diff --git a/packages/cactus-cmd-api-server/src/main/typescript/api-server.ts b/packages/cactus-cmd-api-server/src/main/typescript/api-server.ts
index 498f46fc294..5100353e3d4 100644
--- a/packages/cactus-cmd-api-server/src/main/typescript/api-server.ts
+++ b/packages/cactus-cmd-api-server/src/main/typescript/api-server.ts
@@ -332,6 +332,10 @@ export class ApiServer {
     const pluginFactory = await createPluginFactory(pluginFactoryOptions);
 
     const plugin = await pluginFactory.create(pluginOptions);
+
+    // need to invoke the i-cactus-plugin onPluginInit functionality here before plugin registry can be used further
+    await plugin.onPluginInit();
+
     return plugin;
   }