diff --git a/filters/StreamCallbackFilter.cpp b/filters/StreamCallbackFilter.cpp
index 9e2e208500..eb161ba7e4 100644
--- a/filters/StreamCallbackFilter.cpp
+++ b/filters/StreamCallbackFilter.cpp
@@ -37,11 +37,13 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo(
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
     "filters.streamcallback",
     "Provide a hook for a simple point-by-point callback.",
-    "" );
+    ""
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, StreamCallbackFilter, Filter, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_STAGE(StreamCallbackFilter, s_info)
 
 } // namespace pdal
diff --git a/kernels/DeltaKernel.cpp b/kernels/DeltaKernel.cpp
index 8a33e93e1a..ddcd45d63a 100644
--- a/kernels/DeltaKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/DeltaKernel.cpp
@@ -39,10 +39,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.delta", "Delta Kernel",
-    "http://www.pdal.io/apps/delta.html");
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.delta",
+    "Delta Kernel",
+    "http://www.pdal.io/apps/delta.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, DeltaKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(DeltaKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string DeltaKernel::getName() const { return s_info.name; }
 
diff --git a/kernels/DiffKernel.cpp b/kernels/DiffKernel.cpp
index 32ea7b40c4..a8cf16c9f6 100644
--- a/kernels/DiffKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/DiffKernel.cpp
@@ -43,10 +43,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.diff", "Diff Kernel",
-    "http://www.pdal.io/apps/diff.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.diff",
+    "Diff Kernel",
+    "http://www.pdal.io/apps/diff.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, DiffKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(DiffKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string DiffKernel::getName() const { return s_info.name; }
 
diff --git a/kernels/GroundKernel.cpp b/kernels/GroundKernel.cpp
index d4313022e1..6534099194 100644
--- a/kernels/GroundKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/GroundKernel.cpp
@@ -48,10 +48,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.ground", "Ground Kernel",
-                                            "http://pdal.io/apps/ground.html");
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.ground",
+    "Ground Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/ground.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, GroundKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(GroundKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string GroundKernel::getName() const
 {
diff --git a/kernels/HausdorffKernel.cpp b/kernels/HausdorffKernel.cpp
index abfe7c0297..ccea59ccf9 100644
--- a/kernels/HausdorffKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/HausdorffKernel.cpp
@@ -43,10 +43,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.hausdorff",
-    "Hausdorff Kernel", "http://pdal.io/apps/hausdorff.html");
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.hausdorff",
+    "Hausdorff Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/hausdorff.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, HausdorffKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(HausdorffKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string HausdorffKernel::getName() const
 {
diff --git a/kernels/InfoKernel.cpp b/kernels/InfoKernel.cpp
index 69cf4985c7..7777e03366 100644
--- a/kernels/InfoKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/InfoKernel.cpp
@@ -48,10 +48,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.info", "Info Kernel",
-    "http://pdal.io/apps/info.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.info",
+    "Info Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/info.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, InfoKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(InfoKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string InfoKernel::getName() const { return s_info.name; }
 
diff --git a/kernels/MergeKernel.cpp b/kernels/MergeKernel.cpp
index 7cf975dfe4..ad72e034b2 100644
--- a/kernels/MergeKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/MergeKernel.cpp
@@ -40,10 +40,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.merge", "Merge Kernel",
-    "http://pdal.io/apps/merge.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.merge",
+    "Merge Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/merge.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, MergeKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(MergeKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string MergeKernel::getName() const
 {
diff --git a/kernels/PipelineKernel.cpp b/kernels/PipelineKernel.cpp
index 211c36ba04..7d0ff31506 100644
--- a/kernels/PipelineKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/PipelineKernel.cpp
@@ -44,10 +44,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.pipeline",
-    "Pipeline Kernel", "http://pdal.io/apps/pipeline.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.pipeline",
+    "Pipeline Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/pipeline.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, PipelineKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(PipelineKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string PipelineKernel::getName() const { return s_info.name; }
 
diff --git a/kernels/RandomKernel.cpp b/kernels/RandomKernel.cpp
index 448e48bb19..514b8abe97 100644
--- a/kernels/RandomKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/RandomKernel.cpp
@@ -37,10 +37,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.random", "Random Kernel",
-    "http://pdal.io/apps/random.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.random",
+    "Random Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/random.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, RandomKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(RandomKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string RandomKernel::getName() const { return s_info.name; }
 
diff --git a/kernels/SortKernel.cpp b/kernels/SortKernel.cpp
index 89f2a2df3f..a24e264be9 100644
--- a/kernels/SortKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/SortKernel.cpp
@@ -37,10 +37,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.sort", "Sort Kernel",
-    "http://pdal.io/apps/sort.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.sort",
+    "Sort Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/sort.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, SortKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(SortKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string SortKernel::getName() const
 {
diff --git a/kernels/SplitKernel.cpp b/kernels/SplitKernel.cpp
index ff65d5af65..b896fcc948 100644
--- a/kernels/SplitKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/SplitKernel.cpp
@@ -40,10 +40,14 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.split", "Split Kernel",
-    "http://pdal.io/apps/split.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.split",
+    "Split Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/split.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, SplitKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(SplitKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string SplitKernel::getName() const
 {
diff --git a/kernels/TIndexKernel.cpp b/kernels/TIndexKernel.cpp
index 80b88f3d93..194a8d14ff 100644
--- a/kernels/TIndexKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/TIndexKernel.cpp
@@ -62,10 +62,14 @@ void setDate(OGRFeatureH feature, const tm& tyme, int fieldNumber)
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info = PluginInfo("kernels.tindex", "TIndex Kernel",
-    "http://pdal.io/apps/tindex.html" );
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.tindex",
+    "TIndex Kernel",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/tindex.html"
+};
 
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, TIndexKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(TIndexKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string TIndexKernel::getName() const { return s_info.name; }
 
diff --git a/kernels/TranslateKernel.cpp b/kernels/TranslateKernel.cpp
index 446b5d77ee..cac3814e70 100644
--- a/kernels/TranslateKernel.cpp
+++ b/kernels/TranslateKernel.cpp
@@ -52,16 +52,18 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-static PluginInfo const s_info =
-    PluginInfo("kernels.translate",
-               "The Translate kernel allows users to construct a pipeline " \
-               "consisting of a reader, a writer, and N filter stages. " \
-               "Any supported stage type can be specified from the command " \
-               "line, reducing the need to create custom kernels for every " \
-               "combination.",
-               "http://pdal.io/apps/translate.html");
-
-CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(1, 0, TranslateKernel, Kernel, s_info)
+static StaticPluginInfo const s_info
+{
+    "kernels.translate",
+    "The Translate kernel allows users to construct a pipeline " \
+        "consisting of a reader, a writer, and N filter stages. " \
+        "Any supported stage type can be specified from the command " \
+        "line, reducing the need to create custom kernels for every " \
+        "combination.",
+    "http://pdal.io/apps/translate.html"
+};
+
+CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(TranslateKernel, s_info)
 
 std::string TranslateKernel::getName() const
 {
diff --git a/pdal/PluginHelper.hpp b/pdal/PluginHelper.hpp
index 99fa781473..33d01b5c97 100644
--- a/pdal/PluginHelper.hpp
+++ b/pdal/PluginHelper.hpp
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ typedef void (*PF_InitFunc)();
             pdal::PluginManager<pdal::Kernel>::registerPlugin<T>(info); \
     }
 
+/**
 #define CREATE_STATIC_PLUGIN(version_major, version_minor, T, type, info) \
     extern "C" PDAL_DLL void T ## _InitPlugin() \
     { \
@@ -101,6 +102,11 @@ typedef void (*PF_InitFunc)();
         else \
             pdal::PluginManager<pdal::Kernel>::registerPlugin<T>(info); \
     }
+**/
+
+#define CREATE_STATIC_KERNEL(T, info) \
+    static bool T ## _b = \
+        pdal::PluginManager<pdal::Kernel>::registerPlugin<T>(info);
 
 #define CREATE_STATIC_STAGE(T, info) \
     static bool T ## _b =  \
diff --git a/pdal/StageFactory.cpp b/pdal/StageFactory.cpp
index e274dc8cf0..c41c41791e 100644
--- a/pdal/StageFactory.cpp
+++ b/pdal/StageFactory.cpp
@@ -36,22 +36,8 @@
 #include <pdal/PluginManager.hpp>
 #include <pdal/util/FileUtils.hpp>
 
-#include <kernels/DeltaKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/DiffKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/GroundKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/HausdorffKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/InfoKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/MergeKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/PipelineKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/RandomKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/SortKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/SplitKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/TIndexKernel.hpp>
-#include <kernels/TranslateKernel.hpp>
-
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
-//#include <stdio.h> // for funcptr
 
 namespace pdal
 {
@@ -147,20 +133,6 @@ std::string StageFactory::inferWriterDriver(const std::string& filename)
 StageFactory::StageFactory(bool ignored)
 {
     (void)ignored;
-
-    // kernels
-    DeltaKernel_InitPlugin();
-    DiffKernel_InitPlugin();
-    GroundKernel_InitPlugin();
-    HausdorffKernel_InitPlugin();
-    InfoKernel_InitPlugin();
-    MergeKernel_InitPlugin();
-    PipelineKernel_InitPlugin();
-    RandomKernel_InitPlugin();
-    SortKernel_InitPlugin();
-    SplitKernel_InitPlugin();
-    TIndexKernel_InitPlugin();
-    TranslateKernel_InitPlugin();
 }