diff --git a/headless/index.js b/headless/index.js
index 36ea75d61..dab3e590e 100644
--- a/headless/index.js
+++ b/headless/index.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {createStore} from 'redux';
 import reducers from '../src/reducers/index.js';
 import dispatcher from '../src/dispatcher/index.js';
 import Logger, {init} from '../src/fb-stubs/Logger.js';
+import path from 'path';
 // $FlowFixMe this file exist, trust me, flow!
 import setup from '../static/setup.js';
 
@@ -16,6 +17,10 @@ import setup from '../static/setup.js';
 global.WebSocket = require('ws'); // used for redux devtools
 global.fetch = require('node-fetch/lib/index');
 
+process.env.BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH =
+  process.env.BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH ||
+  path.join(path.dirname(process.execPath), 'plugins');
+
 // needs to be required after WebSocket polyfill is loaded
 const devToolsEnhancer = require('remote-redux-devtools').default;
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7fd4a1b9f..31c4f0ccb 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
     "reset": "yarn cache clean && yarn rm-dist && yarn rm-modules && yarn rm-temp",
     "start": "cross-env NODE_ENV=development node scripts/start-dev-server.js",
     "build": "yarn rm-dist && cross-env NODE_ENV=production node scripts/build-release.js $@",
-    "build-headless": "yarn rm-dist && cross-env NODE_ENV=production node scripts/build-headless.js $@",
+    "build-headless": "yarn rm-dist && mkdir dist && cross-env NODE_ENV=production node scripts/build-headless.js $@",
     "fix": "eslint . --fix",
     "test": "jest --testPathPattern=node\\.js$ --no-cache",
     "test-electron": "jest --testPathPattern=electron\\.js$ --testEnvironment=@jest-runner/electron/environment --runner=@jest-runner/electron --no-cache",
diff --git a/scripts/build-headless.js b/scripts/build-headless.js
index f31b609bf..5a86a477b 100644
--- a/scripts/build-headless.js
+++ b/scripts/build-headless.js
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@
 const path = require('path');
 const lineReplace = require('line-replace');
 const {exec: createBinary} = require('pkg');
-const {buildFolder, compile} = require('./build-utils.js');
+const {
+  buildFolder,
+  compile,
+  compileDefaultPlugins,
+} = require('./build-utils.js');
 
 function preludeBundle(dir) {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) =>
@@ -53,6 +57,7 @@ function preludeBundle(dir) {
   console.log('Created build directory', buildDir);
   await compile(buildDir, path.join(__dirname, '..', 'headless', 'index.js'));
   await preludeBundle(buildDir);
+  await compileDefaultPlugins(path.join(distDir, 'plugins'));
   await createBinary([
     path.join(buildDir, 'bundle.js'),
     '--output',
diff --git a/scripts/build-release.js b/scripts/build-release.js
index 4dfe608b7..e21ce017c 100755
--- a/scripts/build-release.js
+++ b/scripts/build-release.js
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ function copyStaticFolder(buildFolder) {
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
   console.log('Created build directory', dir);
   await copyStaticFolder(dir);
-  await compileDefaultPlugins(dir);
+  await compileDefaultPlugins(path.join(dir, 'defaultPlugins'));
   await compile(dir, path.join(__dirname, '..', 'src', 'init.js'));
   const versionNumber = await modifyPackageManifest(dir);
   generateManifest(versionNumber);
diff --git a/scripts/build-utils.js b/scripts/build-utils.js
index e72ec3ed7..fa94e0ac2 100644
--- a/scripts/build-utils.js
+++ b/scripts/build-utils.js
@@ -16,9 +16,7 @@ function die(err) {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-function compileDefaultPlugins(buildFolder) {
-  const defaultPluginFolder = 'defaultPlugins';
-  const defaultPluginDir = path.join(buildFolder, defaultPluginFolder);
+function compileDefaultPlugins(defaultPluginDir) {
   return compilePlugins(
     null,
     [
@@ -34,7 +32,7 @@ function compileDefaultPlugins(buildFolder) {
         JSON.stringify(
           defaultPlugins.map(plugin => ({
             ...plugin,
-            out: path.join(defaultPluginFolder, path.parse(plugin.out).base),
+            out: path.parse(plugin.out).base,
           })),
         ),
       ),
diff --git a/src/dispatcher/plugins.js b/src/dispatcher/plugins.js
index 110ba384f..dc77d1dac 100644
--- a/src/dispatcher/plugins.js
+++ b/src/dispatcher/plugins.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {remote} from 'electron';
 import GK from '../fb-stubs/GK';
 import {FlipperBasePlugin} from '../plugin.js';
 import {setupMenuBar} from '../MenuBar.js';
+import path from 'path';
 
 export type PluginDefinition = {
   name: string,
@@ -74,14 +75,21 @@ export default (store: Store, logger: Logger) => {
 function getBundledPlugins(): Array<PluginDefinition> {
   // DefaultPlugins that are included in the bundle.
   // List of defaultPlugins is written at build time
+  const pluginPath =
+    process.env.BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH || path.join(__dirname, 'defaultPlugins');
+
   let bundledPlugins: Array<PluginDefinition> = [];
   try {
-    bundledPlugins = global.electronRequire('./defaultPlugins/index.json');
-  } catch (e) {}
+    bundledPlugins = global.electronRequire(
+      path.join(pluginPath, 'index.json'),
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error(e);
+  }
 
   return bundledPlugins.map(plugin => ({
     ...plugin,
-    out: './' + plugin.out,
+    out: path.join(pluginPath, plugin.out),
   }));
 }