diff --git a/devscripts/make_lazy_extractors.py b/devscripts/make_lazy_extractors.py
index 58d027492..8ea87495b 100644
--- a/devscripts/make_lazy_extractors.py
+++ b/devscripts/make_lazy_extractors.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 from devscripts.utils import get_filename_args, read_file, write_file
 from yt_dlp.extractor import import_extractors
 from yt_dlp.extractor.common import InfoExtractor, SearchInfoExtractor
-from yt_dlp._globals import extractors
+from yt_dlp.globals import extractors
 
 NO_ATTR = object()
 STATIC_CLASS_PROPERTIES = [
diff --git a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
index 61e913938..708a04f92 100644
--- a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import unittest
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
-from yt_dlp._globals import all_plugins_loaded
+from yt_dlp.globals import all_plugins_loaded
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
 
diff --git a/test/test_plugins.py b/test/test_plugins.py
index 28d1fa8fa..9b77659e6 100644
--- a/test/test_plugins.py
+++ b/test/test_plugins.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     get_plugin_spec,
 )
 
-from yt_dlp._globals import (
+from yt_dlp.globals import (
     extractors,
     postprocessors,
     plugin_dirs,
diff --git a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
index 839397edc..ad69268a6 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@
 from .extractor import gen_extractor_classes, get_info_extractor, import_extractors
 from .extractor.common import UnsupportedURLIE
 from .extractor.openload import PhantomJSwrapper
-from ._globals import (
+from .globals import (
     IN_CLI,
     LAZY_EXTRACTORS,
     plugin_ies,
-    plugin_overrides,
+    plugin_ies_overrides,
     plugin_pps,
     all_plugins_loaded,
     plugin_dirs,
@@ -4090,7 +4090,7 @@ def get_encoding(stream):
                 for name, klass in plugins.value.items()]
             if plugin_type == 'Extractor':
                 display_list.extend(f'{plugins[-1].IE_NAME.partition("+")[2]} ({parent.__name__})'
-                                    for parent, plugins in plugin_overrides.value.items())
+                                    for parent, plugins in plugin_ies_overrides.value.items())
             if not display_list:
                 continue
             write_debug(f'{plugin_type} Plugins: {", ".join(sorted(display_list))}')
diff --git a/yt_dlp/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
index a491fc6d1..edaeadd92 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
@@ -19,11 +19,9 @@
 from .extractor import list_extractor_classes
 from .extractor.adobepass import MSO_INFO
 from .networking.impersonate import ImpersonateTarget
-from ._globals import IN_CLI as _IN_CLI
+from .globals import IN_CLI as _IN_CLI, plugin_dirs
 from .options import parseOpts
 from .plugins import load_all_plugins as _load_all_plugins
-from .plugins import disable_plugins as _disable_plugins
-from .plugins import set_plugin_dirs as _set_plugin_dirs
 from .postprocessor import (
     FFmpegExtractAudioPP,
     FFmpegMergerPP,
@@ -991,7 +989,10 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
         FFmpegPostProcessor._ffmpeg_location.set(opts.ffmpeg_location)
 
     # load all plugins into the global lookup
-    _set_plugin_dirs(*set(opts.plugin_dirs))
+    print(opts.plugin_dirs)
+    plugin_dirs.value = list(set(opts.plugin_dirs))
+    if plugin_dirs.value:
+        _load_all_plugins()
 
     with YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
         pre_process = opts.update_self or opts.rm_cachedir
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py
index 3dde76933..18b7e40b3 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-from .._globals import extractors as _extractors_context
-from .._globals import plugin_ies as _plugin_ies_context
+from ..globals import extractors as _extractors_context
+from ..globals import plugin_ies as _plugin_ies_context
 from ..compat.compat_utils import passthrough_module
 from ..plugins import PluginSpec, register_plugin_spec
 
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py
index 78d5ac140..27bcf44c9 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 import urllib.request
 import xml.etree.ElementTree
 
-from .._globals import plugin_overrides as _plugin_overrides
+from ..globals import plugin_ies_overrides as _plugin_overrides
 from ..compat import (
     compat_etree_fromstring,
     compat_expanduser,
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
index 5424fed84..ffcf7eb46 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import inspect
 import os
 
-from .._globals import LAZY_EXTRACTORS
-from .._globals import extractors as _extractors_context
+from ..globals import LAZY_EXTRACTORS
+from ..globals import extractors as _extractors_context
 
 _CLASS_LOOKUP = None
 if not os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_LAZY_EXTRACTORS'):
diff --git a/yt_dlp/_globals.py b/yt_dlp/globals.py
similarity index 66%
rename from yt_dlp/_globals.py
rename to yt_dlp/globals.py
index b0f178ac2..e01005a23 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/_globals.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/globals.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 from collections import defaultdict
 
-# Internal only - no backwards compatibility guaranteed
+# Please Note: Due to necessary changes and the complex nature involved in the plugin/globals system,
+# no backwards compatibility is guaranteed for the plugin system API.
+# However, we will still try our best.
 
 
 class Indirect:
@@ -14,14 +16,16 @@ def __repr__(self, /):
 postprocessors = Indirect({})
 extractors = Indirect({})
 
+# Plugins
+all_plugins_loaded = Indirect(False)
+plugin_specs = Indirect({})
+plugin_dirs = Indirect(['default'])
+
+plugin_ies = Indirect({})
+plugin_pps = Indirect({})
+plugin_ies_overrides = Indirect(defaultdict(list))
+
+# Misc
 IN_CLI = Indirect(False)
 # `False`=force, `None`=disabled, `True`=enabled
 LAZY_EXTRACTORS = Indirect(False)
-
-# Plugins
-plugin_specs = Indirect({})
-all_plugins_loaded = Indirect(False)
-plugin_dirs = Indirect(['default'])
-plugin_ies = Indirect({})
-plugin_overrides = Indirect(defaultdict(list))
-plugin_pps = Indirect({})
diff --git a/yt_dlp/options.py b/yt_dlp/options.py
index 5b8fbea67..127fa40b9 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/options.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/options.py
@@ -413,6 +413,7 @@ def _alias_callback(option, opt_str, value, parser, opts, nargs):
         metavar='PATH',
         dest='plugin_dirs',
         action='append',
+        default=['default'],
         help=(
             'Path to an additional directory to search for plugins. '
             'This option can be used multiple times to add multiple directories. '))
diff --git a/yt_dlp/plugins.py b/yt_dlp/plugins.py
index 1e5d0d3c0..cf4bd27de 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/plugins.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/plugins.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from zipfile import ZipFile
 
-from ._globals import (
+from .globals import (
     plugin_dirs,
     all_plugins_loaded,
     plugin_specs,
@@ -37,19 +37,18 @@
 _BASE_PACKAGE_PATH = Path(__file__).parent
 
 
-# Public APIs
-# Anything else is NOT public and no backwards compatibility is guaranteed
+# Please Note: Due to necessary changes and the complex nature involved,
+# no backwards compatibility is guaranteed for the plugin system API.
+# However, we will still try our best.
+
 __all__ = [
     'COMPAT_PACKAGE_NAME',
     'PACKAGE_NAME',
-    'add_plugin_dirs',
     'directories',
     'disable_plugins',
-    'get_plugin_spec',
     'load_all_plugins',
     'load_plugins',
     'register_plugin_spec',
-    'set_plugin_dirs',
 ]
 
 
@@ -264,20 +263,6 @@ def register_plugin_spec(plugin_spec: PluginSpec):
         sys.meta_path.insert(0, PluginFinder(f'{PACKAGE_NAME}.{plugin_spec.module_name}'))
 
 
-def add_plugin_dirs(*paths):
-    """Add external plugin dirs to the existing ones"""
-    plugin_dirs.value.extend(paths)
-
-
-def set_plugin_dirs(*paths):
-    """Set external plugin dirs, overriding the default ones"""
-    plugin_dirs.value = list(paths)
-
-
-def get_plugin_spec(module_name):
-    return plugin_specs.value.get(module_name)
-
-
 def disable_plugins():
     if (
         all_plugins_loaded.value
diff --git a/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py
index 172a07cde..20e8b14b2 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from .sponskrub import SponSkrubPP
 from .sponsorblock import SponsorBlockPP
 from .xattrpp import XAttrMetadataPP
-from .._globals import plugin_pps, postprocessors
+from ..globals import plugin_pps, postprocessors
 from ..plugins import PACKAGE_NAME, register_plugin_spec, PluginSpec
 from ..utils import deprecation_warning
 
diff --git a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
index d513287a3..faa18d778 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
     compat_HTMLParseError,
 )
 from ..dependencies import xattr
-from .._globals import IN_CLI as _IN_CLI
+from ..globals import IN_CLI as _IN_CLI
 
 __name__ = __name__.rsplit('.', 1)[0]  # noqa: A001: Pretend to be the parent module