diff --git a/kdevplatform/interfaces/isourceformattercontroller.h b/kdevplatform/interfaces/isourceformattercontroller.h
--- a/kdevplatform/interfaces/isourceformattercontroller.h
+++ b/kdevplatform/interfaces/isourceformattercontroller.h
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@
 		* @param mime known mimetype of the url
 		*/
 		virtual ISourceFormatter* formatterForUrl(const QUrl& url, const QMimeType& mime) = 0;
+		///\return @c true if there are formatters at all, @c false otherwise
+		virtual bool hasFormatters() const = 0;
 		/** \return Whether this mime type is supported by any plugin.
 		*/
 		virtual bool isMimeTypeSupported(const QMimeType &mime) = 0;
@@ -68,6 +70,9 @@
 		virtual void disableSourceFormatting(bool disable) = 0;
 		///\return Whether or not source formatting is enabled
 		virtual bool sourceFormattingEnabled() = 0;
+
+	Q_SIGNALS:
+		void hasFormattersChanged(bool hasFormatters);
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow.cpp b/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow.cpp
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -345,12 +345,16 @@
         d, &MainWindowPrivate::activePartChanged);
     connect( this, &MainWindow::activeViewChanged,
         d, &MainWindowPrivate::changeActiveView);
+    connect(Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal(), &SourceFormatterController::hasFormattersChanged,
+             d, &MainWindowPrivate::updateSourceFormatterGuiClient);
 
     foreach(IPlugin* plugin, Core::self()->pluginController()->loadedPlugins())
         d->addPlugin(plugin);
 
     guiFactory()->addClient(Core::self()->sessionController());
-    guiFactory()->addClient(Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal());
+    if (Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal()->hasFormatters()) {
+        guiFactory()->addClient(Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal());
+    }
 
     // Needed to re-plug the actions from the sessioncontroller as xmlguiclients don't
     // seem to remember which actions where plugged in.
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.h b/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.h
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.h
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
 public Q_SLOTS:
     void addPlugin( KDevelop::IPlugin *plugin );
     void removePlugin( KDevelop::IPlugin *plugin );
+    void updateSourceFormatterGuiClient(bool hasFormatters);
 
     void activePartChanged(KParts::Part *part);
     void mergeView(Sublime::View *view);
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.cpp b/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.cpp
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.cpp
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/mainwindow_p.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include "mainwindow.h"
 #include "textdocument.h"
 #include "sessioncontroller.h"
+#include "sourceformattercontroller.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "ktexteditorpluginintegration.h"
 #include "colorschemechooser.h"
@@ -125,6 +126,17 @@
     m_mainWindow->guiFactory()->removeClient( plugin );
 }
 
+void MainWindowPrivate::updateSourceFormatterGuiClient(bool hasFormatters)
+{
+    auto sourceFormatterController = Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal();
+    auto guiFactory = m_mainWindow->guiFactory();
+    if (hasFormatters) {
+        guiFactory->addClient(sourceFormatterController);
+    } else {
+        guiFactory->removeClient(sourceFormatterController);
+    }
+}
+
 void MainWindowPrivate::activePartChanged(KParts::Part *part)
 {
     if ( Core::self()->uiController()->activeMainWindow() == m_mainWindow)
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.h b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.h
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.h
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <interfaces/isourceformatter.h>
 
 #include <QSet>
+#include <QVector>
 #include <QMimeType>
 
 #include <kxmlguiclient.h>
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@
     * The source formatter is then ready to use on a file.
     */
     ISourceFormatter* formatterForUrl(const QUrl& url, const QMimeType& mime) override;
+    bool hasFormatters() const override;
     /** \return Whether this mime type is supported by any plugin.
     */
     bool isMimeTypeSupported(const QMimeType& mime) override;
@@ -132,12 +134,21 @@
     void disableSourceFormatting(bool disable) override;
     bool sourceFormattingEnabled() override;
 
+    QVector<KDevelop::ISourceFormatter*> formatters() const;
+
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void formatterLoaded(KDevelop::ISourceFormatter* ifmt);
+    void formatterUnloading(KDevelop::ISourceFormatter* ifmt);
+
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void updateFormatTextAction();
     void beautifySource();
     void beautifyLine();
     void formatFiles();
     void documentLoaded( KDevelop::IDocument* );
+    void pluginLoaded(KDevelop::IPlugin* plugin);
+    void unloadingPlugin(KDevelop::IPlugin* plugin);
+
 private:
     /** \return A modeline string (to add at the end or the beginning of a file)
     * corresponding to the settings of the active language.
@@ -152,6 +163,8 @@
     void adaptEditorIndentationMode(KTextEditor::Document* doc, KDevelop::ISourceFormatter* formatter,
                                     const QUrl& url, bool ignoreModeline = false);
 
+    void resetUi();
+
 private:
     const QScopedPointer<class SourceFormatterControllerPrivate> d;
 };
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.cpp b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.cpp
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.cpp
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformattercontroller.cpp
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@
 class SourceFormatterControllerPrivate
 {
 public:
+    // cache of formatter plugins, to avoid querying plugincontroller
+    QVector<ISourceFormatter*> sourceFormatters;
     // GUI actions
     QAction* formatTextAction;
     QAction* formatFilesAction;
@@ -127,20 +129,29 @@
     d->formatTextAction->setText(i18n("&Reformat Source"));
     d->formatTextAction->setToolTip(i18n("Reformat source using AStyle"));
     d->formatTextAction->setWhatsThis(i18n("Source reformatting functionality using <b>astyle</b> library."));
+    d->formatTextAction->setEnabled(false);
     connect(d->formatTextAction, &QAction::triggered, this, &SourceFormatterController::beautifySource);
 
     d->formatLine = actionCollection()->addAction(QStringLiteral("edit_reformat_line"));
     d->formatLine->setText(i18n("Reformat Line"));
     d->formatLine->setToolTip(i18n("Reformat current line using AStyle"));
     d->formatLine->setWhatsThis(i18n("Source reformatting of line under cursor using <b>astyle</b> library."));
+    d->formatLine->setEnabled(false);
     connect(d->formatLine, &QAction::triggered, this, &SourceFormatterController::beautifyLine);
 
     d->formatFilesAction = actionCollection()->addAction(QStringLiteral("tools_astyle"));
     d->formatFilesAction->setText(i18n("Reformat Files..."));
     d->formatFilesAction->setToolTip(i18n("Format file(s) using the current theme"));
     d->formatFilesAction->setWhatsThis(i18n("Formatting functionality using <b>astyle</b> library."));
+    d->formatFilesAction->setEnabled(false);
     connect(d->formatFilesAction, &QAction::triggered, this, static_cast<void(SourceFormatterController::*)()>(&SourceFormatterController::formatFiles));
 
+
+    connect(Core::self()->pluginController(), &IPluginController::pluginLoaded,
+            this, &SourceFormatterController::pluginLoaded);
+    connect(Core::self()->pluginController(), &IPluginController::unloadingPlugin,
+            this, &SourceFormatterController::unloadingPlugin);
+
     // connect to both documentActivated & documentClosed,
     // otherwise we miss when the last document was closed
     connect(Core::self()->documentController(), &IDocumentController::documentActivated,
@@ -168,6 +179,46 @@
     adaptEditorIndentationMode(doc->textDocument(), formatterForUrl(url, mime), url);
 }
 
+void SourceFormatterController::pluginLoaded(IPlugin* plugin)
+{
+    ISourceFormatter* sourceFormatter = plugin->extension<ISourceFormatter>();
+
+    if (!sourceFormatter) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    d->sourceFormatters << sourceFormatter;
+
+    resetUi();
+
+    emit formatterLoaded(sourceFormatter);
+    // with one plugin now added, hasFormatters turned to true, so report to listeners
+    if (d->sourceFormatters.size() == 1) {
+        emit hasFormattersChanged(true);
+    }
+}
+
+void SourceFormatterController::unloadingPlugin(IPlugin* plugin)
+{
+    ISourceFormatter* sourceFormatter = plugin->extension<ISourceFormatter>();
+
+    if (!sourceFormatter) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const int idx = d->sourceFormatters.indexOf(sourceFormatter);
+    Q_ASSERT(idx != -1);
+    d->sourceFormatters.remove(idx);
+
+    resetUi();
+
+    emit formatterUnloading(sourceFormatter);
+    if (d->sourceFormatters.isEmpty()) {
+        emit hasFormattersChanged(false);
+    }
+}
+
+
 void SourceFormatterController::initialize()
 {
 }
@@ -212,9 +263,7 @@
     if (knownFormatters.contains(mime.name()))
         return knownFormatters[mime.name()];
 
-    QList<IPlugin*> plugins = Core::self()->pluginController()->allPluginsForExtension( QStringLiteral("org.kdevelop.ISourceFormatter") );
-    foreach( IPlugin* p, plugins) {
-        ISourceFormatter *iformatter = p->extension<ISourceFormatter>();
+    foreach (ISourceFormatter* iformatter, d->sourceFormatters) {
         QSharedPointer<SourceFormatter> formatter(createFormatterForPlugin(iformatter));
         if( formatter->supportedMimeTypes().contains(mime.name()) ) {
             knownFormatters[mime.name()] = iformatter;
@@ -275,7 +324,13 @@
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    return Core::self()->pluginControllerInternal()->extensionForPlugin<ISourceFormatter>( QStringLiteral("org.kdevelop.ISourceFormatter"), formatterinfo.at(0) );
+    foreach (ISourceFormatter* iformatter, d->sourceFormatters) {
+        if (iformatter->name() == formatterinfo.first()) {
+            return iformatter;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return nullptr;
 }
 
 bool SourceFormatterController::isMimeTypeSupported(const QMimeType& mime)
@@ -377,11 +432,13 @@
 {
     bool enabled = false;
 
-    IDocument* doc = KDevelop::ICore::self()->documentController()->activeDocument();
-    if (doc) {
-        QMimeType mime = QMimeDatabase().mimeTypeForUrl(doc->url());
-        if (isMimeTypeSupported(mime))
-            enabled = true;
+    if (!d->sourceFormatters.isEmpty()) {
+        IDocument* doc = KDevelop::ICore::self()->documentController()->activeDocument();
+        if (doc) {
+            QMimeType mime = QMimeDatabase().mimeTypeForUrl(doc->url());
+            if (isMimeTypeSupported(mime))
+                enabled = true;
+        }
     }
 
     d->formatLine->setEnabled(enabled);
@@ -616,6 +673,10 @@
     d->urls.clear();
     d->prjItems.clear();
 
+    if (d->sourceFormatters.isEmpty()) {
+        return ext;
+    }
+
     if (context->hasType(KDevelop::Context::EditorContext))
     {
         if (d->formatTextAction->isEnabled())
@@ -661,4 +722,21 @@
     return d->enabled;
 }
 
+bool SourceFormatterController::hasFormatters() const
+{
+    return !d->sourceFormatters.isEmpty();
+}
+
+QVector<ISourceFormatter*> SourceFormatterController::formatters() const
+{
+    return d->sourceFormatters;
+}
+
+void SourceFormatterController::resetUi()
+{
+    d->formatFilesAction->setEnabled(!d->sourceFormatters.isEmpty());
+
+    updateFormatTextAction();
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.h b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.h
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.h
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 namespace KDevelop
 {
 class SourceFormatterStyle;
+class ISourceFormatter;
 
 class KDEVPLATFORMSHELL_EXPORT SourceFormatterSelectionEdit : public QWidget
 {
@@ -49,6 +50,9 @@
     void changed();
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
+    void addSourceFormatter(KDevelop::ISourceFormatter* ifmt);
+    void removeSourceFormatter(KDevelop::ISourceFormatter* ifmt);
+
     void deleteStyle();
     void editStyle();
     void newStyle();
@@ -58,6 +62,7 @@
     void styleNameChanged(QListWidgetItem* );
 
 private:
+    void resetUi();
     void updatePreview();
     QListWidgetItem* addStyle(const KDevelop::SourceFormatterStyle& s);
     void enableStyleButtons();
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.cpp b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.cpp
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.cpp
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/sourceformatterselectionedit.cpp
@@ -112,6 +112,15 @@
         iface->setConfigValue(QStringLiteral("dynamic-word-wrap"), false);
         iface->setConfigValue(QStringLiteral("icon-bar"), false);
     }
+
+    SourceFormatterController* controller = Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal();
+    connect(controller, &SourceFormatterController::formatterLoaded,
+            this, &SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::addSourceFormatter);
+    connect(controller, &SourceFormatterController::formatterUnloading,
+            this, &SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::removeSourceFormatter);
+    for (auto* formatter : controller->formatters()) {
+        addSourceFormatter(formatter);
+    }
 }
 
 SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::~SourceFormatterSelectionEdit()
@@ -125,58 +134,76 @@
     lang.selectedStyle = *lang.selectedFormatter->styles.begin();
 }
 
-void SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::loadSettings(const KConfigGroup& config)
+void SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::addSourceFormatter(ISourceFormatter* ifmt)
 {
-    SourceFormatterController* fmtctrl = Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal();
-    QList<KDevelop::IPlugin*> plugins = KDevelop::ICore::self()->pluginController()->allPluginsForExtension( QStringLiteral("org.kdevelop.ISourceFormatter") );
-    foreach( KDevelop::IPlugin* plugin, plugins )
-    {
-        KDevelop::ISourceFormatter* ifmt = plugin->extension<ISourceFormatter>();
-        auto info = KDevelop::Core::self()->pluginControllerInternal()->pluginInfo( plugin );
-        KDevelop::SourceFormatter* formatter;
-        FormatterMap::const_iterator iter = d->formatters.constFind(ifmt->name());
-        if (iter == d->formatters.constEnd()) {
-            formatter = fmtctrl->createFormatterForPlugin(ifmt);
-            d->formatters[ifmt->name()] = formatter;
-        } else {
-            formatter = iter.value();
-        }
-        foreach ( const SourceFormatterStyle* style, formatter->styles ) {
-            foreach ( const SourceFormatterStyle::MimeHighlightPair& item, style->mimeTypes() ) {
-                QMimeType mime = QMimeDatabase().mimeTypeForName(item.mimeType);
-                if (!mime.isValid()) {
-                    qCWarning(SHELL) << "plugin" << info.name() << "supports unknown mimetype entry" << item.mimeType;
-                    continue;
-                }
-                QString languageName = item.highlightMode;
-                LanguageSettings& l = d->languages[languageName];
-                l.mimetypes.append(mime);
-                l.formatters.insert( formatter );
+    SourceFormatter* formatter;
+    FormatterMap::const_iterator iter = d->formatters.constFind(ifmt->name());
+    if (iter == d->formatters.constEnd()) {
+        formatter = Core::self()->sourceFormatterControllerInternal()->createFormatterForPlugin(ifmt);
+        d->formatters[ifmt->name()] = formatter;
+    } else {
+        qCWarning(SHELL) << "formatter plugin" << ifmt->name() << "loading which was already seen before by SourceFormatterSelectionEdit";
+        return;
+    }
+
+    foreach ( const SourceFormatterStyle* style, formatter->styles ) {
+        foreach ( const SourceFormatterStyle::MimeHighlightPair& item, style->mimeTypes() ) {
+            QMimeType mime = QMimeDatabase().mimeTypeForName(item.mimeType);
+            if (!mime.isValid()) {
+                qCWarning(SHELL) << "formatter plugin" << ifmt->name() << "supports unknown mimetype entry" << item.mimeType;
+                continue;
+            }
+            QString languageName = item.highlightMode;
+            LanguageSettings& l = d->languages[languageName];
+            l.mimetypes.append(mime);
+            l.formatters.insert( formatter );
+            // init selection if needed
+            if (!l.selectedFormatter) {
+                l.selectedFormatter = formatter;
+                selectAvailableStyle(l);
             }
         }
     }
 
-    // Sort the languages, preferring firstly active, then loaded languages
-    QList<QString> sortedLanguages;
+    resetUi();
+}
 
-    foreach(const auto language,
-                KDevelop::ICore::self()->languageController()->activeLanguages() +
-                KDevelop::ICore::self()->languageController()->loadedLanguages())
-    {
-        if (d->languages.contains(language->name()) && !sortedLanguages.contains(language->name())) {
-            sortedLanguages.push_back( language->name() );
-        }
+void SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::removeSourceFormatter(ISourceFormatter* ifmt)
+{
+    auto iter = d->formatters.find(ifmt->name());
+    if (iter == d->formatters.end()) {
+        qCWarning(SHELL) << "formatter plugin" << ifmt->name() << "unloading which was not seen before by SourceFormatterSelectionEdit";
+        return;
     }
+    d->formatters.erase(iter);
+    auto formatter = iter.value();
 
-    foreach (const QString& name, d->languages.keys()) {
-        if( !sortedLanguages.contains( name ) )
-            sortedLanguages.push_back( name );
+    auto languageIter = d->languages.begin();
+    while (languageIter != d->languages.end()) {
+        LanguageSettings& l = languageIter.value();
+
+        l.formatters.remove(formatter);
+        if (l.formatters.isEmpty()) {
+            languageIter = d->languages.erase(languageIter);
+        } else {
+            // reset selected formatter if needed
+            if (l.selectedFormatter == formatter) {
+                l.selectedFormatter = *l.formatters.begin();
+                selectAvailableStyle(l);
+            }
+            ++languageIter;
+        }
     }
+    delete formatter;
 
-    foreach( const QString& name, sortedLanguages )
-    {
+    resetUi();
+}
+
+void SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::loadSettings(const KConfigGroup& config)
+{
+    for (auto languageIter = d->languages.begin(); languageIter != d->languages.end(); ++languageIter) {
         // Pick the first appropriate mimetype for this language
-        LanguageSettings& l = d->languages[name];
+        LanguageSettings& l = languageIter.value();
         const QList<QMimeType> mimetypes = l.mimetypes;
         foreach (const QMimeType& mimetype, mimetypes) {
             QStringList formatterAndStyleName = config.readEntry(mimetype.name(), QString()).split(QStringLiteral("||"), QString::KeepEmptyParts);
@@ -205,6 +232,29 @@
             selectAvailableStyle(l);
         }
     }
+
+    resetUi();
+}
+
+void SourceFormatterSelectionEdit::resetUi()
+{
+    // Sort the languages, preferring firstly active, then loaded languages
+    QList<QString> sortedLanguages;
+
+    foreach(const auto language,
+                KDevelop::ICore::self()->languageController()->activeLanguages() +
+                KDevelop::ICore::self()->languageController()->loadedLanguages())
+    {
+        if (d->languages.contains(language->name()) && !sortedLanguages.contains(language->name())) {
+            sortedLanguages.push_back( language->name() );
+        }
+    }
+
+    foreach (const QString& name, d->languages.keys()) {
+        if( !sortedLanguages.contains( name ) )
+            sortedLanguages.push_back( name );
+    }
+
     bool b = blockSignals( true );
     d->ui.cbLanguages->blockSignals(!b);
     d->ui.cbFormatters->blockSignals(!b);
@@ -222,6 +272,7 @@
     } else
     {
         d->ui.cbLanguages->setCurrentIndex(0);
+        d->ui.cbLanguages->setEnabled(true);
         selectLanguage( 0 );
     }
     updatePreview();
diff --git a/plugins/astyle/kdevastyle.json b/plugins/astyle/kdevastyle.json
--- a/plugins/astyle/kdevastyle.json
+++ b/plugins/astyle/kdevastyle.json
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@
     "X-KDevelop-Interfaces": [
         "org.kdevelop.ISourceFormatter"
     ],
-    "X-KDevelop-LoadMode": "AlwaysOn",
+    "X-KDevelop-Category": "Global",
     "X-KDevelop-Mode": "NoGUI"
 }
diff --git a/plugins/customscript/kdevcustomscript.json b/plugins/customscript/kdevcustomscript.json
--- a/plugins/customscript/kdevcustomscript.json
+++ b/plugins/customscript/kdevcustomscript.json
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@
     "X-KDevelop-Interfaces": [
         "org.kdevelop.ISourceFormatter"
     ],
-    "X-KDevelop-LoadMode": "AlwaysOn",
+    "X-KDevelop-Category": "Global",
     "X-KDevelop-Mode": "NoGUI"
 }
diff --git a/plugins/sourceformatter/sourceformatterplugin.cpp b/plugins/sourceformatter/sourceformatterplugin.cpp
--- a/plugins/sourceformatter/sourceformatterplugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/sourceformatter/sourceformatterplugin.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 #include "config/projectconfigpage.h"
 
+#include <interfaces/icore.h>
+#include <interfaces/isourceformattercontroller.h>
 #include <project/projectconfigpage.h>
 
 #include <KPluginFactory>
@@ -38,7 +40,8 @@
 
 int SourceFormatterPlugin::perProjectConfigPages() const
 {
-    return 1;
+    const auto hasFormatters = KDevelop::ICore::self()->sourceFormatterController()->hasFormatters();
+    return hasFormatters ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
 KDevelop::ConfigPage* SourceFormatterPlugin::perProjectConfigPage(int number, const KDevelop::ProjectConfigOptions& options, QWidget* parent)