diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/plugin_loader_fix.yml b/changelogs/fragments/plugin_loader_fix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..85d5f0735ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/plugin_loader_fix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - plugin loader, fix detection for existing configuration before initializing for a plugin
diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/manager.py b/lib/ansible/config/manager.py
index 4efaf1aa272..e1fde1d30aa 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/manager.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/manager.py
@@ -383,6 +383,14 @@ class ConfigManager(object):
 
         return ret
 
+    def has_configuration_definition(self, plugin_type, name):
+
+        has = False
+        if plugin_type in self._plugins:
+            has = (name in self._plugins[plugin_type])
+
+        return has
+
     def get_configuration_definitions(self, plugin_type=None, name=None, ignore_private=False):
         ''' just list the possible settings, either base or for specific plugins or plugin '''
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
index 78487d1cb1f..dbaa6677307 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ class PluginLoader:
             type_name = get_plugin_class(self.class_name)
 
             # if type name != 'module_doc_fragment':
-            if type_name in C.CONFIGURABLE_PLUGINS and not C.config.get_configuration_definition(type_name, name):
+            if type_name in C.CONFIGURABLE_PLUGINS and not C.config.has_configuration_definition(type_name, name):
                 dstring = AnsibleLoader(getattr(module, 'DOCUMENTATION', ''), file_name=path).get_single_data()
 
                 # TODO: allow configurable plugins to use sidecar