diff --git a/dlt/common/plugins/plugins.py b/dlt/common/plugins/plugins.py
index 34710dfa74..bf8ca71041 100644
--- a/dlt/common/plugins/plugins.py
+++ b/dlt/common/plugins/plugins.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import multiprocessing as mp
 from functools import wraps
 import threading
+import queue
 
 
 SAFE_SUFFIX = "_safe"
@@ -22,10 +23,11 @@ def create_safe_version(f: TFun) -> TFun:
     @wraps(f)
     def _wrap(self: "PluginsContext", *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
         # send message to shared queue if this is not the main instance
-        if not self._main or threading.main_thread() != threading.current_thread():
-            self._queue.put((f.__name__, args, kwargs))
-        else:
-            getattr(self, (f.__name__ + SAFE_SUFFIX))(*args, **kwargs)
+        if self._plugins:
+            if not self._main or threading.main_thread() != threading.current_thread():
+                self._queue.put((f.__name__, args, kwargs))
+            else:
+                getattr(self, (f.__name__ + SAFE_SUFFIX))(*args, **kwargs)
         return f(self, *args, **kwargs)
 
     return _wrap  # type: ignore
@@ -38,10 +40,7 @@ def __init__(self, main: bool = True) -> None:
         self._callback_plugins: List[CallbackPlugin[BaseConfiguration]] = []
         self._initial_plugins: TPluginArg = []
         self._main = main
-
-        if self._main:
-            manager = mp.Manager()
-            self._queue = manager.Queue()
+        self._queue: Optional[queue.Queue[Any]] = None
 
     def _resolve_plugin(self, plugin: TSinglePluginArg) -> Plugin[BaseConfiguration]:
         resolved_plugin: Plugin[BaseConfiguration] = None
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ def _resolve_plugin(self, plugin: TSinglePluginArg) -> Plugin[BaseConfiguration]
             raise TypeError(f"Plugin {plugin} is not a subclass of Plugin nor a plugin name string")
         return resolved_plugin
 
-    # pickle support
+    # pickle support, send plugins config and queue to child process / threads
     def __getstate__(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         return {"plugins": self._initial_plugins, "queue": self._queue}
 
@@ -72,6 +71,8 @@ def __setstate__(self, d: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
 
     def process_queue(self) -> None:
         assert self._main
+        if not self._plugins:
+            return
         try:
             while True:
                 name, args, kwargs = self._queue.get_nowait()
@@ -80,9 +81,10 @@ def process_queue(self) -> None:
             pass
 
     def setup_plugins(self, plugins: TPluginArg) -> None:
-        self._initial_plugins = plugins
         if not plugins:
             return
+        self._initial_plugins = plugins
+        # if not plugins:
         if not isinstance(plugins, Iterable):
             plugins = [plugins]
         for p in plugins:
@@ -91,6 +93,10 @@ def setup_plugins(self, plugins: TPluginArg) -> None:
             if isinstance(resolved_plugin, CallbackPlugin):
                 self._callback_plugins.append(resolved_plugin)
 
+        if self._plugins and self._main:
+            manager = mp.Manager()
+            self._queue = manager.Queue()
+
     def get_plugin(self, plugin_name: str) -> Optional[Plugin[BaseConfiguration]]:
         for p in self._plugins:
             if p.NAME == plugin_name:
diff --git a/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py b/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py
index 7496bcfab7..08925df273 100644
--- a/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py
+++ b/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py
@@ -185,17 +185,20 @@ def _wrap(self: "Pipeline", *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
 
             # call step
             self._plugin_ctx.on_step_start(f.__name__, self)
-            with self._container.injectable_context(self._plugin_ctx):
-                result = f(self, *args, **kwargs)
-            self._plugin_ctx.on_step_end(f.__name__, self)
 
-            # ensure messages queue is completely processed
-            self._plugin_ctx.process_queue()
+            try:
+                with self._container.injectable_context(self._plugin_ctx):
+                    result = f(self, *args, **kwargs)
+            finally:
+                self._plugin_ctx.on_step_end(f.__name__, self)
+
+                # ensure messages queue is completely processed
+                self._plugin_ctx.process_queue()
 
-            if is_new_context:
-                self._plugin_ctx.on_end(self)
-                self._last_plugin_ctx = self._plugin_ctx
-                self._plugin_ctx = None
+                if is_new_context:
+                    self._plugin_ctx.on_end(self)
+                    self._last_plugin_ctx = self._plugin_ctx
+                    self._plugin_ctx = None
 
             return result
 
diff --git a/tests/common/plugins/test_plugin_basics.py b/tests/common/plugins/test_plugin_basics.py
index a280e6fed4..50dd1960ab 100644
--- a/tests/common/plugins/test_plugin_basics.py
+++ b/tests/common/plugins/test_plugin_basics.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         super().__init__()
         self.start_steps: List[str] = []
         self.end_steps: List[str] = []
+        self.on_start_called: int = 0
+        self.on_end_called: int = 0
 
     def on_step_start(self, step: str, pipeline: SupportsPipeline) -> None:
         self.start_steps.append(step)
@@ -27,6 +29,12 @@ def on_step_start(self, step: str, pipeline: SupportsPipeline) -> None:
     def on_step_end(self, step: str, pipeline: SupportsPipeline) -> None:
         self.end_steps.append(step)
 
+    def on_start(self, pipeline: SupportsPipeline) -> None:
+        self.on_start_called += 1
+
+    def on_end(self, pipeline: SupportsPipeline) -> None:
+        self.on_end_called += 1
+
 
 def test_simple_plugin_steps() -> None:
     """very simple test to see if plugins work"""
@@ -39,6 +47,10 @@ def test_simple_plugin_steps() -> None:
 
     assert plug.start_steps == ["run", "extract", "normalize", "load"]
     assert plug.end_steps == ["extract", "normalize", "load", "run"]
+    assert plug.on_start_called == 1
+    assert plug.on_end_called == 1
+    assert pipeline._last_plugin_ctx is not None
+    assert pipeline._plugin_ctx is None
 
 
 def test_plugin_resolution() -> None: