diff --git a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/compatibility.rs b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/compatibility.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3360baa05b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/compatibility.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2023 ZettaScale Technology
+//
+// This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+// terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+// http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0, or the Apache License, Version 2.0
+// which is available at https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0 OR Apache-2.0
+//
+// Contributors:
+//   ZettaScale Zenoh Team, <zenoh@zettascale.tech>
+//
+
+#[repr(C)]
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone)]
+pub struct Compatibility {
+    major: u64,
+    minor: u64,
+    patch: u64,
+    stable: bool,
+    commit: &'static str,
+}
+const RELEASE_AND_COMMIT: (&str, &str) = zenoh_macros::rustc_version_release!();
+impl Compatibility {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        let (release, commit) = RELEASE_AND_COMMIT;
+        let (release, stable) = if let Some(p) = release.chars().position(|c| c == '-') {
+            (&release[..p], false)
+        } else {
+            (release, true)
+        };
+        let mut split = release.split('.').map(|s| s.trim());
+        Compatibility {
+            major: split.next().unwrap().parse().unwrap(),
+            minor: split.next().unwrap().parse().unwrap(),
+            patch: split.next().unwrap().parse().unwrap(),
+            stable,
+            commit,
+        }
+    }
+    pub fn are_compatible(a: &Self, b: &Self) -> bool {
+        if a.stable && b.stable {
+            a.major == b.major && a.minor == b.minor && a.patch == b.patch
+        } else {
+            a == b
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/lib.rs b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/lib.rs
index 486aa8fbe7..7605cb2cab 100644
--- a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/lib.rs
+++ b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/lib.rs
@@ -18,49 +18,14 @@
 //!
 //! If building a plugin for [`zenohd`](https://crates.io/crates/zenoh), you should use the types exported in [`zenoh::plugins`](https://docs.rs/zenoh/latest/zenoh/plugins) to fill [`Plugin`]'s associated types.  
 //! To check your plugin typing for `zenohd`, have your plugin implement [`zenoh::plugins::ZenohPlugin`](https://docs.rs/zenoh/latest/zenoh/plugins/struct.ZenohPlugin)
+pub mod compatibility;
 pub mod loading;
 pub mod vtable;
 
 use zenoh_result::ZResult;
 
-#[repr(C)]
-#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone)]
-pub struct Compatibility {
-    major: u64,
-    minor: u64,
-    patch: u64,
-    stable: bool,
-    commit: &'static str,
-}
-const RELEASE_AND_COMMIT: (&str, &str) = zenoh_macros::rustc_version_release!();
-impl Compatibility {
-    pub fn new() -> ZResult<Self> {
-        let (release, commit) = RELEASE_AND_COMMIT;
-        let (release, stable) = if let Some(p) = release.chars().position(|c| c == '-') {
-            (&release[..p], false)
-        } else {
-            (release, true)
-        };
-        let mut split = release.split('.').map(|s| s.trim());
-        Ok(Compatibility {
-            major: split.next().unwrap().parse().unwrap(),
-            minor: split.next().unwrap().parse().unwrap(),
-            patch: split.next().unwrap().parse().unwrap(),
-            stable,
-            commit,
-        })
-    }
-    pub fn are_compatible(a: &Self, b: &Self) -> bool {
-        if a.stable && b.stable {
-            a.major == b.major && a.minor == b.minor && a.patch == b.patch
-        } else {
-            a == b
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 pub mod prelude {
-    pub use crate::{loading::*, vtable::*, Plugin};
+    pub use crate::{compatibility::*, loading::*, vtable::*, Plugin};
 }
 
 pub trait Plugin: Sized + 'static {
@@ -68,12 +33,6 @@ pub trait Plugin: Sized + 'static {
     type RunningPlugin;
     /// Your plugins' default name when statically linked.
     const STATIC_NAME: &'static str;
-    /// You probabky don't need to override this function.
-    ///
-    /// Returns some build information on your plugin, allowing the host to detect potential ABI changes that would break it.
-    fn compatibility() -> ZResult<Compatibility> {
-        Compatibility::new()
-    }
     /// Starts your plugin. Use `Ok` to return your plugin's control structure
     fn start(name: &str, args: &Self::StartArgs) -> ZResult<Self::RunningPlugin>;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/loading.rs b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/loading.rs
index 0f7475a651..d97ef01561 100644
--- a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/loading.rs
+++ b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/loading.rs
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@
 // Contributors:
 //   ZettaScale Zenoh Team, <zenoh@zettascale.tech>
 //
-use crate::vtable::*;
 use crate::*;
 use libloading::Library;
 use std::collections::hash_map::Entry;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
+use vtable::PluginVTable;
 use zenoh_result::{bail, zerror, ZResult};
 use zenoh_util::LibLoader;
 
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ impl<StartArgs: 'static, RunningPlugin: 'static> PluginsManager<StartArgs, Runni
             running_plugins,
             ..
         } = self;
-        let compat = crate::Compatibility::new().unwrap();
         plugin_starters.iter().map(move |p| {
             let name = p.name();
             let path = p.path();
@@ -105,29 +104,12 @@ impl<StartArgs: 'static, RunningPlugin: 'static> PluginsManager<StartArgs, Runni
                 path,
                 match running_plugins.entry(name.into()) {
                     std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Occupied(_) => Ok(None),
-                    std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Vacant(e) => {
-                        let compatible = match p.compatibility() {
-                            Some(Ok(c)) => {
-                                if Compatibility::are_compatible(&compat, &c) {
-                                    Ok(())
-                                } else {
-                                    Err(zerror!("Plugin compatibility mismatch: host: {:?} - plugin: {:?}. This could lead to segfaults, so wer'e not starting it.", &compat, &c))
-                                }
-                            }
-                            Some(Err(e)) => Err(zerror!(e => "Plugin {} (from {}) compatibility couldn't be recovered. This likely means it's very broken.", name, path)),
-                            None => Ok(()),
-                        };
-                        if let Err(e) = compatible {
-                            Err(e.into())
-                        } else {
-                            match p.start(args) {
-                                Ok(p) => Ok(Some(unsafe {
-                                    std::mem::transmute(&e.insert((path.into(), p)).1)
-                                })),
-                                Err(e) => Err(e),
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
+                    std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Vacant(e) => match p.start(args) {
+                        Ok(p) => Ok(Some(unsafe {
+                            std::mem::transmute(&e.insert((path.into(), p)).1)
+                        })),
+                        Err(e) => Err(e),
+                    },
                 },
             )
         })
@@ -218,7 +200,6 @@ trait PluginStarter<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> {
     fn name(&self) -> &str;
     fn path(&self) -> &str;
     fn start(&self, args: &StartArgs) -> ZResult<RunningPlugin>;
-    fn compatibility(&self) -> Option<ZResult<Compatibility>>;
     fn deletable(&self) -> bool;
 }
 
@@ -244,9 +225,6 @@ where
     fn path(&self) -> &str {
         "<statically_linked>"
     }
-    fn compatibility(&self) -> Option<ZResult<Compatibility>> {
-        None
-    }
     fn start(&self, args: &StartArgs) -> ZResult<RunningPlugin> {
         P::start(P::STATIC_NAME, args)
     }
@@ -265,10 +243,7 @@ impl<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> PluginStarter<StartArgs, RunningPlugin>
         self.path.to_str().unwrap()
     }
     fn start(&self, args: &StartArgs) -> ZResult<RunningPlugin> {
-        self.vtable.start(self.name(), args)
-    }
-    fn compatibility(&self) -> Option<ZResult<Compatibility>> {
-        Some(self.vtable.compatibility())
+        (self.vtable.start)(self.name(), args)
     }
     fn deletable(&self) -> bool {
         true
@@ -283,21 +258,18 @@ pub struct DynamicPlugin<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> {
 }
 
 impl<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> DynamicPlugin<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> {
-    fn new(name: String, lib: Library, path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self, Option<PluginVTableVersion>> {
+    fn new(name: String, lib: Library, path: PathBuf) -> Self {
+        // TODO: check loader version and compatibility
         let load_plugin = unsafe {
-            lib.get::<fn(PluginVTableVersion) -> LoadPluginResult<StartArgs, RunningPlugin>>(
-                b"load_plugin",
-            )
-            .map_err(|_| None)?
+            lib.get::<fn() -> PluginVTable<StartArgs, RunningPlugin>>(b"load_plugin")
+                .map_err(|_| None)?
         };
-        match load_plugin(PLUGIN_VTABLE_VERSION) {
-            Ok(vtable) => Ok(DynamicPlugin {
-                _lib: lib,
-                vtable,
-                name,
-                path,
-            }),
-            Err(plugin_version) => Err(Some(plugin_version)),
+        let vtable = load_plugin();
+        Self {
+            _lib: lib,
+            vtable,
+            name,
+            path,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/vtable.rs b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/vtable.rs
index 6bb3eb7dd5..51193450ed 100644
--- a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/vtable.rs
+++ b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-trait/src/vtable.rs
@@ -15,73 +15,23 @@ use crate::*;
 pub use no_mangle::*;
 use zenoh_result::ZResult;
 
-pub type PluginVTableVersion = u16;
-type LoadPluginResultInner = Result<PluginVTableInner<(), ()>, PluginVTableVersion>;
-pub type LoadPluginResult<A, B> = Result<PluginVTable<A, B>, PluginVTableVersion>;
-
-/// This number should change any time the internal structure of [`PluginVTable`] changes
-pub const PLUGIN_VTABLE_VERSION: PluginVTableVersion = 1;
+pub type PluginLoaderVersion = u64;
+pub const PLUGIN_LOADER_VERSION: PluginLoaderVersion = 1;
 
 type StartFn<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> = fn(&str, &StartArgs) -> ZResult<RunningPlugin>;
 
-#[repr(C)]
-struct PluginVTableInner<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> {
-    start: StartFn<StartArgs, RunningPlugin>,
-    compatibility: fn() -> ZResult<crate::Compatibility>,
-}
-
-/// Automagical padding such that [PluginVTable::init]'s result is the size of a cache line
-#[repr(C)]
-struct PluginVTablePadding {
-    __padding: [u8; PluginVTablePadding::padding_length()],
-}
-impl PluginVTablePadding {
-    const fn padding_length() -> usize {
-        64 - std::mem::size_of::<LoadPluginResultInner>()
-    }
-    fn new() -> Self {
-        PluginVTablePadding {
-            __padding: [0; Self::padding_length()],
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-/// For use with dynamically loaded plugins. Its size will not change accross versions, but its internal structure might.
-///
-/// To ensure compatibility, its size and alignment must allow `size_of::<Result<PluginVTable, PluginVTableVersion>>() == 64` (one cache line).
 #[repr(C)]
 pub struct PluginVTable<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> {
-    inner: PluginVTableInner<StartArgs, RunningPlugin>,
-    padding: PluginVTablePadding,
+    pub start: StartFn<StartArgs, RunningPlugin>,
 }
 
 impl<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> PluginVTable<StartArgs, RunningPlugin> {
     pub fn new<ConcretePlugin: Plugin<StartArgs = StartArgs, RunningPlugin = RunningPlugin>>(
     ) -> Self {
-        PluginVTable {
-            inner: PluginVTableInner {
-                start: ConcretePlugin::start,
-                compatibility: ConcretePlugin::compatibility,
-            },
-            padding: PluginVTablePadding::new(),
+        Self {
+            start: ConcretePlugin::start,
         }
     }
-
-    /// Ensures [PluginVTable]'s size stays the same between versions
-    fn __size_check() {
-        unsafe {
-            std::mem::transmute::<_, [u8; 64]>(std::mem::MaybeUninit::<
-                Result<Self, PluginVTableVersion>,
-            >::uninit())
-        };
-    }
-
-    pub fn start(&self, name: &str, start_args: &StartArgs) -> ZResult<RunningPlugin> {
-        (self.inner.start)(name, start_args)
-    }
-    pub fn compatibility(&self) -> ZResult<Compatibility> {
-        (self.inner.compatibility)()
-    }
 }
 
 pub use no_mangle::*;
@@ -92,17 +42,22 @@ pub mod no_mangle {
     macro_rules! declare_plugin {
         ($ty: path) => {
             #[no_mangle]
-            fn load_plugin(
-                version: $crate::prelude::PluginVTableVersion,
-            ) -> $crate::prelude::LoadPluginResult<
+            fn get_plugin_loader_version() -> $crate::prelude::PluginLoaderVersion {
+                $crate::prelude::PLUGIN_LOADER_VERSION
+            }
+
+            #[no_mangle]
+            fn get_plugin_compatibility() -> $crate::Compatibility {
+                // TODO: add vtable version (including type parameters) to the compatibility information
+                Compatibility::new()
+            }
+
+            #[no_mangle]
+            fn load_plugin() -> $crate::prelude::PluginVTable<
                 <$ty as $crate::prelude::Plugin>::StartArgs,
                 <$ty as $crate::prelude::Plugin>::RunningPlugin,
             > {
-                if version == $crate::prelude::PLUGIN_VTABLE_VERSION {
-                    Ok($crate::prelude::PluginVTable::new::<$ty>())
-                } else {
-                    Err($crate::prelude::PLUGIN_VTABLE_VERSION)
-                }
+                $crate::prelude::PluginVTable::new::<$ty>()
             }
         };
     }