diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@
    KF5::Notifications
    KF5::CoreAddons
    KF5::ConfigGui
+   KF5::Package
    KF5::WindowSystem
    KF5::XmlGui
    ${X11_LIBRARIES}
diff --git a/greeter/greeterapp.cpp b/greeter/greeterapp.cpp
--- a/greeter/greeterapp.cpp
+++ b/greeter/greeterapp.cpp
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@
     m_mainQmlPath = package.fileUrl("lockscreenmainscript");
 
     m_wallpaperIntegration->setConfig(KScreenSaverSettingsBase::self()->sharedConfig());
-    m_wallpaperIntegration->setPluginName(KScreenSaverSettingsBase::self()->wallpaperPlugin());
+    m_wallpaperIntegration->setPluginName(KScreenSaverSettingsBase::self()->wallpaperPluginId());
     m_wallpaperIntegration->init();
 
     m_lnfIntegration->setPackage(package);
diff --git a/kcfg/kscreenlockersettings.kcfg b/kcfg/kscreenlockersettings.kcfg
--- a/kcfg/kscreenlockersettings.kcfg
+++ b/kcfg/kscreenlockersettings.kcfg
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
       <label></label>
       <whatsthis></whatsthis>
     </entry>
-    <entry key="WallpaperPlugin" type="String">
+    <entry name="wallpaperPluginId" key="WallpaperPlugin" type="String">
       <default>org.kde.image</default>
       <label></label>
       <whatsthis></whatsthis>
diff --git a/kcm/kcm.h b/kcm/kcm.h
--- a/kcm/kcm.h
+++ b/kcm/kcm.h
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@
     void updateState();
 
 private:
-    void loadWallpapers();
     void selectWallpaper(const QString &pluginId);
     void loadWallpaperConfig();
     void loadLnfConfig();
@@ -94,6 +93,8 @@
         QObject(parent),
         q(parent)
     {
+        connect(q, &ScreenLockerKcm::wallpaperConfigurationChanged, this, &ScreenLockerProxy::wallpaperConfigurationChanged);
+        connect(q, &ScreenLockerKcm::currentWallpaperChanged, this, &ScreenLockerProxy::currentWallpaperChanged);
     }
 
     KDeclarative::ConfigPropertyMap *wallpaperConfiguration() const {
diff --git a/kcm/kcm.cpp b/kcm/kcm.cpp
--- a/kcm/kcm.cpp
+++ b/kcm/kcm.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@
 #include <QQmlContext>
 #include <QQuickItem>
 
-static const QString s_defaultWallpaperPackage = QStringLiteral("org.kde.image");
-
 class ScreenLockerKcmForm : public QWidget, public Ui::ScreenLockerKcmForm
 {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -68,56 +66,33 @@
 {
     QVBoxLayout* layout = new QVBoxLayout(this);
     layout->addWidget(m_ui);
-
-    addConfig(m_settings, m_ui);
-
-    loadWallpapers();
-    connect(m_ui->wallpaperCombo, static_cast<void (QComboBox::*)(int)>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged),
+    for (const auto &pluginInfo : m_settings->availableWallpaperPlugins()) {
+        m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex->addItem(pluginInfo.name, pluginInfo.id);
+    }
+    connect(m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex, static_cast<void (QComboBox::*)(int)>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged),
             this, &ScreenLockerKcm::loadWallpaperConfig);
-
-    m_ui->wallpaperCombo->installEventFilter(this);
+    m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex->installEventFilter(this);
+    m_ui->installEventFilter(this);
 
     auto proxy = new ScreenLockerProxy(this);
+
     m_ui->wallpaperConfigWidget->setClearColor(m_ui->palette().color(QPalette::Active, QPalette::Window));
     m_ui->wallpaperConfigWidget->rootContext()->setContextProperty(QStringLiteral("configDialog"), proxy);
-
-    m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->setClearColor(m_ui->palette().color(QPalette::Active, QPalette::Window));
-    m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->rootContext()->setContextProperty(QStringLiteral("configDialog"), proxy);
-
-
-
-    connect(this, &ScreenLockerKcm::wallpaperConfigurationChanged, proxy, &ScreenLockerProxy::wallpaperConfigurationChanged);
-    connect(this, &ScreenLockerKcm::currentWallpaperChanged, proxy, &ScreenLockerProxy::currentWallpaperChanged);
-
     m_ui->wallpaperConfigWidget->setSource(QUrl(QStringLiteral("qrc:/kscreenlocker-kcm-resources/wallpaperconfig.qml")));
     connect(m_ui->wallpaperConfigWidget->rootObject(), SIGNAL(configurationChanged()), this, SLOT(updateState()));
 
+    m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->setClearColor(m_ui->palette().color(QPalette::Active, QPalette::Window));
+    m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->rootContext()->setContextProperty(QStringLiteral("configDialog"), proxy);
     m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->setSource(QUrl(QStringLiteral("qrc:/kscreenlocker-kcm-resources/lnfconfig.qml")));
     connect(m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->rootObject(), SIGNAL(configurationChanged()), this, SLOT(updateState()));
 
-    m_ui->installEventFilter(this);
+    addConfig(m_settings, m_ui);
 }
 
 void ScreenLockerKcm::load()
 {
     KCModule::load();
-    // Because the wallpaper plugin is currently handled wrongly
-    m_settings->load();
 
-    m_package = KPackage::PackageLoader::self()->loadPackage(QStringLiteral("Plasma/LookAndFeel"));
-    KConfigGroup cg(KSharedConfig::openConfig(QStringLiteral("kdeglobals")), "KDE");
-    const QString packageName = cg.readEntry("LookAndFeelPackage", QString());
-    if (!packageName.isEmpty()) {
-        m_package.setPath(packageName);
-    }
-
-    m_lnfIntegration = new ScreenLocker::LnFIntegration(this);
-    m_lnfIntegration->setPackage(m_package);
-    m_lnfIntegration->setConfig(m_settings->sharedConfig());
-    m_lnfIntegration->init();
-    m_lnfSettings = m_lnfIntegration->configScheme();
-
-    selectWallpaper(m_settings->wallpaperPlugin());
     loadWallpaperConfig();
     loadLnfConfig();
 
@@ -159,7 +134,6 @@
 void ScreenLockerKcm::defaults()
 {
     KCModule::defaults();
-    selectWallpaper(s_defaultWallpaperPackage);
 
     if (m_lnfSettings) {
         m_lnfSettings->setDefaults();
@@ -193,33 +167,10 @@
     emit defaulted(isDefaults);
 }
 
-void ScreenLockerKcm::loadWallpapers()
-{
-    const auto wallpaperPackages = KPackage::PackageLoader::self()->listPackages(QStringLiteral("Plasma/Wallpaper"));
-    for (auto &package : wallpaperPackages) {
-        m_ui->wallpaperCombo->addItem(package.name(), package.pluginId());
-    }
-}
-
-void ScreenLockerKcm::selectWallpaper(const QString &pluginId)
-{
-    const auto index = m_ui->wallpaperCombo->findData(pluginId);
-    if (index != -1) {
-        m_ui->wallpaperCombo->setCurrentIndex(index);
-    } else if (pluginId != s_defaultWallpaperPackage) {
-        // fall back to default plugin
-        selectWallpaper(s_defaultWallpaperPackage);
-    }
-}
-
 void ScreenLockerKcm::loadWallpaperConfig()
 {
-    // set the wallpaper config
-    m_settings->setWallpaperPlugin(m_ui->wallpaperCombo->currentData().toString());
-    updateState();
-
     if (m_wallpaperIntegration) {
-        if (m_wallpaperIntegration->pluginName() == m_ui->wallpaperCombo->currentData().toString()) {
+        if (m_wallpaperIntegration->pluginName() == m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex->currentData().toString()) {
             // nothing changed
             return;
         }
@@ -229,7 +180,7 @@
 
     m_wallpaperIntegration = new ScreenLocker::WallpaperIntegration(this);
     m_wallpaperIntegration->setConfig(m_settings->sharedConfig());
-    m_wallpaperIntegration->setPluginName(m_ui->wallpaperCombo->currentData().toString());
+    m_wallpaperIntegration->setPluginName(m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex->currentData().toString());
     m_wallpaperIntegration->init();
     m_wallpaperSettings = m_wallpaperIntegration->configScheme();
     m_ui->wallpaperConfigWidget->rootContext()->setContextProperty(QStringLiteral("wallpaper"), m_wallpaperIntegration);
@@ -239,6 +190,25 @@
 
 void ScreenLockerKcm::loadLnfConfig()
 {
+    if (m_package.isValid() && m_lnfIntegration) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    Q_ASSERT(!m_package.isValid() && !m_lnfIntegration);
+
+    m_package = KPackage::PackageLoader::self()->loadPackage(QStringLiteral("Plasma/LookAndFeel"));
+    KConfigGroup cg(KSharedConfig::openConfig(QStringLiteral("kdeglobals")), "KDE");
+    const QString packageName = cg.readEntry("LookAndFeelPackage", QString());
+    if (!packageName.isEmpty()) {
+        m_package.setPath(packageName);
+    }
+
+    m_lnfIntegration = new ScreenLocker::LnFIntegration(this);
+    m_lnfIntegration->setPackage(m_package);
+    m_lnfIntegration->setConfig(m_settings->sharedConfig());
+    m_lnfIntegration->init();
+    m_lnfSettings = m_lnfIntegration->configScheme();
+
     auto sourceFile = m_package.fileUrl(QByteArrayLiteral("lockscreen"), QStringLiteral("config.qml"));
     if (sourceFile.isEmpty()) {
         m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->hide();
@@ -266,7 +236,7 @@
 
 QString ScreenLockerKcm::currentWallpaper() const
 {
-    return m_ui->wallpaperCombo->currentData().toString();
+    return m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex->currentData().toString();
 }
 
 bool ScreenLockerKcm::eventFilter(QObject *watched, QEvent *event)
@@ -277,17 +247,17 @@
         }
         return false;
     }
-    if (watched != m_ui->wallpaperCombo) {
+    if (watched != m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex) {
         return false;
     }
     if (event->type() == QEvent::Move) {
         if (auto object = m_ui->wallpaperConfigWidget->rootObject()) {
             // QtQuick Layouts have a hardcoded 5 px spacing by default
-            object->setProperty("formAlignment", m_ui->wallpaperCombo->x() + 5);
+            object->setProperty("formAlignment", m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex->x() + 5);
         }
         if (auto object = m_ui->lnfConfigWidget->rootObject()) {
             // QtQuick Layouts have a hardcoded 5 px spacing by default
-            object->setProperty("formAlignment", m_ui->wallpaperCombo->x() + 5);
+            object->setProperty("formAlignment", m_ui->kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex->x() + 5);
         }
 
     }
diff --git a/kcm/kcm.ui b/kcm/kcm.ui
--- a/kcm/kcm.ui
+++ b/kcm/kcm.ui
@@ -141,12 +141,12 @@
               <string>Wallpaper &amp;type:</string>
              </property>
              <property name="buddy">
-              <cstring>wallpaperCombo</cstring>
+              <cstring>kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex</cstring>
              </property>
             </widget>
            </item>
            <item row="1" column="1">
-            <widget class="QComboBox" name="wallpaperCombo"/>
+            <widget class="QComboBox" name="kcfg_wallpaperPluginIndex"/>
            </item>
           </layout>
          </item>
diff --git a/kscreensaversettings.h b/kscreensaversettings.h
--- a/kscreensaversettings.h
+++ b/kscreensaversettings.h
@@ -28,16 +28,30 @@
 {
     Q_OBJECT
     Q_PROPERTY(QKeySequence shortcut READ shortcut WRITE setShortcut)
+    Q_PROPERTY(int wallpaperPluginIndex READ wallpaperPluginIndex WRITE setWallpaperPluginIndex)
 public:
+    struct WallpaperInfo {
+        QString name;
+        QString id;
+    };
+
     static QList<QKeySequence> defaultShortcuts();
+    static QString defaultWallpaperPlugin();
 
     KScreenSaverSettings(QObject *parent = nullptr);
     ~KScreenSaverSettings() override;
 
+    QVector<WallpaperInfo> availableWallpaperPlugins() const;
+    int wallpaperPluginIndex() const;
+    void setWallpaperPluginIndex(int index);
+
     QKeySequence shortcut() const;
     void setShortcut(const QKeySequence &sequence);
 
 private:
+    int indexFromWallpaperPluginId(const QString &id) const;
+
+    QVector<WallpaperInfo> m_availableWallpaperPlugins;
     KActionCollection *m_actionCollection;
     QAction *m_lockAction;
 };
diff --git a/kscreensaversettings.cpp b/kscreensaversettings.cpp
--- a/kscreensaversettings.cpp
+++ b/kscreensaversettings.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <KActionCollection>
 #include <KGlobalAccel>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
+#include <KPackage/Package>
+#include <KPackage/PackageLoader>
 
 QList<QKeySequence> KScreenSaverSettings::defaultShortcuts()
 {
@@ -32,26 +34,59 @@
     };
 }
 
+QString KScreenSaverSettings::defaultWallpaperPlugin()
+{
+    return QStringLiteral("org.kde.image");
+}
+
 KScreenSaverSettings::KScreenSaverSettings(QObject *parent)
     : KScreenSaverSettingsBase()
     , m_actionCollection(new KActionCollection(this, QStringLiteral("ksmserver")))
     , m_lockAction(nullptr)
 {
     setParent(parent);
 
+    const auto wallpaperPackages = KPackage::PackageLoader::self()->listPackages(QStringLiteral("Plasma/Wallpaper"));
+    for (auto &package : wallpaperPackages) {
+         m_availableWallpaperPlugins.append({package.name(), package.pluginId()});
+    }
+
     m_actionCollection->setConfigGlobal(true);
     m_lockAction = m_actionCollection->addAction(QStringLiteral("Lock Session"));
     m_lockAction->setProperty("isConfigurationAction", true);
     m_lockAction->setText(i18n("Lock Session"));
     KGlobalAccel::self()->setShortcut(m_lockAction, defaultShortcuts());
 
     addItem(new KPropertySkeletonItem(this, "shortcut", defaultShortcuts().first()), QStringLiteral("lockscreenShortcut"));
+    addItem(new KPropertySkeletonItem(this, "wallpaperPluginIndex", indexFromWallpaperPluginId(defaultWallpaperPlugin())),
+            QStringLiteral("wallpaperPluginIndex"));
 }
 
 KScreenSaverSettings::~KScreenSaverSettings()
 {
 }
 
+QVector<KScreenSaverSettings::WallpaperInfo> KScreenSaverSettings::availableWallpaperPlugins() const
+{
+    return m_availableWallpaperPlugins;
+}
+
+int KScreenSaverSettings::wallpaperPluginIndex() const
+{
+    return indexFromWallpaperPluginId(wallpaperPluginId());
+}
+
+void KScreenSaverSettings::setWallpaperPluginIndex(int index)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(index >=0 && index < m_availableWallpaperPlugins.size());
+    setWallpaperPluginId(m_availableWallpaperPlugins[index].id);
+
+    // We get in this function during save, but wallpaperPluginId might
+    // have been written already, since we're tempering with its value here
+    // we make sure it really reaches the config object.
+    findItem(QStringLiteral("wallpaperPluginId"))->writeConfig(config());
+}
+
 QKeySequence KScreenSaverSettings::shortcut() const
 {
     return KGlobalAccel::self()->shortcut(m_lockAction).first();
@@ -67,3 +102,16 @@
     shortcuts[0] = sequence;
     KGlobalAccel::self()->setShortcut(m_lockAction, shortcuts, KGlobalAccel::NoAutoloading);
 }
+
+int KScreenSaverSettings::indexFromWallpaperPluginId(const QString &id) const
+{
+    const auto it = std::find_if(m_availableWallpaperPlugins.cbegin(), m_availableWallpaperPlugins.cend(),
+                                 [id] (const WallpaperInfo &info) { return info.id == id; });
+    if (it != m_availableWallpaperPlugins.cend()) {
+        return it - m_availableWallpaperPlugins.cbegin();
+    } else if (id != defaultWallpaperPlugin()) {
+        return indexFromWallpaperPluginId(defaultWallpaperPlugin());
+    } else {
+        return -1;
+    }
+}