diff --git a/docker/etc/my_init.d/10_dokku_init b/docker/etc/my_init.d/10_dokku_init
index 6307ddefa..38948d4af 100755
--- a/docker/etc/my_init.d/10_dokku_init
+++ b/docker/etc/my_init.d/10_dokku_init
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ main() {
   fi
 
   # run core install triggers to force create any folders that may be missing
-  dokku plugin:install --core
+  dokku plugin:install
 
   if [[ -n "$DOKKU_HOSTNAME" ]]; then
     echo "dokku dokku/hostname string $DOKKU_HOSTNAME" | debconf-set-selections
diff --git a/docs/advanced-usage/plugin-management.md b/docs/advanced-usage/plugin-management.md
index 475a561a0..9da9d35fb 100644
--- a/docs/advanced-usage/plugin-management.md
+++ b/docs/advanced-usage/plugin-management.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 ```
 plugin:disable <name>                    # Disable an installed plugin (third-party only)
 plugin:enable <name>                     # Enable a previously disabled plugin
-plugin:install [--core|git-url] [--committish branch|commit|tag] [--name custom-plugin-name]           # Optionally download git-url (and pin to the specified branch/commit/tag) & run install trigger for active plugins (or only core ones)
+plugin:install [--core|git-url] [--committish branch|commit|tag] [--name custom-plugin-name] [--skip-install-trigger] # Optionally download git-url (and pin to the specified branch/commit/tag) & run install trigger for active plugins (or only core ones)
 plugin:installed <name>                  # Checks if a plugin is installed
 plugin:install-dependencies [--core]     # Run install-dependencies trigger for active plugins (or only core ones)
 plugin:list                              # Print active plugins
@@ -128,6 +128,12 @@ The `--core` flag may also be indicated as the sole argument, though it is only
 dokku plugin:install --core
 ```
 
+If installing plugins in a Dockerfile, you will want to skip the `install` trigger. This will be run on container boot.
+
+```shell
+dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/smoke-test-plugin.git --name smoke-test-plugin --skip-install-trigger
+```
+
 Finally, all flags may be omitted to trigger the `install` procedures for both core and third-party plugins:
 
 ```shell
diff --git a/docs/getting-started/install/docker.md b/docs/getting-started/install/docker.md
index 47dc1bf98..53c4f9dd7 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started/install/docker.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started/install/docker.md
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ The alternative is to build a custom docker image via a custom Dockerfile. This
 
 ```Dockerfile
 FROM dokku/dokku:0.36.11
-RUN dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-postgres.git postgres
-RUN dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-redis.git redis
+RUN dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-postgres.git --skip-install-trigger
+RUN dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-redis.git --skip-install-trigger
 ```
 
 ## SSH Key Management
diff --git a/plugins/plugin/functions b/plugins/plugin/functions
index dd237aca5..fc5290c80 100755
--- a/plugins/plugin/functions
+++ b/plugins/plugin/functions
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ download_and_enable_plugin() {
   declare desc="wrapper to download and enable specified version of plugin"
   local PLUGIN_GIT_URL="$1"
   shift
+  local SKIP_INSTALL_TRIGGER=false
   while getopts ":-:" opt "$@"; do
     case "$opt" in
       -)
@@ -47,6 +48,9 @@ download_and_enable_plugin() {
             OPTIND=$((OPTIND + 1))
             local CUSTOM_NAME="$val"
             ;;
+          skip-install-trigger)
+            SKIP_INSTALL_TRIGGER=true
+            ;;
         esac
         ;;
     esac
@@ -58,6 +62,9 @@ download_and_enable_plugin() {
   if [[ -n "$PLUGIN_COMMITTISH" ]]; then
     update_plugin "$PLUGIN_NAME" "$PLUGIN_COMMITTISH"
   fi
+  if [[ "$SKIP_INSTALL_TRIGGER" == "false" ]]; then
+    plugn trigger install
+  fi
 }
 
 update_plugin() {
diff --git a/plugins/plugin/help-functions b/plugins/plugin/help-functions
index 29087e0e7..408de0c62 100755
--- a/plugins/plugin/help-functions
+++ b/plugins/plugin/help-functions
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ fn-help-content() {
   cat <<help_content
     plugin:disable <name>, Disable an installed plugin (third-party only)
     plugin:enable <name>, Enable a previously disabled plugin
-    plugin:install [--core|--git-url] [--committish branch|commit|commit] [--name custom-plugin-name], Optionally download git-url (and pin to the specified branch/commit/tag) & run install trigger for active plugins (or only core ones)
+    plugin:install [--core|--git-url] [--committish branch|commit|commit] [--name custom-plugin-name] [--skip-install-trigger], Optionally download git-url (and pin to the specified branch/commit/tag) & run install trigger for active plugins (or only core ones)
     plugin:install-dependencies [--core], Run install-dependencies trigger for active plugins (or only core ones)
     plugin:list, Print active plugins
     plugin:trigger <args...>, Trigger an arbitrary plugin hook
diff --git a/plugins/plugin/subcommands/install b/plugins/plugin/subcommands/install
index ab3db3354..2f746f641 100755
--- a/plugins/plugin/subcommands/install
+++ b/plugins/plugin/subcommands/install
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ cmd-plugin-install() {
       ;;
     https:* | git* | ssh:* | file:* | *.tar.gz | *.tgz)
       download_and_enable_plugin "$@"
-      plugn trigger install
       ;;
     *)
       if [[ -n "$FLAG" ]]; then