * call both! */
 struct plugin_destroyed *plugin_detect_destruction(const struct plugin *plugin);
diff --git a/lightningd/test/run-find_my_abspath.c b/lightningd/test/run-find_my_abspath.c
index f62e15697..1e9a73fe9 100644
--- a/lightningd/test/run-find_my_abspath.c
+++ b/lightningd/test/run-find_my_abspath.c
@@ -207,6 +207,9 @@ void plugins_init(struct plugins *plugins UNNEEDED)
 struct plugins *plugins_new(const tal_t *ctx UNNEEDED, struct log_book *log_book UNNEEDED,
 			    struct lightningd *ld UNNEEDED)
 { fprintf(stderr, "plugins_new called!\n"); abort(); }
+void plugins_set_builtin_plugins_dir(struct plugins *plugins UNNEEDED,
+				     const char *dir UNNEEDED)
+{ fprintf(stderr, "plugins_set_builtin_plugins_dir called!\n"); abort(); }
 /* Generated stub for setup_color_and_alias */
 void setup_color_and_alias(struct lightningd *ld UNNEEDED)
 { fprintf(stderr, "setup_color_and_alias called!\n"); abort(); }