diff --git a/src/shell/e-shell.c b/src/shell/e-shell.c
index 4078738a54..9d79f2444e 100644
--- a/src/shell/e-shell.c
+++ b/src/shell/e-shell.c
@@ -2103,8 +2103,6 @@ e_shell_get_default (void)
 void
 e_shell_load_modules (EShell *shell)
 {
-	EClientCache *client_cache;
-	const gchar *module_directory;
 	GList *list;
 
 	g_return_if_fail (E_IS_SHELL (shell));
@@ -2112,15 +2110,6 @@ e_shell_load_modules (EShell *shell)
 	if (shell->priv->modules_loaded)
 		return;
 
-	/* Load all shared library modules. */
-
-	module_directory = e_shell_get_module_directory (shell);
-	g_return_if_fail (module_directory != NULL);
-
-	list = e_module_load_all_in_directory (module_directory);
-	g_list_foreach (list, (GFunc) g_type_module_unuse, NULL);
-	g_list_free (list);
-
 	/* Process shell backends. */
 
 	list = g_list_sort (
@@ -2130,11 +2119,6 @@ e_shell_load_modules (EShell *shell)
 	g_list_foreach (list, (GFunc) shell_process_backend, shell);
 	shell->priv->loaded_backends = list;
 
-	/* XXX The client cache needs extra help loading its extensions,
-	 *     since it gets instantiated before any modules are loaded. */
-	client_cache = e_shell_get_client_cache (shell);
-	e_extensible_load_extensions (E_EXTENSIBLE (client_cache));
-
 	shell->priv->modules_loaded = TRUE;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/shell/main.c b/src/shell/main.c
index 365fb7575a..b1e16227e3 100644
--- a/src/shell/main.c
+++ b/src/shell/main.c
@@ -358,6 +358,7 @@ create_default_shell (void)
 	GSettings *settings;
 	GApplicationFlags flags;
 	gboolean online = TRUE;
+	GList *module_types;
 	GError *error = NULL;
 
 	settings = e_util_ref_settings ("org.gnome.evolution.shell");
@@ -391,6 +392,10 @@ create_default_shell (void)
 		g_clear_error (&error);
 	}
 
+	/* Load all shared library modules. */
+	module_types = e_module_load_all_in_directory (EVOLUTION_MODULEDIR);
+	g_list_free_full (module_types, (GDestroyNotify) g_type_module_unuse);
+
 	flags = G_APPLICATION_HANDLES_OPEN |
 		G_APPLICATION_HANDLES_COMMAND_LINE;