diff --git a/core/logic/PluginSys.cpp b/core/logic/PluginSys.cpp
index f7e6269d..273e05d3 100644
--- a/core/logic/PluginSys.cpp
+++ b/core/logic/PluginSys.cpp
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ Handle_t CPlugin::GetMyHandle()
 	return m_handle;
 }
 
-CPlugin *CPlugin::CreatePlugin(const char *file, char *error, size_t maxlength)
+CPlugin *CPlugin::Create(const char *file)
 {
 	char fullpath[PLATFORM_MAX_PATH];
 	g_pSM->BuildPath(Path_SM, fullpath, sizeof(fullpath), "plugins/%s", file);
@@ -142,9 +142,7 @@ CPlugin *CPlugin::CreatePlugin(const char *file, char *error, size_t maxlength)
 	CPlugin *pPlugin = new CPlugin(file);
 
 	if (!fp) {
-		if (error)
-			ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "Unable to open file");
-		pPlugin->m_status = Plugin_BadLoad;
+		pPlugin->SetErrorState(Plugin_BadLoad, "Unable to open file");
 		return pPlugin;
 	}
 
@@ -428,7 +426,7 @@ void *CPlugin::GetPluginStructure()
 }
 
 // Only called during plugin construction.
-bool CPlugin::TryCompile(char *error, size_t maxlength)
+bool CPlugin::TryCompile()
 {
 	char fullpath[PLATFORM_MAX_PATH];
 	g_pSM->BuildPath(Path_SM, fullpath, sizeof(fullpath), "plugins/%s", m_filename);
@@ -436,16 +434,13 @@ bool CPlugin::TryCompile(char *error, size_t maxlength)
 	char loadmsg[255];
 	m_pRuntime = g_pSourcePawn2->LoadBinaryFromFile(fullpath, loadmsg, sizeof(loadmsg));
 	if (!m_pRuntime) {
-		ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "Unable to load plugin (%s)", loadmsg);
-		m_status = Plugin_BadLoad;
+		SetErrorState(Plugin_BadLoad, "Unable to load plugin (%s)", loadmsg);
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	// ReadInfo() sets its own error state.
-	if (!ReadInfo()) {
-		ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "%s", m_errormsg);
+	if (!ReadInfo())
 		return false;
-	}
 
 	m_status = Plugin_Created;
 	return true;
@@ -874,7 +869,7 @@ void CPluginManager::LoadPluginsFromDir(const char *basedir, const char *localpa
 	libsys->CloseDirectory(dir);
 }
 
-LoadRes CPluginManager::LoadPlugin(CPlugin **aResult, const char *path, bool debug, PluginType type, char error[], size_t maxlength)
+LoadRes CPluginManager::LoadPlugin(CPlugin **aResult, const char *path, bool debug, PluginType type)
 {
 	if (m_LoadingLocked)
 		return LoadRes_NeverLoad;
@@ -900,7 +895,7 @@ LoadRes CPluginManager::LoadPlugin(CPlugin **aResult, const char *path, bool deb
 		}
 	}
 
-	CPlugin *plugin = CompileAndPrep(path, error, maxlength);
+	CPlugin *plugin = CompileAndPrep(path);
 
 	// Assign our outparam so we can return early. It must be set.
 	*aResult = plugin;
@@ -921,8 +916,9 @@ IPlugin *CPluginManager::LoadPlugin(const char *path, bool debug, PluginType typ
 	LoadRes res;
 
 	*wasloaded = false;
-	if ((res=LoadPlugin(&pl, path, true, PluginType_MapUpdated, error, maxlength)) == LoadRes_Failure)
+	if ((res=LoadPlugin(&pl, path, true, PluginType_MapUpdated)) == LoadRes_Failure)
 	{
+		ke::SafeStrcpy(error, maxlength, pl->m_errormsg);
 		delete pl;
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -933,19 +929,11 @@ IPlugin *CPluginManager::LoadPlugin(const char *path, bool debug, PluginType typ
 		return pl;
 	}
 
-	if (res == LoadRes_NeverLoad)
-	{
-		if (error)
-		{
-			if (m_LoadingLocked)
-			{
-				ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "There is a global plugin loading lock in effect");
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "This plugin is blocked from loading (see plugin_settings.cfg)");
-			}
-		}
+	if (res == LoadRes_NeverLoad) {
+		if (m_LoadingLocked)
+			ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "There is a global plugin loading lock in effect");
+		else
+			ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "This plugin is blocked from loading (see plugin_settings.cfg)");
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -969,15 +957,9 @@ void CPluginManager::LoadAutoPlugin(const char *plugin)
 {
 	CPlugin *pl = NULL;
 	LoadRes res;
-	char error[255] = "Unknown error";
-
-	if ((res=LoadPlugin(&pl, plugin, false, PluginType_MapUpdated, error, sizeof(error))) == LoadRes_Failure)
+	if ((res=LoadPlugin(&pl, plugin, false, PluginType_MapUpdated)) == LoadRes_Failure)
 	{
-		g_Logger.LogError("[SM] Failed to load plugin \"%s\": %s.", plugin, error);
-		pl->SetErrorState(
-			pl->GetStatus() <= Plugin_Created ? Plugin_BadLoad : pl->GetStatus(),
-			"%s",
-			error);
+		g_Logger.LogError("[SM] Failed to load plugin \"%s\": %s.", plugin, pl->m_errormsg);
 	}
 
 	if (res == LoadRes_Successful || res == LoadRes_Failure)
@@ -1179,19 +1161,19 @@ bool CPluginManager::RequireExtensions(CPlugin *pPlugin, char *error, size_t max
 	return pPlugin->ForEachExtVar(ke::Move(callback));
 }
 
-CPlugin *CPluginManager::CompileAndPrep(const char *path, char *error, size_t maxlength)
+CPlugin *CPluginManager::CompileAndPrep(const char *path)
 {
-	CPlugin *plugin = CPlugin::CreatePlugin(path, error, maxlength);
+	CPlugin *plugin = CPlugin::Create(path);
 	if (plugin->GetStatus() != Plugin_Uncompiled) {
 		assert(plugin->GetStatus() == Plugin_BadLoad);
 		return plugin;
 	}
 
-	if (!plugin->TryCompile(error, maxlength))
+	if (!plugin->TryCompile())
 		return plugin;
 	assert(plugin->GetStatus() == Plugin_Created);
 
-	if (!MalwareCheckPass(plugin, error, maxlength))
+	if (!MalwareCheckPass(plugin))
 		return plugin;
 	assert(plugin->GetStatus() == Plugin_Created);
 
@@ -1201,7 +1183,7 @@ CPlugin *CPluginManager::CompileAndPrep(const char *path, char *error, size_t ma
 }
 
 
-bool CPluginManager::MalwareCheckPass(CPlugin *pPlugin, char *error, size_t maxlength)
+bool CPluginManager::MalwareCheckPass(CPlugin *pPlugin)
 {
 	unsigned char *pCodeHash = pPlugin->GetRuntime()->GetCodeHash();
 	
@@ -1216,11 +1198,10 @@ bool CPluginManager::MalwareCheckPass(CPlugin *pPlugin, char *error, size_t maxl
 
 	if (m_bBlockBadPlugins) {
 		if (bulletinUrl[0] != '\0') {
-			ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "Known malware detected and blocked. See %s for more info", bulletinUrl);
+			pPlugin->SetErrorState(Plugin_BadLoad, "Known malware detected and blocked. See %s for more info", bulletinUrl);
 		} else {
-			ke::SafeSprintf(error, maxlength, "Possible malware or illegal plugin detected and blocked");
+			pPlugin->SetErrorState(Plugin_BadLoad, "Possible malware or illegal plugin detected and blocked");
 		}
-		pPlugin->m_status = Plugin_BadLoad;
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/core/logic/PluginSys.h b/core/logic/PluginSys.h
index e82c0b90..835ac0f7 100644
--- a/core/logic/PluginSys.h
+++ b/core/logic/PluginSys.h
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ public:
 	 *   If an error buffer is not specified, the error will be copied to an internal buffer and 
 	 * a valid (but error-stated) CPlugin will be returned.
 	 */
-	static CPlugin *CreatePlugin(const char *file, char *error, size_t maxlength);
+	static CPlugin *Create(const char *file);
 
 	static inline bool matches(const char *file, const CPlugin *plugin)
 	{
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ public:
 protected:
 	bool ReadInfo();
 	void DependencyDropped(CPlugin *pOwner);
-	bool TryCompile(char *error, size_t maxlength);
+	bool TryCompile();
 
 private:
 	time_t GetFileTimeStamp();
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ public:
 
 	void ListPluginsToClient(CPlayer *player, const CCommand &args);
 private:
-	LoadRes LoadPlugin(CPlugin **pPlugin, const char *path, bool debug, PluginType type, char error[], size_t maxlength);
+	LoadRes LoadPlugin(CPlugin **pPlugin, const char *path, bool debug, PluginType type);
 
 	void LoadAutoPlugin(const char *plugin);
 
@@ -469,8 +469,8 @@ private:
 	/**
 	 * First pass for loading a plugin, and its helpers.
 	 */
-	CPlugin *CompileAndPrep(const char *path, char *error, size_t maxlength);
-	bool MalwareCheckPass(CPlugin *pPlugin, char *error, size_t maxlength);
+	CPlugin *CompileAndPrep(const char *path);
+	bool MalwareCheckPass(CPlugin *pPlugin);
 
 	/**
 	 * Runs the second loading pass on a plugin.